Rural seed grants available for food co-ops

Food Co-op Initiative Seed Grants were created to provide early development capital for retail food co-op organizing groups. In addition to the grant award, The Food Co-op Initiative (FCI) will commit to regular follow-up and assistance. Grants are as much as $10,000 when funds are available. Apply by July 17.

The grant money must be matched in equal dollars by the newly forming co-op. Awards are granted after review of all applications. If your organization does not receive a seed grant, FCI will continue to support organizing efforts.  

FCI is awarding $50,000 in Seed Grants for rural cooperatives. Funding is provided by the USDA Rural Cooperative Development program, and to qualify for a Rural Seed Grant, your co-op must be in a location recognized by the USDA as rural. Their definition is a community with a population less than 50,000 and not contiguous to an urban area. 

Download 2017 Rural Seed Grant Info page final to check eligibility and apply.