Farm to Food Security Grant Program is a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) that funds projects purchasing local food from Minnesota farmers and distributing it to Minnesotans facing food insecurity. Awards range from $20,000 to $100,000, with a deadline of March 31, 2026.

Eligible applicants include individuals, nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, Tribal governments, government entities, agricultural cooperatives, economic development organizations, and educational institutions in Minnesota. The program supports local food supply chains and addresses food access disparities by connecting agricultural production directly to communities in need.

Farm to Food Security Grant Program | Minnesota Department of Agriculture Business Dev, Loans, Grants Corporate Farm Information Food Business Development Exporting & International Trade Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Farm, Property, Real Estate Listing (MN FarmLink) Disaster & Cleanup Assistance Agriculture Chemical Response & Reimbursement Account Livestock Dealer Licensing Agricultural Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan VIEW ALL Grants & Funding Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant Local Food Purchase Assistance Down Payment Assistance Grant Agricultural Growth, Research & Innovation (AGRI) Program Livestock Investment (AGRI) More Business Development, Loans, Grants Topics Environment, Sustainability Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program Best Management Practices Minnesota Organic Conference Governor's Council on Biofuels AGRI Bioincentive Program AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant Clean Water Fund Activities Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program Water Monitoring Programs Agriculture in a Changing Climate More Environment, Sustainability Topics VIEW ALL Specific Pesticides Apply, Register, Store, Sell Pesticide Use & Sales Data Monitoring Pesticides in Water Regulation, Inspection & Enforcement Integrated Pest Management Apply, Register, Store, Sell Fertilizer Use & Sales Data Monitoring Nitrate in Water Anhydrous Ammonia Program Certified Testing Laboratories (soil & manure) Best Management Practices Pest Control without Pesticide BMPs Pesticide Container Recycling Pesticide & Fertilizer Complaints Registered Product Search Find Pesticide, Fertilizer Products Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting & Inspection Fees Pesticide Dealer Licensing & Sales Reporting Clean Water Fund Activities Clean Water Fund Activities More Pesticide & Fertilizer Topics Feed & Pet Food Business Info Secure Milk Supply Program Food Ingredients/Allergens Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Resources for New Food Businesses How to Start a Food Business Licensing Liaison Request Meat & Poultry Processing Recent Recall Notifications Food & Feed Inspection Programs Manufactured Food Inspection Program Commercial Feed & Pet Food VIEW ALL Insect Pests & Diseases Report a Plant, Pest or Disease Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Bacterial Canker of Tomato Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer Nursery Certification and Plant Regulation Export Certification Program More PLANTS, INSECTS topics Pesticide Dealer Sales Reporting Learn, Apply, Renew or Train Fertilizers, Pesticides & Chemicals Food – Cottage, Retail, Wholesale Produce, Fruits, Vegetables View all Licensing & Inspections Farm to Food Security Grant Program The Farm to Food Security Grant Program funds the purchase and distribution of foods grown and raised in Minnesota to reduce food insecurity in Minnesota communities.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Business Dev, Loans, Grants Farm to Food Security Grant Program Farm to Food Security Grant Program The Farm to Food Security (F2FS) Grant Program is a competitive funding opportunity to help individuals and organizations buy foods grown and raised in Minnesota and distribute them at no cost to Minnesotans experiencing food insecurity, particularly individuals whose needs are not met through the traditional emergency food system.

Note: On March 6, 2026, the FY26-27 F2FS Request for Proposals (RFP) was updated to add additional information about collaboration and clarify information about submitting letters of support. Applicants must be an individual, nonprofit organization, for-profit business, Tribal government, government entity, agricultural cooperative, economic development organization, or educational institution.

Examples of eligible applicants include but are not limited to: Local and statewide food access organizations and food shelves Farmers’ markets or cooperatives Farmers and food businesses with capacity to distribute food Universities, colleges, and other educational institutions Hospitals, clinics, or other health organizations Municipal or county government entities Tribal governments or Tribal entities Eligible projects and expenses All food distributions that are part of F2FS projects must take place in Minnesota, but how the food is shared can be based on the needs of the community.

Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to: A local food shelf buying food produced by farmers in their county and then distributing the food as part of their weekly distribution events. A regional hospital establishing a “produce prescription” program to buy local foods and deliver them to families in need and individuals suffering from chronic illnesses.

A Tribal government buying traditional foods grown by Tribal members and distributing the foods to elders. A farmers’ market implementing a food recovery program to pay farmers for products left at the end of the market and partnering with a local food shelf to distribute them. Eligible expenses include: Foods grown and raised in Minnesota, including whole (unprocessed), minimally processed, and processed items.

Up to 15% of the total project costs for administrative costs related to food storage, food transportation, and other supporting expenses. See the request for proposals (RFP) for more details and examples of the types of projects and expenses that are eligible. We expect to award approximately $1.

295 million using a competitive review process. The maximum award is $100,000, and the minimum is $20,000. Match requirements vary based on the amount requested.

Requests of less than $50,000 are not required to provide any matching funds. For requests between $50,000 and $100,000, you must provide a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) cash match on the amount above $50,000. Applications are due by 4 p.

m. Central Time (CT) on March 31, 2026 . Carefully read the Farm to Food Security Grant FY26-27 RFP updated (PDF) for program eligibility requirements, priorities, and scoring criteria.

Apply for a Farm to Food Security Grant using our online application system. If you are a new user, you will need to create an account. Once you are logged in, select "Local Food Purchasing Assistance FY26-27 Grant".

Contact us if you need this information in an alternative format. If you have questions that are not addressed on the Farm to Food Security Q&A webpage or in the RFP, email them to MDA. AGRIGrants@state.

mn. us with "Farm to Food Security Grant" in the subject line. We will accept program questions until 4 p.

m. CT on March 24, 2026 , and post all questions on the Q&A webpage. The Minnesota Legislature created the Farm to Food Security Grant Program to help buy Minnesota-grown food and share it for free with people facing food insecurity, especially those not served by traditional emergency food systems.

This state-funded program, launched in 2025, is based on the former federal Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Grant Program but has a new name to set it apart ( Laws of Minnesota, 2025 Regular Session, Chapter 34, Art. 1, Sect. 2, subd.

4(s) and Art. 3, Sect. 35).

Apply for a Farm to Food Security Grant Farm to Food Security Grant FY26-27 RFP updated (PDF) 418. 13 KB How to Fill Out Your Online Application 395. 81 KB Ag Marketing & Development MDA.

AGRIGrants@state. mn. us Ag Marketing & Development Kaylee.

Thornley@state. mn. us