NWRM Business Builder Small Grants is a grant from the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center (USDA AMS) that funds facilities that incubate and support small, value-added food businesses by providing access to commercial kitchen space, business development support, and advanced food manufacturing services. Awards range from $20,000 to $35,000, with $300,000 total available and between 8 and 15 awards expected.

The program is designed to expand the capacity of food business incubators and support facilities in the Northwest and Rocky Mountain region. Eligible applicants are organizations operating commercial kitchen incubators or shared-use food facilities serving multiple small food entrepreneurs. The application deadline was April 1, 2025; award announcements were expected by June 2025.

Applicants should check the NWRM RFBC website for updated funding cycles.

Food RFA – Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center Connecting & Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder Watch Information Session 1 Request for Applications: Connecting & Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder April 1, 2025 (11:59pm Mountain time) The NWRM RFBC Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs team is offering grants between $20,000-$35,000 that are designed to expand the capacity of facilities that incubate and support multiple small, value-added food businesses by providing those businesses with access to commercial kitchen space, business development support, and other services, for example advanced food manufacturing services.

$300,000 total is available for this program, and we expect to make between 8 and 15 awards. Awards will be announced by June 1, 2025, with the expectation that funded work will be completed within 8 to 12 months.

The program is designed for operating shared use kitchens, food hubs, or food processing facilities that provide multiple food businesses with access to commercial kitchen space and other “incubation” services, for example: advanced food manufacturing services, business development support.

Uses of grant funds are intended to be used to allow businesses produce more product, more quickly, at a lower cost without reduced quality, and to expand services to more businesses. Please review the information about the Connecting & Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder request for applications below. How much money can I get?

What types of projects can I do with this grant? What can I pay for with this grant money? What CAN’T I pay for with this grant money?

More info about what businesses are eligible How are applications evaluated? When will awards be announced? Grants will range between $20,000-$35,000 Farm and food businesses can apply for and receive from more than one Business Builder grant program, but the total amount of Business Builder grant funding that an individual business can receive (including grants from other USDA regional food business centers) can’t exceed $100,000.

Total funds available $300,000 Target number of grantees in this grant pool 8-15 The NWRM Business Builder grants are designed for businesses incorporated or based in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, or Washington operating shared use kitchens, food hubs, or food processing facilities that provide multiple food businesses with access to commercial kitchen space and other “incubation” services, for example: advanced food manufacturing services, business development support.

Must be an existing entity, minimum of 2 years in operation at the time of application. Funds are not for the development of new initiatives or organizations For the Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Competitive Grants program projects must: Demonstrate institutional and operational sustainability and capacity, regardless of the funds. Demonstrate that multiple (5+) farm/food businesses will benefit.

Service networks or communities of multiple food businesses, including farmer coops, business collectives, shared kitchens, food hubs, and food processing centers.

Examples of eligible projects include: General Equipment: refrigerators, freezers, gas stoves, convection ovens, tilt skillets, kettles, mixers Specialized Equipment: fryers, dehydrators, slices, dough kneaders Packing Equipment: bottling line, vacuum packers, labelers, heat sealers Utility: dishwasher, sinks, prep tables, shelves, lockers, utility carts, ice machines Food Manufacturing Equipment: bottling line, oven, stoves, mixers, kettles, tilt skillet, blast chiller, dehydrators, etc. Infrastructure Investments: walk-in coolers, freezers, hoods, plumbing and electrical upgrades, roofs or flooring, etc. If what you need to strengthen your business viability and/or expand your markets isn’t on this list, please contact the Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Business Builder team.

Buying or renting equipment: You can buy or lease special equipment needed for the project .

Examples include: Kitchen equipment and cold storage, like refrigerators, freezers Special purpose delivery vehicles (for example, a refrigerated truck versus a general purpose pickup or van) Machines for packaging and labeling Software for managing sales, inventory, or equipment – Point of sale (POS) software and equipment Inventory management software Food safety certification: You can cover costs for meeting food safety certification requirements including upgrades to practices and equipment Projects and costs related to on-farm production Projects and costs related to meat and poultry slaughter and initial (“cut and wrap”) processing.

These projects are supported through other USDA programs. Value-added products beyond boxed meat, such as pemmican, jerkies, stews, and ready-to-eat meals are allowable. Purchase of land or buildings Construction costs, with some exceptions, for example, installation costs for allowable equipment Some types of equipment, including general purpose equipment that is not specific to the grant-funded project.

Please reach out to ask if you still have questions. Grant funds cannot be used to cover pre-award costs incurred before the effective start date of the project or fully executed agreement. What counts as "small" and "mid-scale"?

For this grant program, "small" and "mid-scale" are based on dollars, not acres.

Farms, ranches, and seafood harvesters Small = up to $350,000 in gross cash farm income (GCFI) Read the request for applications carefully, as some grants may focus on smaller businesses: “Low-sales” = up to $150,000 GCFI “Moderate sales” = $150,000 to $350,000 Mid-scale = $350,000 to $999,999 all other eligible food businesses Small = up to $350,000 in annual sales Mid-scale = $350,000 to $999,999 What do we mean by “local” and “regional” for this program?

Local: The distance between product origin and point of sale is at most 400 miles, or both the final market and the product origin are within the same State, US territory, or Tribal land. Regional: Operations must be located in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Washington, or Oregon These grants are for businesses. What about nonprofits?

The Business Builder grant program was specifically created for for-profit businesses, which includes cooperatives, that often are not eligible for grants open to non-profit organizations.

Non-profit organizations that have a farm or food business (including a food hub) are eligible if they can verify that grant funds will only be used for the farm or food business market development, operations or investments in the enterprise part of their organizations.

Educational farms or food processors/manufacturers not owned by farmers, ranchers and/or fishers/seafood harvesters are eligible if they document that at least 50% of granted funds will be invested in activities that improve market access and sales for farmers, ranchers and/or fishers/seafood harvesters. Historically underserved and underinvested businesses and communities.

We encourage projects that will benefit historically underserved farm and food businesses and underinvested communities. This includes beginning, socially disadvantaged, veterans, and limited resource farm and food businesses, as well as populations and geographic communities that have had limited access to economic development opportunities in food and agriculture.

Legal entity and UEI: To receive a Business Builder grant, a business must be a legal entity and have a Unique Entity Identification number or UEI, issued by the U.S. government. Quick Guide for Getting a UEI If you do not have a UEI number, you can apply for one on the SAM. gov website, which is managed by the General Services Administration of the United States government.

There is no charge to use this site or to obtain a UEI number. You may submit a Business Builder grant application before receiving your UEI number. However, you must provide your UEI number within two weeks following the application deadline for your application to move forward.

Failure to submit this information will result in your application being considered incomplete and ineligible for the next phase. You will also need to provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN; or Social Security Number if your business does not have an EIN) to receive grant funds. No match funding or cost-share is required.

USDA rules and guidelines: All Business Builder grants and grantees must meet federal rules and guidelines required by USDA-AMS, according to their terms and conditions . Insurance and licensing: Business Builder grantees must agree to follow all state and federal regulations related to licensing and insurance relevant to their products and markets.

This includes any new requirements related to new products and markets developed as part of a grant-funded project. Learning these requirements and coming into compliance should be included as a step in all projects. Reporting : Business Builder grantees will be required to report progress and outcomes as detailed in your grant agreements.

Reporting requirements will depend on the size and complexity of the project. Grantees will submit reports and payment requests through the NWRM RFBC Business Builder Grant portal. This is a reimbursable grant.

What does that mean? A reimbursable grant is a type of funding in which you must first incur expenses and then submit documentation to the RFBC in order to be reimbursed. The key feature of this grant is that funds are not provided upfront but are paid after you have spent money according to the approved budget or project plan.

Here are some common elements of a reimbursable grant: Pre-approved budget: You must follow the budget approved by the RFBC. Documentation required: After spending, you submit proof, such as receipts or invoices, to the RFBC to be reimbursed Conditional funding: If the expenses do not align with your approved budget and the grant terms, you might not be reimbursed.

Timing: the RFBC will process payments as quickly as possible, but it may take up to four weeks. To ease cash flow concerns, consider contacting a lender for a short-term loan. Advance payments are possible, if your business meets the qualifications (more info in the “ Grant set-up and management ” section of the full grant guidelines .)

Grant applications will be evaluated by an impartial panel of reviewers who will score applications based on the project’s achievability, potential impact on business viability and market expansion, and other factors relevant to the specific request for applications. We recommend applicants review evaluation criteria in advance so their applications can be as strong as possible.

Achievability (24 points possible) The project outcomes have specific time frames and budget allocations associated with them, all of which can be achieved within the project period (4 points) The applicant has experience with the proposed work, from past projects and/or staff/business partners for this project.

(4) The project description, budget details, and evidence of prior work related to this project indicate a sufficient stage of planning and readiness. (8) The proposed budget is clear, provides sufficient detail to show how it aligns with the project’s scope of work, and the applicant has provided justification for proposed expenses.

(8) Impact on Business Viability and Market Expansion (12 points possible) The project will increase viability of the business, for example, by improving profitability, general business management, workforce capability, workforce safety, operational efficiency, or other ways proposed by the applicant.

(4) The projected impact to business viability seems reasonable given the proposed project and the applicant’s current operation and/or level of planning. (4) The project adds additional sales channels for the applicant in line with applicant’s capacity and market expansion goals, and/or increases the applicant’s ability to perform in existing sales channels.

(4) Benefit for Other Eligible Businesses (32 points possible) The project will benefit underinvested businesses or communities (adequate documentation must be provided in application). (4) The project and business are focused on local and regional sourcing and marketing. (4) The project will add sales channels for the value added food businesses they serve.

(4) The project will enhance the ability to perform in existing sales channels for the value added food businesses they serve. (4) The projected improvements to regional food supply chain capacity seem reasonable for the proposed project and the applicant’s current operation and/or level of planning.

(4) The project directly addresses a specific supply chain gap or market access barrier within the applicant’s local or regional food sectors. (4) The applicant is clear about the specific value added food businesses that this project will directly benefit. (4) The applicant is clear about how the project will benefit those specific other businesses.

(4) Additional criteria (12 points possible) Applicant provides clear and specific details on how the identified equipment or infrastructure purchases will benefit the business financially. (4) The proposed financial benefits are achievable based on the provided information. (4) Applicant has a clear and actionable plan to encourage and support member food businesses to source ingredients locally or regionally.

(4) All grantees selected by the NWRM Regional Food Business Center for funding must then be approved by USDA-AMS. At that point, we will notify grantees that they will receive a Business Builder grant and begin the grant set-up process. Applications due: April 1, 2025 Awards announced: By June 1, 2025 Grant agreements signed: within 3 weeks of decision Project period: 8-12 months See the Application Process tab for details on applying.

For the Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Small Grants Program, you must also: Answer this question: This RFA prioritizes applicants who encourage and support their member food businesses to source ingredients locally or regionally. In what ways do you provide that encouragement and support?

Attach documentation to substantiate the costs of each piece of proposed equipment, which can include contracts, catalog pricing or binding quotes provided by licensed commercial entities. For each piece of equipment, please tell us how this purchase will have an ongoing financial benefit for your business (for example, increase in throughput, reduced related costs, increase in sales).

Answer this question: How will your proposed project benefit your member food businesses? Provide examples from at least 3 member businesses. Evidence like annual member surveys or needs assessments will also strengthen your case.

How can I learn more? Office hours & webinars about this RFA The Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs Theme Team will host a series of webinars about the BizBuilder Grant program and other technical assistance opportunities. All information sessions will be recorded and posted to the website.

Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs BizBuilder General Information Session 1 – Thursday, January 16th WATCH HERE Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs BizBuilder General Information Session 2 – Thursday, February 13th 2pm-3pm PT/ 3pm-4pm MT REGISTER HERE Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs BizBuilder Office Hours Session 1 – Thursday, February 20th 1pm-2pm PT / 2pm-3pm MT REGISTER HERE Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs BizBuilder Office Hours Session 2 – Monday, March 10th 5pm-6pm PT / 6pm-7pm MT REGISTER HERE Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs BizBuilder Final Session – Friday, March 21st 9am-10am PT / 10am-11am MT REGISTER HERE If you have questions about the Business Builder grant, please complete this form .

An FAQ will be posted to the website as questions come in. Connecting & Scaling Food Entrepreneurs team contact information Tyler Sangermano, Team Coordinator Applicants may submit questions regarding the RFA and application process HERE . Responses to questions, along with an FAQ, will be posted to the Connecting and Scaling Food Entrepreneurs webpage.

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Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.

To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D. C.

20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program. intake@usda. gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Confidentiality and Data Usage: Personally identifiable data collected in this application will be kept confidential. These data will primarily be used for application review and grant management by our internal team and USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

When we report on the performance of the Business Builder grants program to the grantor (USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service), we will remove and not share your personally identifiable data. Results from the Business Builder grants program may be published or presented in aggregated form at research conferences, and the anonymous data may be shared with other researchers through an online data repository.