Vermont Agency of Agriculture Partners with Regional Food Business Center to Launch Funding Opportunity for Technical Assistance Providers

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Partners with Northeast Regional Food Business Center to Launch Funding Opportunity for Technical Assistance Providers

The deadline to apply for funding is August 23, 2024 and sub-awardees will be announced in early October 2024.

July 22, 2024 | Montpelier, VT - The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is pleased to partner with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center to announce the launch of the first round of funding for technical assistance providers, aimed at bolstering the capacity and economic potential of local and regional food systems across Vermont and the Northeast. Funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service, the Northeast Regional Food Business Center is part of a nationwide initiative to strengthen food supply chains while supporting historically underinvested producers and food business owners.

The Center will allocate resources in the first round of funding to technical assistance providers who provide direct business technical assistance and training to small- and mid-sized food and agricultural businesses. The Center will also offer awards to organizations that focus on regional network development and partnership building among technical assistance providers. The deadline to apply for funding is August 23, 2024 and sub-awardees will be announced in early October 2024.

Interested applicants must register and submit applications through the Northeast Regional Food Business Award application portal. Applications should address the project priorities and guidelines as outlined in the Request for Applications.

Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts shared that "As Vermont farm and food businesses respond to another flooding event this July, it elevates the importance and need for investments and expansion of our technical assistance providers. Building these relationships with our agricultural community in Vermont and across the Northeast region will ensure the viability of our food system into the future."

For more information about the first round of sub-awards for technical assistance providers, visit https://www.nasda.org/technical-assistance-provider-sub-awards/ or contact [email protected]. Throughout the open application period, there will be opportunities to connect directly with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center, including a pre-recorded webinar that was launched on July 22, 2024 and three informational webinars that will be held on July 30, August 7 and August 15.

The Northeast Regional Food Business Center serves 11 Northeast states and the District of Columbia, and it was established along with 11 centers around the country in response to gaps in food supply chains that were identified or exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center is led through a collaborative structure that includes Vermont, neighboring state departments of agriculture, a community advisory council and a DEI advisory council.

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The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation's state departments of agriculture. The NASDA Foundation's mission is to enhance American food and agricultural communities through education, outreach and research. The NASDA Foundation works with states to nourish people and communities while serving as the stewards of the environment and public trust. To learn more about the NASDA Foundation, please visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation/.

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