Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses, Sixth Edition
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MSU CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES SIXTH EDITION MARCH 2021 Center for Regional Food Systems FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 5 Before You Begin, Do You Have a Business Plan? 6 What Type of Financing Do You Need? 7 SECTION 2: CROWDFUNDING 8 Barnraiser 9 inKind 15 CircleUp 10 In Our Backyard (IOBY) 16 Credibles 11 Kickstarter 17 Crowdfunder 12 Localstake 18 FundRazr 13 Patronicity 19 Indiegogo 14 Seedinvest 20 SECTION 3: START-UP ACCELERATOR RESOURCES 21 AccelFoods 22 food-x 24 Food Hatch 23 SECTION 4: MISCELLANEOUS RESOURCES 25 Ben and Jerry’s Foundation, Grassroots Organizing Lending Club 40 for Social Change Program 25 Lendio 41 Black Farmer Fund 26 Metro Community Development (Flint Area) 42 Clif Bar Family Foundation 27 Michigan Good Food Fund 43 The Conservation Fund 28 Michigan Women Forward 44 Credibly 29 Motor City Match 45 Crosshatch 30 Northern Initiatives 46 Detroit Development Fund 31 Opportunity Resource Fund (OppFund) 47 Fair Food Fund 32 Patagonia 48 Farm Aid Grant Program 33 Power of We 49 FedEx Small Business Grant 34 Prosper 50 Greenstone Farm Credit Services 35 ProsperUS Detroit Lending Program 51 GROW 36 Revalue Investing 52 Honeycomb Credit 37 RSF Social Finance 53 Kiva 38 Whole Foods Market, Local Producer Loan Program 54 Lake Trust Credit Union 39 MSU CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS // FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) SECTION 5: ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF FUNDING INFORMATION 55 State of Michigan, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Food and Agriculture’s Investment Fund 56 Rural Development Fund Grants 57 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 58 Value-Added Grant Program 59 National Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grants 60 Small Business Innovation Research 61 USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) 62 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) 63 Regional Food System Partnership Program 64 USDA, Farm Service Agency Farm Storage Facility Loan Program 65 USDA, Food and Nutrition Service Farm to School Grant Program 66 USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI): Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities 67 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI): Improved Sustainable Food Systems 68 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development 69 Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) 70 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 71 Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) 72 USDA, Rural Development Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program (B&I) 73 Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program 74 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) 75 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) 76 Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) 77 Rural Energy for America Program: Renewable Energy System and Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loan and Grant Program 78 Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) 79 Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) 80 SECTION 6: TIPS FOR OBTAINING FUNDING 81 MSU CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS // FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES 3 Authors Acknowledgements Anel Guel The authors wish to thank Andrea Weiss of CRFS Graduate Student for communications guidance and copyediting and Department of Community Sustainability, Lindsay Mensch of CRFS for web publishing and Michigan State University layout. Gratitude to Blohm Creative Partners for (1st edition) copyediting and design of previous editions of this piece. Abby Harper Educator Support for this work comes from the W.K. Kellogg Michigan State University Extension Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. (1st edition) Rachel Kelly Photo Credits Specialist Center for Regional Food Systems, Cover: Jason Willis Michigan State University Page 5: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (3rd and 4th editions) Page 7: iStock Emily Kim Page 8: Thinkstock Undergraduate Student Department of Community Sustainability, Page 19: Khalid Ibrahim Michigan State University Page 21: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (1st edition) Page 35: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Evan Kutz Page 55: Jason Willis Undergraduate Student Page 62: Jason Willis Department of Community Sustainability, Page 67: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Michigan State University (4th edition) Page 73: MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Page 81: iStock Nick McCann Specialist Suggested Citation Center for Regional Food Systems, Michigan State University Rahrig, J., Pirog, R., Guel, A., Kelly, R., McCann, N., (3rd edition) Harper, A., . Kim, E. (2021). Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses (6th ed.) Michigan State Rick Pirog University Center for Regional Food Systems. Director https:// Center for Regional Food Systems, foodsystems.msu. edu/resources/food_business_ Michigan State University funding_sources (all editions) Jamie Rahrig Racial Equity Statement of the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Specialist Center for Regional Food Systems, The MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) Michigan State University recognizes that racism in the food system is historic, (4th, 5th, and 6th editions) ongoing, and systemic. As we collaborate with Taylor Wimberg partners to advance food systems rooted in local Former Graduate Student regions and centered on food that is healthy, green, Department of Community Sustainability, fair, and affordable, we emphasize racial equity as Michigan State University a foundation of our work. Read the full statement: (2nd edition) https://foodsystems.msu.edu/racial-equity-statement MSU CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS // FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES 4 FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION Purpose of This Directory A COVID-19 pandemic statement from the author at time of publication The Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses is a directory created to support and benefit food- The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting thousands of related business. The directory includes sources of small businesses across the United States. Active national and local finance opportunities that may be business owners reported a 22% decline in business available to producers, distributors, food hubs, and during the first three months of the pandemic. food-related businesses. The directory is a partial Businesses owned by women and people of color listing of what may be available across the United have been especially impacted. Women-owned States; some examples may not be a good match with businesses have reported a 25% decline, Latinx-owned your particular circumstances. Initially informed by a businesses a 32% decline and Black-owned businesses list of funding resources for food-related businesses a 41% decline.1 Consumer spending at restaurants found on the Food+Tech Connect website, a media was down 34% as of August 2020. It was estimated and research company building a network for food that 100,000 restaurants would permanently close in innovators and entrepreneurs, this listing has been 2020.2 expanded and updated by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems to help In Michigan and across the U.S., we have seen support local food systems. food and farm businesses change business models to offer more take-out meals, sell online and sell direct to consumers. Federal, state and many private organizations responded by offering new funding opportunities for businesses. Some of these organizations have changed their focus in order to support local businesses or a specific business sector. We have not included these new funding opportunities in this resource because it is likely that these are temporary changes. For nationally available COVID-19 pandemic relief opportunities, we suggest following your local economic development agencies and Small Business Development Centers to learn of any new funding opportunities to support your 1 Fairlie, R (2020) The impact of COVID-19 on small business owners: Evidence from the first three months after widespread social-distancing restrictions Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 29(4), 727-740 https://doi org/10 1111/jems 12400 2 National Restaurant Association (2020, September 14) 100,000 restaurants closed six months into pandemic https://restaurant org/news/pressroom/press-releases/100000- restaurants-closed-six-months-into-pandemic MSU CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS // FUNDING SOURCES FOR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES 5 business. The link included below offers pandemic How the Directory Works specific funding across the U.S. • List of national funding sources and food The directory is divided into four types of funding industry support resources specific to COVID-19. sources: In Michigan, keep updated by following the MSU • Crowd funding • Miscellaneous (non- federal) Center for Regional Food Systems (@MSUCRFS) on • Accelerator Facebook and Twitter. • Federal resources For each funding entity included, details are provided to help guide your decisions: • Description • Geographical region of focus • Funding focus • Website • Funding limit • Qualifications At the end of the list of funding entities, a selection of resources on writing grant and loan applications is provided. Writing a robust, effective grant and/ or loan application can help you successfully obtain the funding you need for your business. Look to the tips provided as you determine which type funding source is right for your business. BEFORE YOU BEGIN, DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN? At any stage