Colorado COVID-19 Emergency Hunger Relief Fund

Applications are now open and will be accepted until Tuesday, Sept 8th at 5pm MST.
PLEASE READ the following information carefully as we have created two tiers of applications for this round.
The first tier of applications is for those that are seeking emergency hunger relief funding (i.e. need to provide food and meals to individuals). This application remains mostly the same as the previous rounds, with slight changes, and has a maximum grant amount of $10,000.
The second tier of applications is for those that are not only seeking emergency hunger relief funds, but are also focusing on more long term systems + infrastructure building. This could include: bringing your legislator for a site visit and sharing the importance of funding anti-hunger programs; becoming a food bank partner; infrastructure support that would allow for longer term service delivery; efforts to build partnerships with local farmers; projects aimed at policy or systems change; modifying food options based on client preference; or more significant case management for families accessing services. This application has a few additional questions and the funding range is $10,000 to $20,000.

The Gap Fund
The Energize Colorado Gap Fund will provide more than $25M in small business loans and grants to boost small business enterprises that are the economic engines throughout the state. Sole proprietors, businesses, and nonprofits with less than 25 full-time employees can apply for up to a $15,000 grant and a $20,000 loan for a possible combined total of $35,000 in financial assistance.
Applications and awards will be done in rounds to allow us to provide assistance through December 2020. The process will not be first-come-first-serve, it will be a competitive process that will help those in need to receive priority access to assistance.

New Mexico farmers and ranchers interested in applying must do so by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31 through an Eligible Entity, such as a Soil and Water Conservation District; a tribe, nation, or pueblo; or a land grant or acequia. Eligible Entities will conduct preliminary reviews of the applications they receive, then forward the applications they approve to NMDA by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Eligible Entities are also invited to apply to NMDA on their own behalf; such applications are also due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 8. Late applications will not be accepted.
Grant funding may be used for agricultural projects in New Mexico that focus on one or more of five basic soil health principles: keeping the soil covered; minimizing soil disturbance on cropland; maximizing biodiversity; maintaining a living root; and integrating animals into land management.
For more information on the NM Healthy Soil Program or to download a streamlined, fillable application, visit www.nmda.nmsu.edu or call 575-646-2642.

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Farm Aid is working closely with our national partners to support service providers, farm organization staff, and advocates who work with farmers navigating the crisis sparked by COVID-19. We’re proud to share the following resources, co-created with the Farmers Legal Action Group (FLAG), Rural Advancement Foundation International – USA (RAFI-USA), National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), Intertribal Agriculture Council and the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative. Our intent is to equip all of you with as much information as possible as you work with farmers in this rapidly unfolding environment.

Navigating COVID-19 Relief for Farmers

This guide was created to help you navigate the challenging circumstances sparked by COVID-19. Assistance from federal and state programs can make a difference for farmers in this crisis. The pages outline current relief programs related to COVID-19 and how they apply to farmers. As you review the programs that may be of help to you, the following issues are important to remember.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for nearly everyone. At Farmers’ Legal Action Group, our top priority is supporting family farmers and their communities so that farmers can stay on the land. Although our offices are closed to the public during this crisis, FLAG’s attorneys and staff are working full time to help farm families face the stresses of dealing with COVID-19 and its legal and financial consequences.

For free legal services and support, farmers can call our national toll-free hotline at 877-860-4349.

Farm Aid and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) are working to assess the impact and reach of federal COVID-19 relief programs, both to advocate for new or adjusted programs that can reach producers who are struggling to access those currently available and to ensure that USDA, SBA, and other institutions at local, state and federal levels are doing everything in their power to ensure farmers can stay on their land and remain viable.