Local Grants Available for Growing
Got the following from the City of Cleveland website. There's local startup money available for growing and selling produce:
Gardening for Greenbacks:
Grants of up to $3000 are available for equipment related to growing and selling produce. Members of farmer cooperatives and other community supported agriculture programs that sell food and share proceeds are eligible to participate. Program objectives include ensuring that residents have access to fresh, healthy and affordable food.
Gardening for Greenbacks:
Grants of up to $3000 are available for equipment related to growing and selling produce. Members of farmer cooperatives and other community supported agriculture programs that sell food and share proceeds are eligible to participate. Program objectives include ensuring that residents have access to fresh, healthy and affordable food.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Goddin on -
Great to know. That's plenty for a small operation to get tools, seeds, and amendments for a 30-60 family CSA.
I've been experimenting with an idea to do an urban CSA for a while now. I've grown veggies in my own backyard as wel as my neighbors and then gone door to door with them and the response was incredible. 80% purchase rate, 50% of contacts asked for help with their gardening as well, and 20% straight up offered their own backyards for my operation. On perhaps 10-15 properties in a walkable 1/4 mile radius it should be easy for 2 part time farmer/gardeners to make a profit while supplying produce directly to 30-60 households, in addition to providing assistance to another 20-40 households who are growing their own.
If this sounds interesting I'd love to talk more about it. I'm not a real business person, though I'm great at managing and controlling costs and turning a profit. I just don't know all the legal stuff. Never messed with it and it intimidates me. I'm guessing we'd have to incorporate and do some filings before applying for the grant.
Whoops. Just checked the website. Newbies need not apply. So, if you're an established local farmer looking to expand into urban gardens, this would be for you. Best of luck. And if you need somebody to help you find the space, etc, I'd be happy to help!
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