Posted on August 13, 2024 by Alicia Alferman
On August 7th, Cultivate KC hosted USDA Deputy Under Secretary Gloria Montaño Greene at Juniper Gardens Training Farm. They announced the award of a $2.5 million grant to help increase access to land, markets, and capital for historically underserved farmers throughout the Kansas City metro.
With these grant funds, Cultivate KC and our partners will be able to address access to land by purchasing farmland in Kansas City, KS. This land will be made available to urban and peri-urban farmers in need of secure, affordable land leases on which to operate their farm businesses. The grant will also increase access to capital by piloting a bridge loan program to facilitate participation in reimbursable government grant. Also, cost share programs and increase the funding for Cultivate KC’s Get Farming Mini Grant program. Lastly, funds from this opportunity will allow the City of Kansas City, MO to add a Food Systems Coordinator position. The Food Systems Coordinator will work across city agencies to help reduce barriers to food production within city limits.
Executive Director Brien Darby explains that “by working with partners like K-State Olathe, AltCap, the City of Kansas City, MO, the Unified Government Planning Department, and KC Healthy Kids, we are planning for the sustainability and longevity of small farm businesses by reducing barriers to accessing land, developing urban farms, and participating in government grant and cost share programs.”
Cultivate KC and their partners are one of 50 projects across the nation selected to receive funding under this one-time opportunity from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. The grant is through USDA’s Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program. To learn more about the grant opportunity and for a full list of awardees, visit the Increasing Land Access webpage.
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