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COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant
Applications Open!
Chicagoland Farm Business Grants
At Advocates for Urban Agriculture, we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on farmers and the larger agricultural community as a whole. We've spent the last few weeks listening to farmers and actively discerning the best way to support the current needs of local food producers in a timely and effective manner.
With that in mind, Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA) and Food:Land:Opportunity (FLO), a partnership between The Kinship Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust, funded by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, are partnering to offer two grant programs available to Chicagoland farm businesses in 2020: The COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant and Capacity-Building Grant.
COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant: Application open Today (April 3)
In Partnership with Slow Food Chicago, COVID-19 Farmer Support Grants are small grants of $500-$1,000 available to Chicagoland farm businesses who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and are in need of immediate financial support for one or more of the following purposes:
 Farm Supplies: Personal protective equipment (PPE), farm tools, harvest supplies.
Farmer Income Support: Farmers experiencing a personal loss of income associated with their farm business.
Food Safety Initiatives: Hand washing station materials, cleaning supplies.
Labor Support: Supplemental labor costs.
Market Adaptation: Adaptations to existing market channels.
Priority will be given to Chicagoland farmers who are experiencing a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have limited access to external funding. This grant does not support volunteer-run community gardens, residential gardens, or farm businesses outside of Chicagoland.
COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant applications are available here ENGLISH + SPANISH , on our website. All applications must be submitted by April 20. Grants will be awarded to recipients by the first week of May.
Throughout April, Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA) and Slow Food Chicago (SLC) are carrying out a fundraising campaign in support of this specific grant opportunity. If you would like to contribute or learn more, please visit www.auachicago.org, www.slowfoodchicago.org, or contact us at outreach@auachicago.
The Capacity-Building Grant: was designed by and for Chicagoland farmers, and applications will be available this summer. Grants will range from $2,500-$20,000 and will empower Chicagoland urban farm businesses to expand their ability to produce and distribute locally grown food through increased operational support and capital projects. More information about this grant will be released in the coming months.
Thank you,
Advocates for Urban Agriculture
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AUA's Covid-19 Statement
Advocates for Urban Agriculture recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic is severely affecting farmers, growers, earth workers, food workers and the food system and the Urban Agriculture community at large. As such, it is also disproportionately affecting historically marginalized communities such as black, brown, indigenous, LGBTQIA+, elderly, disabled, immunocompromised, incarcerated, immigrant, single-parents, and low-income folks. We recognize the importance of naming our intersecting issues and those affected to fully address this pandemic and work towards long-term, sustainable solutions. We support the calls to be in solidarity with those most affected in order to have a stronger impact within and outside of the Urban Agriculture community.
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Introducing our new Executive Director
 We welcome our new Executive Director, Sean Ruane, to the AUA team. Especially during these critical times, growing our team is important. Sean is deeply committed to building a more just and equitable food system in Chicago. He was born and currently lives on the southwest side of Chicago and developed a love for growing food at an early age, while visiting his grandfather’s farm in Ireland and gardening with his mom. Sean holds a B.A in Education and an M.A in Justice Education. He has worked as an educator and non-profit leader for almost a decade, serving six years as a classroom teacher and social justice educator, and the last few years as the co-founder and director of Just Roots Chicago, a non-profit organization empowering communities to develop access to local, sustainably grown food. In his work with Just Roots Chicago, he has led fundraising and development efforts, co-led growing operations, and fostered strategic partnerships with community organizations. Sean also spent the last few years with Big Green, where he worked to equip administrators, teachers, and students at CPS schools with the skills and resources to utilize their school garden as a space for local food production and food literacy programming. Sean believes urban growers have the power to strengthen local economies and build resilient communities and is dedicated to working collectively with farmers, community gardeners and advocates to empower the urban agricultural community in Chicago. You can reach him at director@auachicago.org.
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Farmer Resources
AUA and stakeholders are working to provide additional resources specifically around COVID-19. Below are more resources and you can now check out our new covid19 resource page on our website.
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