State accepting applications to fund small-scale agriculture projects

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Micro-Grant for Food Security Program.

This is the fourth year of the grant program, which provides support for small-scale gardening, herding and livestock operations to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food-insecure communities. In 2023, grant money was awarded to the Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i Charter School where kindergarten students started an Aloha Garden. Students help care for vegetables in raised garden boxes, fruit trees, composting worms and a hydroponic grow tower.

This year, a total of $3,576,470 is available for the program, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided under the 2018 Farm Bill. The deadline for applications is noon on Aug. 12.

“The Micro-Grant program is, by far, the most popular of our grant programs as it provides financial resources to individuals and organizations to support small-scale farming,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture. “While the grant awards are not huge, the impact of increasing food security for families and communities has been very heartwarming.”

This year’s program is open to individuals, including backyard farmers for up to $5,000. Applicants must be a Hawai‘i resident, at least 18 years old and head of the household. Organizations that are registered to do business in Hawai‘i, including Native Hawaiian, nonprofits, and federally funded educational facilities could be awarded up to $10,000.

Those previously granted awards under the Micro-Grant for Food Security Program are ineligible

Organizations receiving awards will be required to provide matching funds of at least 10% of the grant award. The matching funds cannot be derived from other federal sources.

Last year’s program received 1,680 applications, of which 575 were awarded, ranging between $3,000 to $5,000 and totaling more than $2.6 million to individuals and $90,000 to organizations.

The previous year, 7,400 applications were received, of which 579 were awarded, ranging from $750 to $5,000 and totaling about $2.6 million.

The online application form and program information for individuals are available at the state’s Department of Agriculture Market Development Branch website here.

The Request for Proposals for organizations is posted on the State Procurement Office website here.

Examples of the types of activities that may be funded under this grant include:

• Small-Scale Gardening – purchase tools or equipment, soil, seeds, plants, canning equipment, refrigeration, composting equipment, towers, hydroponic and aeroponic farming.
• Small-Scale Herding and Livestock Operations – purchase animals, buy, erect or repair fencing for livestock.
• Apiary – bees and bee boxes, education, expanding food markets.

Individual applicants can choose one category of three offered: Category A – Gardening, Category B – Livestock and Herding, and Category C – Apiary. Organizations will complete a project profile template and present their project selection.

A webinar, with information and application instructions, will be posted today on the Micro-Grants web page at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/mgfsp/.

Questions regarding the application process may addressed to the MDB at 808-973-9594 or email: hdoa.md.microgrants@hawaii.gov.

Examples of proposals that were funded in last year’s round included projects for:

• Fencing to protect crops and seedlings from axis deer damage
• Purchasing of seeds and tree crops
• Purchasing of soil amendments, compost, tools and irrigation systems
• Refrigeration/freezing capacity and canning supplies for food preservation
• Purchasing of garden towers and raised beds for vegetable production
• Building shade houses, aquaponic, hydroponic and aeroponic systems
• Constructing poultry coops