Unlock Your Culinary Dreams: Northeast Regional Food Business Center Reveals Exciting Funding Opportunity for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs!

February 25, 2025 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The Northeast Regional Food Business Center is thrilled to announce its first round of Business Builder sub-awards. This program aims to boost local and regional food systems by providing essential funding to small and mid-sized farms and food businesses. A total of ten million dollars is available, with funding amounts between $15,000 and $100,000. This initiative will help businesses grow their operations, reach new markets, and connect more effectively within the regional food supply chain.

If you’re a small or mid-sized farm or food business owner in the Northeast U.S., consider one of these three funding tracks:

• Track 1: Equipment ($25,000 – $50,000) – This track helps cover the cost of specialized equipment for post-harvest activities, which can include everything from processing to market readiness.
• Track 2: Business Development ($15,000 – $25,000) – This option focuses on improving financial management skills and industry expertise.
• Track 3: Product & Market Expansion ($50,000 – $100,000) – This track supports businesses looking to expand through new products, reaching larger markets, and increasing distribution.

Applications are open from February 24 to April 7, 2025. Award recipients will be announced in July, with projects set to kick off in August.

To assist applicants, the Northeast Regional Food Business Center has shared a pre-recorded webinar. Additionally, they will host four live webinars on March 3, March 11, March 19, and March 27. These sessions will provide insights and answer questions about the application process.

The Northeast Regional Food Business Center, founded in 2023, operates through a collaboration involving the NASDA Foundation, New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement, and various advisory councils.

For more details and to apply for the Business Builder subawards, visit the Northeast Regional Food Business Center website.

About The NASDA Foundation
The NASDA Foundation serves as a crucial educational and research organization for the nation’s state departments of agriculture. Its mission is to uplift American food and agricultural communities through education, outreach, and research. The NASDA Foundation collaborates with states to nourish communities while caring for the environment and public trust. To learn more, visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation/.