CARES ACT Respond and Rebuild Grants

CARES ACT Respond and Rebuild Grants

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett

Colorado Ag professionals are eligible for about a million dollars in CARES Act grants to help support operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications are open through Monday, November 9th.

Ag producers can receive up to $12,500. Farmers markets, food hubs, processors, and other intermediaries are eligible for up to $50,000.

The Respond and Rebuild grants will be administered by the independent Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response Team.

The fund has provided more than $370,000 to producers and intermediaries, focusing on small- and mid-size growers, beginning farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers, farmers of color, LGBTQ+ farmers, and female farmers. A release says these producers are often underserved by public programs and are projected to bear the brunt of the pandemic.

Interested operators can apply at https://cofoodsystems.org/.

Meanwhile, applications for another major funding source CFAP 2, remain open until December 11th. Ag Commissioner Kate Greenberg:

Greenberg: “The goal of CFAP 2, I think there were a number of producers sectors essentially who were not eligible in that first round. A lot of smaller scale, diversified operators who gosh talk about making a pivot when you’ve got 80% of your sales go to restaurants and restaurants shut down overnight. How do you pivot overnight to get 80% of your product to a new market?

Farmers and ranchers can check out farmers.gov to see if they’re eligible.

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