About ISED Solutions
The Institute for Social and Economic Development Solutions is a national program that sponsors training and technical assistance (T&TA) for the USDA Community Food Project Competitive Grant Program and develops T&TA-related resources and services for refugee-serving programs nationwide. We are the recipient of the Technical Assistance Community Food Projects Grant from USDA-NIFA. Until 2027, our role is to provide administrative and programmatic support to applicants and grantees of this grant program. While we are not USDA-NIFA, we work closely with them to ensure we are providing accurate and helpful support to all we work with.
About the Community Food Projects
Competitive Grant Program
The Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP or ‘CFP’ for short) is a competitive grants program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
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The primary goals of the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP), are as follows:
Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, outreach to increase participation in federally assisted nutrition programs, or improve access to food as part of a comprehensive service.
Increase the self-reliance of communities to meet their own food needs.
Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues.
Meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project, planning for long-term solutions, or innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
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USA NIFA sponsors and funds the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program.
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The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP)was first authorized and funded in the 1996 Farm Bill, and has been included in every farm bill since then. It has mandatory funding, meaning that Congress does not have to make an annual appropriation. It was originally passed with the support of Rep. Emerson (R-MO), Rep. de la Garza (D-TX), Rep. Farr (D-CA), and Sen. Leahy (D-VT). The former Community Food Security Coalition received CFPCGP training and technical assistance grants for 16 years, through 2012. Growing Power and the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project have also supported grantees. Since its inception, the program has funded over 500 projects with more than $100 million. Its authorizing legislative language can be found here. Numerous reports have been generated over the years, providing valuable insights into the accomplishments of individual Community Food Project grantees (see below).
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Grants are made both for planning and for implementation. In general, funded projects include multiple activities and build linkages to strengthen local food systems that include the following:
Gardening, such as market, community, youth, income-generation and food production gardens;
Direct farm to consumer activities, such as farmstands, CSA, farmers markets, buying clubs;
Business development, such as micro-enterprise kitchens, youth job training, and other value-added activities;
Community meal preparation through communal kitchens;
Nutrition education and cooking classes;
Food access, such as grocery stores, corner store conversions, community cafes, meal programs;
Food policy councils and other policy organizing;
Community food assessments;
Farm-to-institution programs, supplying local food to schools, hospitals, and food banks.
Guide to Community
Food Projects
The Guide to Community Food Projects outlines how the USDA’s Community Food Projects (CFP) program supports local, multipurpose food system initiatives—ranging from gardens and farmers’ markets to food education and value-added enterprises—to increase community self-reliance and access to nutritious food. It describes eligibility, funding ranges, required matching contributions, and recommended project activities for organizations seeking to apply.
The Activities and Impacts of Community Food Projects 2005-2009
The report highlights CFPs’ broad role not only in direct food access, but in capacity building, economic development, land stewardship, and systemic change in community food systems
Healthy Food, Healthy Communities: A Decade of Community Food Projects in Action
This report summarizes the first ten years of the Community Food Projects initiative, documenting its role in advancing food security, local economies, and community self-reliance through grants supporting gardens, food value chains, education, and infrastructure.
It highlights program trends, lessons learned, and the evolving strategies for integrating community food projects into broader food system resilience
and equity efforts.
ISED-CFP Team
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Andy Fisher, TA Project Co-Director and ISED Executive Director
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Emma Bliss, TA Project Coordinator
ISED Solutions Partner:
The Food Systems Leadership Network
The Food Systems Leadership Network is a national peer learning community that connects current and emerging leaders, strengthens individual and collective leadership capacity, and fosters collaboration across communities to accelerate the realization of a just, equitable, and sustainable food system that generates good food, health, and opportunity for all. Close to 3,000 diverse community food systems leaders from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the District of Columbia participate in this growing network and access information, resources, tools, capacity building and professional development opportunities.
