Governor Josh Green, MD | DOA news was released on the assistance program for small farms

Honolulu – The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is now accepting applications for the prestigious Micro Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP). Now in its third year, this grant program, which supports small-scale horticulture, livestock and animal husbandry, increases the quantity and quality of locally produced food in food-insecure communities. A total of $2 million is available for this year’s program, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 2018 Farm Bill.

This year’s program is open to:

• Individuals, including backyard farmers – up to $5,000
  • Applicants must be Resident of Hawaii, at least 18 years of age and head of household.
  • Awards previously awarded under the MGFSP are not eligible

• Organizations registered to do business in Hawaii, including Native Hawaiian, non-profit, federally funded educational institutions – up to $10,000

o Organizations receiving awards are required to provide at least 10 percent of the grant award’s matching funds. Matching funds cannot be obtained from other federal sources.

Individual online application forms and program information are available on the HDOA Market Development Branch website: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/md/. Requests for companies are available on the State Procurement Office website at: https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/opportunities/opportunity-details/22883

It is the last day for all applications June 15, 2023 noon.

“There’s been a lot of interest in this grant program, and we’re excited to be able to open it up to companies this year,” said Sharon Hurd, chairwoman of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. “We’ve seen the good work that individuals have done in increasing their family’s food security and we look forward to seeing what organizations can do for their communities.”

Consideration will be given to the description of the project, the number of beneficiaries and whether the applicant has been awarded in previous programmes. Additionally, the food security level of the household or organization with a project plan, as indicated by the Food Security Index, calculated by the Conduent Healthy Communities Institute from Claritas, 2022. Coded by: https://www.hawaiihealthmatters.org/indexsuite/index/view?alias=foodinsecurity

Examples of activities that may be funded through this grant include:

• Small-scale gardening – buying tools or equipment, soil, seeds, plants, containers, refrigerators, composting equipment, towers, hydroponic and aeroponic farming.
• Small farming and animal husbandry – buy animals, buy, build or repair fences for livestock.

To assist interested parties in the application process, Zoom webinars are scheduled for:

Wednesday, May 17, 2023, 10 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time

To join the webinar, click here: https://zoom.us/j/96925183234

Or one tap Mobile: +16694449171,96925183234#

or phone:

Call: +1 669 444 9171 US, +1 719 359 4580, +1 253 205 0468, +1 305 224 1968, +1 309 205 3325 +1 360 209 563 509 56251 473 4847 +1 564 217 2000, +1 646 931 3860, +1 689 278 1000

Webinar ID: 969 2518 3234

The amplification session will also be recorded and posted on the HDOA website at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/md/

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to HDOA’s Market Development Branch at (808) 973-9595 or by email at: [email protected]

Last year’s program received 7,400 applications, of which 579 were awarded between $750 and $5,000, totaling $2.6 million.

Examples of proposals funded in the past year include the following projects:

• fences to protect crops and seedlings from fallow deer damage;
• Buying seeds and tree crops;
• Purchase of soil amendments, fertilizers, equipment and irrigation systems;
• Refrigeration/freezing capacity and food storage facilities;
• Purchase of garden towers and raised beds for vegetable production;
• building shade houses, aquaponic, hydroponic and aeroponic systems; And
• Building poultry houses.

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Media communication:

Janelle Saneishi, Public Information Officer

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

(808) 973-9560

[email protected]

http://hdoa.hawaii.gov