Access to Capital
Funding for Farmers and Growers
Starting a farm is financially “high risk” but we know the rewards are plentiful. USDA, local funding agencies, and nonprofits are working to make it easier to get growing.
Below are some tools and resources to help you navigate and find the right funding source that works best for your business and farm plans.
The Arizona Economic Recovery Center
The Arizona Economic Recovery Center enables qualified Arizona cities, towns, counties, tribal communities, and nonprofits to win competitive federal, state, and foundation grants. The center also serves communities statewide by:
Researching and simplifying grants and stimulus opportunities
Identifying funding sources for large and small projects
Connecting funding sources to communities in need of funding
Grant writing, facilitation, and project management to ensure success rates for qualifying communities and nonprofits.
Graham & Greenlee County Micro-Loan Fund
In partnership with Community Investment Corporation, Local First Arizona is building opportunities for local businesses in Graham County in partnership with Freeport McMoRan and the Graham County Leadership Cohort through the Graham County Micro-Loan Program. This new program offers loans in smaller amounts to local businesses in the Graham County area to help them stay competitive in a continuously changing economy.
Businesses and startups in all industries located in Graham County can apply for loans from the Graham County Micro-Loan Program. The loan fund is managed by the Community Investment Corporation.
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
USDA Farm Service Agency offers a variety of risk management, disaster assistance, conservation programs, and loans to help producers weather ups and downs in the market and recover from natural disasters, as well as invest in improvements and expand their operations. There are also targeted loans for youth, beginning farmers and ranchers, minority and women farmers and ranchers, and Native American Tribal Loans.
Dive into the wealth of USDA resources below:
Flagstaff Foodlink Grower Grants
The Grower Grants make hyper-local food more abundant by providing funds to area growers to expand or enhance their food growing operations! The program was created in order to fill gaps in traditional funding sources for small-scale food growers and producers.
Applicants must be located in Coconino or Navajo County. All individuals, small businesses, or non-profit growers are invited to apply for the grant!
Arizona Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
The Arizona NRCS offers a number of funding opportunities, as well as robust technical assistance, to help simultaneously increase the productivity of your farming operations and conserve natural resources.
Environmental Quality Incentive Program
This voluntary conservation program helps producers make conservation work for them. Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations. Staff from NRCS will help you develop a conservation plan to guide your use of NRCS resources. Arizona' offers 5 EQIP Programs:
Conservation Stewardship Program
CSP offers enhancements for current conservation practices. For example, if you have been practicing prescribed grazing, CSP would give you options to enhance that practice with activities such as grazing management to improve plants for wildlife, or grazing management to reduce soil compaction, or grazing management to improve riparian function, just to name a few. More on CSP.
Conservation Innovation Grants
CIG has supported projects ranging from the implementation of computer-controlled, automated sprinkler systems that save growers time, money, and water; to the development of quantification tools that support ecosystem services markets and provide a new income stream for producers. More on CIG.
Central Arizona Land Trust (CALT)
CALT is a community-based, nationally accredited Arizona non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable landscapes that define central and northern Arizona. CALT offers several services such as land protection (conservation easement), education, tax benefits, and technical support. More on CALT.