Supporting Right-Size Investing and Infrastructure

Although the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center concluded operations in July 2025 following the cancellation of USDA Agricultural Marketing Service funding, the following resource links allow farm and food businesses to locate investment resources to grow their operations.

Please note that the Center itself is no longer providing technical assistance, grants, events, or direct services.

Resources

These are just a few of the funding sources available in our region. Municipalities, counties, and states often have their own programs that may be useful funding sources for your business. Other resources to find funding opportunities include economic development agencies, local funders and philanthropy.

Federal Grant Opportunities

A comprehensive list of federal grant opportunities. Some federal grant programs that are directed towards farms, ranches and the businesses that serve them are FSA loans, Farmer.gov loan page, LAMP programs, Rural Development programs.

Submitted Federal Grants

Learn more about submitting federal grants at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture 2024 Grant Support Technical Assistance Page, and the Get Started Guide: A Guide to USDA Resources for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers is a new multi-agency publication that provides information on assistance and targeted opportunities available to minority, women, veteran, beginning and limited resource producers. This 40-page guide is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese, and can help you get started with USDA, whether you are new to farming, ranching, or forestry management, or just new to working with the USDA.

Farm and Food Commercial Banks

Here is a sampling of commercial banks that work with farmers & food businesses in our region. Find your local farm Credit bank here. Specific banks in our region include AgWest Farm Credit, D.L. Evans (Idaho & Utah), RaboAG, and the Wyoming Community Bank.

Community Development Finance Institutions

Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFI) are mission-driven financial institutions that have been certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund. CDFIs include credit unions, banks, loan funds, and venture capital funds that operate with a primary mission of serving low-income communities. CDFIs offer a range of financial products, and work with partners to offer training and technical assistance, interest rate buy-downs, extended term offerings, and other affordable lending products. Go here to learn more and find CDFIs that serve your state. Some CDFI’s like Foodshed Capital work nationally.

Private Capital

Private capital terms run the gamut of offering loans or taking an equity stake. Some private capital offerings are crowdfunded. A sample of available private finance offerings in our region include RFS Social Finance, Steward, Mad Capital, Harvest Returns, Potlikker Capital, Mission Driven Finance, and Dirt Capital Partners.

You can also search for Local Slow Money groups such as, SOIL Sangre de Cristo, Four Corners Slow Money, SOIL Boulder.

State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) programs vary by state

Go here to learn more and find which of the following programs are available in your state.

Capital Access Programs provide portfolio insurance in the form of a loan loss reserve fund into which the lender and borrower contribute.
Collateral Support Programs provide cash collateral to improve small business’ ability to borrow funds to grow a business.
Loan Guarantee Programs support private loans that may have otherwise been inaccessible or prohibitively expensive by agreeing to reduce the lender’s exposure on a loan.
Loan Participation Programs provide credit support through the purchase of a portion of a loan made by a lender or through a direct loan alongside a private lender.
Equity/Venture Capital Programs provide capital in the form of equity investments to underserved startups and investors.

Other funding related resources for businesses:

CDFA Food Finance Portal

CDFA Food Finance Portal is designed to help connect those seeking food system finance assistance with resources that provide a wide variety of loans, grants, technical assistance, and other potential funding opportunities.

Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses

The latest edition of the Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses directory from Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems identifies national and statewide opportunities for financial support for Michigan farmers, food producers, distributors, food hubs, other food-related businesses, and business assistance providers.

Funding Landscape Study

A study of the funding landscape for entrepreneurs and small business in Montana

Loan Readiness Toolbox for Food and Farm Businesses

The Loan Readiness Toolbox for Food and Farm Businesses from Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems provides the steps needed to confidently apply for financing. Specifically designed for food and farm businesses, the Toolbox includes resources for consumer-packaged goods manufacturers, caterers, restaurants, kitchen incubators, food trucks, and farmers who are ready to monitor and track their financial records and access financing in the next 18 – 24 months.

Business operations and skill building resources:

Photo by Melissa Hemken

The Montana Food and Agriculture Development Center (FADC) Network exists to help Montanans innovate and grow businesses that produce and commercialize food, agricultural and renewable energy products, and processes. The FADCs support local businesses to create wealth and jobs for our communities, farms, and ranches while expanding Montana’s value-added agriculture industry. They meet businesses where they are to identify needs and connect them with resources to thrive. The Centers – located throughout Montana – operate as a network serving community-based businesses, agricultural producers, and food entrepreneurs. The Network works as a team – if one doesn’t know the answer to a question, they know someone that does. By accessing a Food & Ag Development Center, businesses are accessing statewide connections, national resources, and business support tailored to their business. TA services are offered at no charge.

Northwest Agriculture Business Center provides business development resources to farmers and agriculture-related business in northwest Washington.NABC’s fee-based technical assistance provides farm clients with “hand’s-on” business plan review and development, preparation of capital and financing strategies and plans, value-added product development and marketing, project evaluations, and professional referrals. Services available in Spanish

Food & Farm Business Services, a part of Business Impact NW, offers comprehensive support for food and farm entrepreneurs across Oregon & Washington State. We provide access to essential skills, resources, networks, and marketplace opportunities to help you start, run, and grow your food or farm-related business.

Food Finance Learning Center and the Food Finance Institute offer numerous web-based training resources designed to help you improve the financial success of your business.

New Venture Advisors evaluation tools can help you evaluate your market. New Venture Advisors also has a Readiness Rubric can help you create a directional map of your strategy, capacity, partnerships, and funding.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) provide counseling, training and mentorship to small businesses.

NIST/MEP network offers high quality, cost effective services in all 50 states. Services include financial modeling, ROI analysis, and process flow improvement.

Learn more about Capital:

CDFA’s Food Finance White Paper Series: Food Systems & Access to Capital

Flexible Capital Fund has a great downloadable Capital Continuum Infographic

Learn As You Go Grant Writing Course

This eight-part course equips you with tested strategies to craft a competitive grant application. We’ll demystify federal grant jargon, ensure you’re prepped for success, and guide you through the SAM.gov registration. From crafting workable budgets and work plans to a stress-free submission, we’ll walk you through every step. Familiarize yourself and your team with the art of grant writing and secure the USDA funding you need to grow your business.
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Web-based Training Resources

Edible Alpha Learning Center and the Food Finance Institute offer numerous web-based training resources designed to help you improve the financial success of your business.

Evaluation Tools

Counseling, Training, and Mentorship

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) provide counseling, training and mentorship to small businesses.

Finance and Accounting Services

NIST/MEP network offers high quality, cost effective services in all 50 states. Services include financial modeling, ROI analysis, and process flow improvement.

Resources for funders who would like to learn more about small and mid-tier food and farm businesses

CDFA Food Systems Finance Resource Center

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders

The Center helps to improve overall access to capital and strengthen business viability by:

Facilitating scale-appropriate, Right-Sized Investments for physical and non-built infrastructure

Training and supporting producers, processors, and distributors to better meet the needs of funders and holders of capital

Provide technical assistance on capital management

Educating funders and capital holders in making investments with durable system-level benefits improves outcomes and reduces barriers to access

Our Team

Sydney DeLuna

Luna Bird

Learn About Sydney DeLuna

Amy Mattias

Sun Valley Institute for Resilience

Learn About Amy Mattias