FARE Fund | America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (Reinvestment Fund)

Competitive grants and technical assistance will be available for eligible food retail and food retail supply chain projects in the predevelopment and implementation stages. In the 2024-2025 funding cycle, at least $9,000,000 is available for implementation grants, at least $1,500,000 is available for technical assistance, and at least $16,000,000 is available for loans. Grant funds will be distributed through three rounds of funding. Technical assistance and loans will be distributed on a rolling basis.

Grant awards will be up to $250,000 for implementation and up to $100,000 for early-stage planning, predevelopment, and technical assistance. Loans to eligible projects may range between $500,000-$5,000,000. Loans may be paired with technical assistance or a grant to strengthen the viability of the project.

SHOT Fund (Regenerative Agriculture Foundation) offering 0% Interest EQIP Bridge Loans to help producers manage the upfront costs of EQIP projects.

The USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides farmers with financial assistance to implement conservation practices. However, many landowners face challenges covering initial costs and waiting for reimbursement from USDA. The EQIP Bridge Loan Program removes these financial barriers for producers, especially for farmers of color, beginning farmers, women farmers, and small-scale and/or low-wealth farmers.

Producers interested in learning more can submit this pre-application form, and SHOT Fund partners will be in touch to schedule a short call.

Eligibility:

  • Who: Producers with active EQIP contracts and near-term projects will be prioritized, though producers who are interested but have not yet applied to EQIP will also be considered.
  • Eligible EQIP Practices: The EQIP project must generally focus on practices that align with the regenerative principles described in the attached brochure. Projects to support pasture-based grazing count!
  • Eligible States: In 2025, we are focused on the following states, given the geographic restrictions of our philanthropic partners:
    • Midwest: IA, IL, IN, MN, MI, WI, ND, SD
    • Southeast: AL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA
    • Southwest & California: AZ, CA, NM

Details about the 0% Interest EQIP Bridge Loans:

  • Loan amount: Up to 100% of your EQIP award; $75,000 maximum
  • Interest rate: 0% — No fees, no penalties, and no interest
  • Loan term: Based on EQIP practice installation timeline, 36-month maximum term