Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund

The Sustainable Food and Agriculture Grant Program is administered by the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resilience in Boulder County, Colorado. This initiative is rooted in the 2016 voter-approved Sustainability Tax, which allocates a portion of sales and use tax revenues toward countywide sustainability infrastructure and programs. Of the funds collected, $50,000 is earmarked specifically for supporting projects that enhance Boulder County’s local food system. The overarching goal of the program is to empower private and nonprofit organizations within the county to pursue initiatives aligned with environmental sustainability and equitable food access. While previous versions of the program included soil health, this component has since been moved to a separate initiative, and soil health projects are now ineligible for this funding stream. The 2026 iteration of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Grant supports four primary categories of work: (1) farmer and producer education through conferences, workshops, and demonstrations focused on sustainable and regenerative practices; (2) infrastructure for farmers’ markets and cooperative ventures, including equipment and facility upgrades like storage and refrigeration; (3) local food and crop processing, including support for food hubs and innovative processing technologies; and (4) programmatic and resource support for frontline farm workers and the organizations that serve them. These categories reflect Boulder County’s ongoing commitment to a resilient and equitable food system as outlined in its Sustainability, Climate Action, & Resilience Plan. Eligible applicants include any registered business, nonprofit organization, or governmental entity with operations based within Boulder County. Projects must adhere to all relevant federal, state, and local land-use regulations. Applicants who have received prior funding through this program must observe a two-year waiting period before reapplying. For example, a 2024 awardee would be eligible to reapply in 2026. All applications must fall within the $10,000 to $25,000 range, and the requested funds must not be used for certain restricted purposes, such as soil health work, organizational overhead exceeding 15%, legal or loan fees, debt repayment, or travel. The application window opens on December 8, 2025, and closes at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on January 7, 2026. All applications must be submitted online, and attachments such as letters of support will not be accepted. The application includes questions related to project goals, equity impacts, and projected outputs such as the number of acres impacted or frontline workers supported. Applicants are encouraged to review the application packet and frequently asked questions prior to submission. For clarification, the program advises contacting Senior Sustainability Strategist Tim Broderick via email. The evaluation process is managed by a review committee composed of staff from the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resilience. Applications will be scored based on equity, projected impact, organizational capacity, and fiscal responsibility. Final decisions will be made by the Boulder County Board of Commissioners. Award notifications are expected by April 3, 2026. Funded projects must begin by May 4, 2026, and all grant-related activities must be completed by May 4, 2027. Reporting is required throughout the grant period, and payments are disbursed as reimbursements based on submitted invoices and receipts. Failure to comply with reporting requirements may result in disqualification from future funding opportunities.