Urban Agriculture Microgrant Program

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) administers the Urban Agriculture Microgrant Program to support agricultural producers operating in or near urban areas of Colorado. This initiative reflects CDA’s broader efforts to strengthen local food systems, enhance food security, and support community-based agricultural activity. In 2025, the department allocated $20,000 from its Agricultural Management Funding to launch the program for Fiscal Year 2026. The microgrants are intended for small-scale projects that can meaningfully enhance the sustainability, productivity, and resilience of urban farms serving local communities. The grant program is designed to uplift both nonprofit and for-profit entities engaged in urban food production. It aims to help producers expand their operations, adopt conservation practices, educate their communities, and overcome systemic challenges unique to urban farming. These challenges include limited access to space, resource constraints, and the need to engage communities in education and outreach efforts. By offering targeted funding, CDA encourages applicants to design innovative, tailored solutions that improve their own operations while contributing to the broader goals of environmental sustainability and local food access. Eligible applicants include urban farms and ranches that actively cultivate and distribute food locally. Community gardens, school gardens, institutions like universities or hospitals, and individual growers or hobbyists are excluded from eligibility. The program offers microgrants of up to $5,000 per entity, awarded on a reimbursement basis. Funding cannot be applied retroactively, and all eligible purchases must be completed by June 30, 2026, marking the end of the grant period. Projects that may be funded include tool or equipment purchases, expansion of growing areas, staff stipends for outreach efforts, soil remediation, community event planning, marketing, and more. However, expenses such as travel, land or water leases, and already-funded projects are explicitly excluded. Applicants must submit their completed grant applications using a designated Google Form by the deadline of January 26, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. MT. A live informational webinar will be held on January 7, 2026. The CDA’s evaluation committee, comprising industry experts and agency staff, will assess applications based on the clarity of goals, community and operational impact, realistic timelines, and financial feasibility. The committee will then recommend finalists to the Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, who makes the final award decisions. Successful applicants will be notified via email no later than February 20, 2026, and may begin incurring reimbursable costs once the award notice is received. The grant performance period runs through June 30, 2026, after which recipients must submit a final report by July 30, 2026. This report should include information on project outcomes, lessons learned, supporting media, and any additional insights that may inform future program iterations. Throughout the program, CDA places a strong emphasis on transparency and impact measurement. Applicants are encouraged to articulate how their proposed projects will conserve natural resources, build agricultural capacity, and foster stronger local food networks. The application review criteria also prioritize creativity, alignment with program objectives, and a demonstrable benefit to both producers and the communities they serve. CDA staff, including the Urban Agriculture Program Specialist, are available to answer questions and assist prospective applicants during the outreach window leading up to the submission deadline.

High-ranking proposals will address local food access, conservation, and operational resilience; creative and scalable ideas are encouraged.