The Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant (LFIG) is a program established under the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act to support the development of local food processing, aggregation, and distribution in Illinois. Starting in the fiscal year 2025, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will administer this grant program. The primary goal of the LFIG is to assist Illinois-based applicants in enhancing their infrastructure to increase market access for Illinois agricultural products within the state. This includes funding for value-added processing, livestock processing, milling, dairy, refrigerated vehicles, food hubs, community kitchens, and other essential components of the local food supply chain.
Eligible applicants must be located in Illinois and involved in storing, processing, packaging, aggregating, or distributing value-added products. This eligibility extends to Illinois farms, cooperatives, processing facilities, food businesses, and food hubs with 50 employees or fewer. Nonprofits and local governments are also eligible to apply. The grant program offers funding for both collaborative and individual projects, with a maximum award of $250,000 for collaborative projects and $75,000 for individual projects. A matching requirement is in place unless the applicant can demonstrate a high-need condition.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has allocated $1.8 million for this grant program. Currently, the department is in the process of creating the administrative rules for the LFIG, and further details regarding eligibility, application processes, match requirements, and timelines will be announced in the future.
The LFIG aims to strengthen the local food systems in Illinois by providing necessary financial support to enhance infrastructure capabilities, thereby improving the accessibility and distribution of local agricultural products to communities across the state.
