Slow Food Chicago (SFC), Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA), and Food:Land:Opportunity (FLO) are excited to share the names of the 67 farms, gardens, and collaborative projects awarded funding through the two rounds of the COVID-19 Farmer Support Grants!

The first round of the COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant, which was only open to farms operating in Chicagoland communities, awarded funding to 32 businesses, totaling $31,500. The second round grant was open to a wider pool of applicants, including community gardens, IL farm businesses serving Chicagoland communities, and collaborative projects. The maximum award amount for each category was $1,000, $2,500, and $10,000 respectively and 35 grants were awarded, totaling $92,500.

Of the many organizations who received funding through the grant, 63% are owned, led, or founded by BIPOC individuals. We recognize that the effects of the pandemic have disproportionately impacted communities of color, with 77.4% of all Chicago cases affecting Black and Latinx communities. The pandemic has exacerbated chronic health disparities in these communities, which are often directly connected to issues of food security. This funding will support local food producers actively working to create a healthier future for Chicagoans by creating greater access to healthy food and fostering healing.

Below is the list of grant recipients from both rounds of the COVID-19 Farmer Support Grant with links to learn about the beautiful work of each organization and collaboration.

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COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

FARM BUSINESSES

COMMUNITY GARDENS

Slow Food Chicago

@SLOWFOODCHICAGO