2026 STL Distribution Microgrants

For the purposes of this grant, a “limited-resource” farmer is defined as a farmer whose household income is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, based on household size. For example, a household size of four would qualify as “limited resource” if their annual household income is $99,000 or below. See the table below for reference. For nonprofit farms to be considered “limited resource”, the farm’s annual budget must be below $500,000.

Farms that do not meet this definition of “limited-resource” are still eligible and encouraged to apply.

USDA Poverty Guidelines

Harvest

• Harvest tools
• Harvest carts and equipment
• Harvest bins, crates, and totes
• Equipment that makes harvesting faster or more efficient

Post-Harvest Handling

• Wash and pack equipment
• Food-safe tables and work surfaces
• Produce handling equipment
• Reusable crates and storage containers
• Scales
• Equipment that improves product quality or shelf-life

Processing

• Food processing equipment
• Food-safe processing supplies
• Meat processing equipment and supplies
• Egg washing/sorting equipment

Packaging & Labeling

• Packaging materials
• Food-safe containers
• Labels
• Label printers
• Pre-printed egg cartons
• Other materials that improve product quality, storage-life, presentation, marketability

Storage & Cooling

• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Portable coolers
• CoolBot systems and compatible refrigeration
• Food-safe shelving and storage equipment

Transportation

• Equipment or supplies directly related to transporting farm products to customers

This is not an exhaustive list, if you have a question about whether an item would be covered, please contact Serena Cochrane, Serena@gatewayfarmers.org

This grant is not designed for planning or production activities.

Ineligible Expenses

• Seeds
• Production tools
• Fencing
• Labor
• Equipment rental*
• Contracted services

*Rental equipment may be eligible if it is directly related to the procurement of purchased items. If you intend to include rental equipment in your budget, please contact Serena – Serena@GatewayFarmers.org before submitting your application.

That’s okay! The microgrant can contribute up to $2,000 towards a larger project. Make sure to include the full cost of your project in your budget. You will also need to identify where the remainder of the funds will come from. Please remember, all purchases must be completed by Nov 12, 2026.

Example: Your project costs $4,500. You may request up to $2,000 and explain how you will cover the remaining $2,500.

We may award more than $2,000 at our discretion, depending on available funds.

Purchases made prior to the grant start date will not be eligible for reimbursement. Awardees will be notified in early Oct and can begin making purchases following the return of an Awardee Agreement.

Awardees must:

• Keep receipts and other proof of purchase
• Complete all purchases and submit required receipts by November 12, 2026

Awardees will receive reimbursement up to the amount stated in their Awardee Agreement following the submission of all required documentation (including receipts, photos, and evaluations). Awardees may request an upfront payment of 75% of awarded funds to be paid following the return of a signed Awardee Agreement. The remaining 25% of funds will be reimbursed following final submission of all grant documentation (including receipts, photos, and evaluations).

Awardees will be required to:

• Sign an Awardee Agreement
• Complete and sign a W-9 form, if applicable
• Purchase approved items within the grant period
• Keep receipts and other proof of purchase
• Submit required receipts by November 12, 2026
• Provide photographs or other documentation showing the completed project
• Complete any required grant reporting

Please be as specific as possible with your budget, including quantities, price per item, and suppliers. If you have an estimate for shipping costs, you should include it in your budget. Check out this sample budget and template. You will have the option to either enter your budget in a field on the application or to upload a pdf.