What you Need to Know: Grants 101 Webinar
August 30, 2024 Jamie Rahrig, Julie Jesmer
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EmailPlease note that this resource now includes out-of-date information. Per the USDA announcement on July 15, 2025, the Regional Food Business Centers program was terminated, prior to its original end date of July 2028. Because of this, the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center halted operations on September 15, 2025 and was unable to responsibly launch the Business Builder Subaward and assistances programs. Please see our related press release. Resources intended to help food and farm businesses will remain freely available on this website and additional resources can be found at foodsystems.msu.edu/resources.
Writing and applying for grants can be intimidating. In this August 22, 2024 webinar recording of the What you need to know series, you will learn from farmers and funders what you can do now to prepare for grant applications, including what to consider when applying and tips for writing grants that get funded.
Featured speakers, Porchea McGuire, Equity and Engagement Coordinator, NWI Food Council, and John Jamerson, Owner, Legacy Taste of the Garden, shared their insights on writing for and applying for grant funding. They joined Julie Jesmer and Jamie Rahrig of the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center who shared more about the upcoming Business Builder subaward opportunities.
Grant funding, provided by the USDA, will be available across the Great Lakes Midwest starting in late 2024. This includes the first phase of the Business Builder subaward program for food and/or farm businesses in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Over $10 million dollars will be distributed to technical assistance providers and eligible business owners over the next four years.
For those who missed the live event, a recording of the webinar is now available here:
For additional support, check out this resource sheet
For more information about future events and resources, interested parties can visit glm-rfbc.msu.edu or email glm-rfbc@msu.edu.
About the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center
The Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center was dedicated to offering coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building opportunities for farmers, producers, and other food business owners in support of a more resilient and competitive food system. Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems (MI) coordinated the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center comprised of network coordinators – Chicago Food Policy Action Council (IL), Northwest Indiana Food Council (IN), Food Finance Institute of the University of Wisconsin System (WI), and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Food Systems – who sought to take a transformational, rather than transactional, approach. Learn more at glm-rfbc.msu.edu
Support for the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service Regional Food Business Centers Program. The 12 USDA Regional Food Business Centers support all 50 U.S. States and Territories, and are inclusive of all types of agricultural products produced locally or regionally.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
