Financing Food and Farm Businesses

MA Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program

Grant Opportunity!

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has launched a grant program to support farms and other food businesses and institutions that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. This grant program is accepting applications on a rolling basis until September 15th, 2020. The RFR includes many examples of projects that are eligible.

Grant funding will be allocated on a reimbursement basis, and the the PVGrows Investment Fund and Mass Food Trust Program are offering short-term or ‘bridge’ loans to food and farm businesses to cover the upfront costs. Keep reading to learn more about options for bridge financing.

Understanding What MFTP + PVGIF Finance

PVGrows Investment Fund: Bridge Financing

Click here to learn more about PVGIF

The PVGrows Investment Fund is offering bridge loans (short-term upfront funding) to awardees of the MA Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) Program who meet our mission to grow the local food system. Since the FSIG program is a reimbursable program, we have bridge financing available for awardees at zero-interest with deferred payments for the first three-months. For more information, visit pvgrows.net/investment and to submit the PVGIF Inquiry Form. These bridge loans for the FSIG program are available for all farm and food businesses that meet the mission of PVGIF throughout the Commonwealth. We also have a streamlined process available for new HIP vendors that need to purchase new equipment.

The PVGrows Investment Fund’s mission is to strengthen the local food system through community investments. PVGIF provides the capital and business assistance that is needed for strengthening our local food system through farms, distributors, aggregators, food processors, restaurants and more.

Visit pvgrows.org/investment for more information or contact Rebecca Busansky with any questions.

Mass Food Trust Program: Bridge Financing

Click here to learn more about MFTP bridge financing

Grantees who meet the mission of the  the Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP), can qualify for a bridge loan so that they can access funding to complete their infrastructure project before receiving reimbursement through the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program.

The mission of the MFTP is to increase access to healthy, affordable food in low-income, underserved areas.

Learn more about MFTP here, or contact Rebecca Busansky with any questions.