APPLETON CITY, MO — Food and farm businesses in eligible rural counties in Kansas and western Missouri, including Bates County, will soon have access to new funding designed to help local food products move from farm to market.
Harvest to Market grants range from $5,000 to $25,000 for projects that strengthen businesses serving local and regional food markets.
Approximately $1 million in total funding is available through the program.
Applications are due August 31, 2026, by noon Central Time.
The Harvest to Market grant is part of the Heartland Regional Food Business Coalition’s work to ensure small food and farm businesses have the right resources at the right time as they work to meet increasing demand for locally produced and raised food. It is designed to support food and farm enterprises that are ready to expand market access, improve processing capacity, strengthen distribution systems, increase storage infrastructure, or invest in marketing and product development.
"Many local food businesses have strong products and strong market demand for their products. But they often need help with the next step — the equipment, systems processing, and infrastructure distribution that allow them to reach more customers and larger markets," said Katie Nixon, Food Systems Director at New Growth. As part of their work with the Heartland Food Business Coalition, New Growth administers the Harvest to Market grant. "The Harvest to Market grant is intended to help businesses make those strategic investments."
Funding Priorities
The program focuses on post-harvest and go-to-market investments that help local food businesses grow and serve regional markets more effectively.
Examples include:
Processing equipment
Cold storage and refrigeration
Distribution and delivery equipment
Packaging and labeling improvements
Marketing and branding investments
Online sales platforms
Logistics and supply chain systems
Product development
Value-added food processing
Additional consideration will be given to projects that create shared benefits across multiple farms or food businesses, including collaborative distribution, aggregation, and market development efforts.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants include:
Farms and ranches
Food producers
Farmers markets
Food hubs
Aggregators and distributors
Value-added processors
Retail food businesses
Nonprofits are not eligible to apply. Businesses must be located in eligible rural counties in Kansas or western Missouri. See our website for a map of the eligible counties.
No Match Required
Unlike many grant programs, Harvest to Market does not require matching funds.
Projects will operate on a partial reimbursement basis. Awardees will receive 60% of grant funds up front with 40% received after they have submitted their final report at the end of their project.
Projects must be completed within six months.
Building Regional Food Resilience
The Harvest to Market Grant is part of a larger effort to strengthen local food economies, expand market opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs, and improve regional food value chain resilience.
This project is supported in part by a grant to Heartland Food Business Coalition partner New Growth, working with The Kansas City Food Hub, The Food Circle, University of Missouri Extension, and other organizations in Kansas.
Learn More
Businesses interested in applying are encouraged to begin preparing now and to connect with a business counselor for support.
For updates, eligibility information, and application details or to connect with a business counselor visit: heartlandfoodbusiness.org/harvest-to-market-grant/
About the Heartland Food Business Coalition
The Heartland Food Business Coalition supports food and farm entrepreneurs across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Northwest Arkansas through business assistance, market development, financing support, and regional collaboration. The coalition works to strengthen local and regional food systems while expanding economic opportunities for food and agricultural businesses. Heartlandfoodbusiness.org
About New Growth
New Growth is a nonprofit in west central Missouri working to build small businesses, small farms, and small-town opportunities. newgrowthmo.org
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