Big news for rural communities! A $2.15 million grant from the Patterson Family Foundation is set to supercharge small farm businesses across Kansas and western Missouri.
Fresh funding from the rural-oriented Patterson Family Foundation promises to invigorate local food initiatives in Kansas and western Missouri. This significant grant aims to enhance businesses entrenched in small communities by providing innovative resources and programs.
New Growth, a nonprofit community development corporation located in Appleton City, Missouri, has announced a $2.15 million grant from the Patterson Family Foundation. This funding aligns with New Growth’s mission to foster entrepreneurship, improve local food systems, increase access to child care, and maintain a volunteer driver network essential for these communities.
The two-year grant will bolster New Growth’s collaboration with a larger team of business assistance partners across five states. This comes in the wake of federal funding cuts to the Heartland Regional Food Business Center. New Growth is at the helm of this growing initiative, now termed the Heartland Food Business Coalition, which spans Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and northwest Arkansas.
As part of its plan, New Growth intends to hire a farm business counselor and support three partners—The Food Circle, The Kansas City Food Hub, and the University of Missouri Extension. Together, they will work to provide essential business assistance and market access for rural food and farm enterprises within the foundation’s targeted areas.
Of the grant’s total, $1 million is earmarked for grants that will help these enterprises develop their capacity to market local food products. Katie Nixon, director of New Growth’s food systems program, emphasized the importance of tailored business assistance for these small farms. “This grant is a critical and welcome investment in the potential for small farms in our region to be a big part of revitalizing their rural communities and building food supply resilience,” Nixon stated.
The Heartland Food Business Coalition partners deliver specialized assistance that many food and farm entrepreneurs often struggle to secure. According to New Growth, most resources for food and agricultural business support largely cater to commodity production targeted toward global markets, leaving many local initiatives underfunded and unsupported.
