Press Release Provided by CDFA
The Beginning Farmer and Farmworker Training and Workforce Development Program (BFFTP) is a new grant program, funded through the 2021 California general fund budget. This program will provide support to organizations to enhance or expand beginning farmer and farmworker training/apprenticeship programs. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that resources are dedicated to strengthening support for socially disadvantaged and/or beginning farmers and ranchers in the first ten years of business, and farmworkers who need job skills training to provide job sustainability. A secondary goal of the program is to build and grow regional networks to ensure organizations can provide adequate support and training opportunities for those most underserved in the agriculture industry.
Applicants may apply for two types of awards in this program: program planning and curriculum development grants of up to $100,000; or program implementation grants up to $1,000,000 for beginning farmer training and farmworker training and workforce development programs.
Applications will be accepted through August 1, 2022, at 5pm PST.
Grant Application Opens June 1, 2022
Grant Application Closes Aug 1, 2022 at 5pm PST
Review Process Aug/Sept 2022
Award Announcement Sept 2022
Grant Term Begins Nov 1, 2022
Grant Term Ends 1-yr Projects: Oct 30, 2023
2-yr Projects: Oct 30, 2024
The following entities are eligible to apply for this program: Non-profit organizations, Tribal governments, and community colleges. Community colleges are eligible as co-applicants with local partner organizations. Entities applying must have demonstrated expertise in assisting socially disadvantaged, small-scale farmers, farmworkers and in workforce development programs.
The 2022 BFFTP request for applications (RFA) can be found on the program website CDFA.CA.gov/BFFTP.
The grant application can be found here: GoToMyGrants.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/9fc11c0a-a679-43c2-a283-d8f90a60bd3d.
Applications will be accepted via Amplifund. All applicants will need to register for an Amplifund account. To register, please follow the Amplifund prompt for new users in the 2022 BFFTP Grant Program Application link above. Additional training videos and materials can be found on the BFFTP website: CDFA.CA.gov/BFFTP/PDF/AmpliFundApplicantPortalResources.pdf.
Amplifund will host an Applicant Portal Training session via Zoom on how to register for an account and answer questions on the platform. Please follow the link below to attend this session. This session will be recorded and uploaded to the BFFTP Program website.
Amplifund Applicant Training Session 1: Monday, June 13th, 1:00pm–2:30pm.
CDFA’s Farm Equity Office will hold two informational sessions on the grant program during the application period. These sessions will be offered via Zoom. CDFA staff will review the components of the application and answer questions about the application or the process during this time. Sessions will be recorded and available on the BFFTP website after the session.
Session 1: Wednesday, June 15th, 1:00pm–2:30pm.
Session 2: Wednesday, June 29th, 1:00pm–2:30pm.
To register for this session, click here: US06Web.Zoom.US/Meeting/Register/tZMtdOyurD8vHdy9nlt53O2QXowCg-sqLGSG.
CDFA will be seeking external reviewers for the 2022 BFFTP Grant Program Technical Review Committee. Information on the guidelines and how to apply to the 2022 BFFTP reviewing committee will be made public via the BFFTP program website and a press release on June 15th, 2022.
