Strong First Round for Business Builder

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center’s inaugural round of the Business Builder grant program brought an incredible response from food and farm entrepreneurs across its five-state region. A total of 479 applicants, representing small to mid-sized food and farm businesses, submitted their applications by the October 15, 2024, deadline. Each applicant seeks support to reach new stages of business growth, contributing to a resilient, locally-sourced food supply.

Building Resilience for Local Food Entrepreneurs

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center is one of 12 Regional Food Business Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA). These centers were established to help strengthen local food economies by supporting food and farm businesses at various stages of development. Co-directed by New Growth and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the Heartland Center collaborates with 12 key partners and 20 collaborating organizations across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Northwest Arkansas.

The Heartland Center’s mission is to provide small, mid-sized, and historically underserved food and farm businesses with resources to grow and scale their operations. By offering business-building programs like the Business Builder grant, the Heartland Center aims to make locally produced food a key component of the regional and national food supply chain, strengthening both community resilience and economic stability.

First Round of Applications By the Numbers

The Business Builder program received a funding request totaling $20,021,077, with an average request per applicant of $41,798. Here’s a deeper look at some initial applicant data.

State Representation

‍Applicants came from across the Heartland region (margin of error +/-2)

 
• Arkansas: 17
 
• Iowa: 63
 
• Kansas: 124
 
• Missouri: 105
 
• Nebraska: 101
 
• Oklahoma: 68
 

This wide reach across states demonstrates the demand for resources that can help food businesses of all types and sizes scale up.

Applicant Demographics

The charts below break down key data from this first round of applications related to race, type of business, and time in business.

Race: This reflects applicant races, offering insights for enhancing diversity.

Type of Organization: This showcases the variety of applicants, from sole proprietors to cooperatives.

Time  in Business: This reflects the range of experience among applicants, from startups to long-established enterprises.

What’s Next in the Review Process?

Applications are currently being reviewed through several levels to ensure fair and thorough evaluation. Final award notifications are anticipated mid-January 2025.

Get Prepared for Round Two

For those who missed this round or are ready to apply again,the next round of Business Builder grant applications will be open mid-January, with a submission deadline of of mid-March.

If you’re considering applying for the next round, now is the perfect time to prepare. Reach out for assistance by visiting the Business Builder Help page and exploring helpful resources available on the Heartland Food Business Center’s website. Receiving technical assistance is worth extra points in the application, but don’t wait for the last minute for a technical assistance appointment.

Whether you’re a new food business owner or a seasoned entrepreneur, the Heartland Center’s Business Builder grant program is here to support your growth journey, paving the way for a resilient and diverse food system in our region. We look forward to the stories of how this program makes a change for individuals and communities in our region!

You can also email hrfbc@newgrowthmo.org

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