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Capacity Building Grants

Capacity Building Grants
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Capacity-Building Grants: These competitive grants are intended to strengthen established farmers' markets in New Mexico in their third or subsequent year of operation by building the capacity and sustainability of market organizations. With the help of these grants, markets can move towards increased self-sufficiency.

Grant Size: $2000 maximum is available to qualifying farmers' markets in New Mexico to help with strengthening local market organizations.

Eligibility:
  • Be a member in good standing of the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association, including paying dues, providing annual information about your market (day, time, location and contact), and providing annual market data.
  • Must demonstrate that they are a bona fide farmers' market in accordance with our Definition;
  • Be in their third or subsequent year of operation as a market;
  • Participate in market manager training provided by the NMFMA at the winter conference;
  • Complete and submit the Capacity Building Grant Form and send an organizational budget and marketing plan by e-mail or mail.

Purpose of Grants
These grants are intended to strengthen local farmers' markets in New Mexico, by building the capacity and sustainability of market organizations. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis in order to encourage farmers markets to strive to improve their markets and to leverage resources within their own communities. The funds shall be used for one or more of the following:

a. Stipends to market staff for activities related to managing the market, including coordination of the WIC FMNP, Senior Program or EBT; marketing; on-site management; financial management; coordinating volunteers; putting on special events; fund-raising; public relations/marketing; soliciting business sponsorships; and grower recruitment.

b. Covering the expense of sending market staff/volunteers to training, workshops, or conferences related to farmers' markets, or to acquire the skills needed to run markets.

c. Purchase of equipment or supplies needed to run the markets, such as computer equipment, office supplies, tents, signs, information booths or storage sheds.

d. Market operating expenses such as phone, postage and travel.

e. Securing professional services such as accounting or bookkeeping.

These grants shall not be used for market promotion, as other funds are available for this purpose. In cases where the market is run by a city or other agency, funds cannot be used to cover overhead fees charged by such an organization. We recognize that sometimes circumstances change during the course of the season - if you have to significantly modify your work plan in mid-season, please call or write us to let us know.

Selection: A Grants Committee of the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association will select the best proposals and determine the level of funding to be allocated. Since available funds are limited, the Grants Committee will make an effort to rotate funding between markets from year to year, so that all markets with adequate proposals receive funding at some point.

Evaluation: If you have received a grant, you will need to fill out and return the Capacity Building Grant Evaluation along with your request for final reimbursement and email or mail it to NMFMA.

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