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Beginning Farmer and Farmworker Training and Workforce Development Grant Program

The CDFA is pleased to announce that it is awarding up to $10 million for the Beginning Farmer & Farmworker Training and Workforce Development (BFFTP), of which approximately $5 million will be available in Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and $5 million in Fiscal Year 2022-2023. The funding for this grant program was made possible through the 2021 California general fund budget.

2022 Beginning Farmer and Farmworker Training and Workforce Development Grant Program

The 2022 Beginning Farmer & Farmworker Training & Workforce Development (BFFTP) Grant Program will support organizations in the development, enhancement and/or expansion of beginning farmer apprenticeship programs and farmworker training and workforce development programs. The overall goal of the BFFTP program is to ensure that resources are dedicated to strengthening support for socially disadvantaged 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. The CDFA encourages applications from organizations who serve small to medium sized and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and farmworkers, including but not limited to BIMPOC (Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, and People of Color), LGBTQ+, women and veterans.

Program Timeline

The CDFA Farm Equity Office hosted a public comment period for the BFFTP Grant Program from March 30 – April 30, 2022 (NOW CLOSED)

• View the Summary of 2022 Public Comments and CDFA Responses

Press Release – CDFA announces comment period for beginning farmer and farmworker grant program

BFFTP – Proposed Request for Applications (Draft RFA)