United States Department of Agriculture

URBAN

AGRICULTURE

TOOL KIT

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URBAN 


AGRICULTURE
 

TOOL KIT
 

Small community gardens, urban farms that span several city blocks, and 

intensive indoor hydroponic or aquaculture facilities are all examples of 

urban agriculture. This fast-growing phenomenon has the potential to 

nourish the health and social fabric of communities and create economic 

opportunities for farmers and neighborhoods. But it also comes with a unique 

set of challenges and opportunities. 

Urban farmers, federal and city government agencies, and local organizations 

around the country have developed a variety of tools to help address those challenges and assist the growth of agriculture in cities. This toolkit makes these resources available to anyone interested in participating in urban farming. 

The toolkit lays out the common operational elements that most urban farmers 

must consider as they start up or grow their operations. It also contains a special 

section on resources for developing indoor growing operations, such as aquaponic 

facilities. For each element, the toolkit identifies technical and financial resources 

that have been developed by federal, state, and local partners. While some of the 

elements require local-level solutions (e.g. zoning), federal programs and services 

can support a variety of activities related to urban farming. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents
 

1 Starting an Urban Farm: What Are the Costs? 

2 USDA Urban Agriculture Toolkit Summary of Key Resources 

6 Land Access 

• Federal Funding for Accessing Land 

• Community Educational Resources for Accessing Land 

7 First Steps: Visiting the Farm Service Agency 

8 Soil Quality 

• Federal Educational Resources for Assessing and Managing Soil Quality 

• Federal Funding for Soil Testing 

• Community Educational Resources for Assessing Soil Quality 

10 Water 

• Federal Educational and Funding Resources for Water 

• Community Educational Resources for Water 

11 Accessing Capital and Financing 

• Federal Educational Resources for Accessing Capital and Financing 

• Federal Funding Resources for Urban Farm Capital and Financing 

• Community Educational Resources for Accessing Capital and Financing 

12 Infrastructure 

• Federal Funding Resources for Urban Agriculture Infrastructure 

• Community Educational Resources for Urban Agriculture Infrastructure 

14 Financing Infrastructure for Indoor Growing Environments 

15 Production Strategies 

• Federal Educational Resources to Support Urban Agricultural Production 

• Federal Technical Resources to Support Urban Agricultural Production 

• Community Educational Resources for Urban Agriculture Production 

17 Applying for a Federal Grant 

18 Market Development 

• Federal Funding Resources to Support Urban Agriculture Market Development 

• Community Educational Resources for Urban Agriculture Market Development 

20 Training and Mentoring 

• Federal Funding Resources to Support Training and Mentoring 

• Community Resources for Urban Agriculture Training and Mentoring 

21 Safety and Security 

22 Appendix A: General Guides for Urban Agriculture 

23 Appendix B: Cost Estimates for Urban Farming 

• Cost Estimates for Urban Farming 

• Location 

• Site Preparation 

• Structures 

• Growing and Selling 

24 Cost Estimate Table: Chicago 

26 Cost Estimate Table: Indianapolis 
URBAN 


AGRICULTURE
 

TOOL KIT


Starting an Urban Farm: 

What Are the Costs? 

Start-up expenses for an urban farm will vary 

widely by location because many of the 

components (such as land or utilities) are 

site-specific. Start-up expenses can be broken down 

into a few categories: 

Location 

This includes acquiring the land, making sure it is 

zoned properly and that the necessary permits are 

in place, and getting an environmental assessment 

done. In many cases, land access and soil tests can 

be subsidized. 

Site Preparation 

Once the land is purchased or rented and all the necessary permits and tests are clear for it to operate as an 

urban farm, the farmer will need to prepare the land for 

growing. The largest associated cost (and likely largest 

cost of the entire operation) will be soil, but soil prices 

will vary by location and volume. Other costs include 

fencing, signage, and getting adequate water to the site. 

Structures 

This includes both infrastructure necessary for growing 

(such as high tunnels) and storing (such as a cooler). 

What types of structures will be needed will be dependent on location, types of crops grown, and desired 

length of growing season. 

Growing and Selling 

These are the expenses that you will expect to incur in 

your first year of operation (as opposed to true start-up 

costs, which may involve additional expenses). They 

include traditional farming costs such as tools, growing 

supplies and utilities, as well as business costs like 

advertising and website design. 

Administrative Expenses and Operating Costs 

These will be ongoing costs associated with your 

operation, but they are critical to take into account in 

year one, when you will be getting systems in place. 

Costs for Indoor Growing Facilities The costs associated with indoor growing facilities, including aquaculture 

and hydroponic facilities, will be very different from starting an outdoor farming operation in the city. They will 

also vary widely depending on the type of facility you 

look to build. A large-scale aquaponic facility located in 

a warehouse-type building may be a multi-million-dollar 

investment; a small aquaponics system housed in a 

greenhouse could be built for a few thousand dollars, or 

even less if you are able to use salvaged materials. 

In Appendix B, you will find start-up budgets compiled 

from several urban farms that together provide a reasonable average cost estimate for starting up in urban agriculture. Resources to finance the operation are outlined 

in the coming pages. 

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USDA Urban Agriculture Toolkit: 

Summary of Key Resources
 

Business Planning: When you begin an urban 

farm, you are also starting a business. The federal 

Partnership for Sustainable Communities has developed an Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook that 

helps you ask critical questions about your business 

plans, operating strategies, and physical and human 

resource needs. 

Land Access: Many farmers who operate in cities 

struggle to find and finance suitable land. Visit a 

local USDA Farm Service Agency office to inquire about FSA Farm Loan Programs that may be able 

to help you purchase land. Urban farmers have also had 

success working with their city development agencies 

and land trusts to identify vacant land to adopt or lease. 

To learn from other cities, visit the Urban Agricultural 

Legal Resource Library’s compilation of resources on 

land access for urban agriculture. 

Soil Quality: In some urban settings, soil can 

present unique challenges, including contamination. That makes it critical to test the quality and 

toxicity of the soil where you want to operate. There are 

tools that can help gauge whether the soil is contaminated, in its native form, or just disturbed. The U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields 

Guide for Safe Gardening Practices provides step-bystep recommendations on how to assess the risk of 

soil contamination, conduct soil sampling, and perform 

best management practices. Contact your local 

Cooperative Extension office to learn about affordable 

soil tests; many urban farmers test their soil through 

UMass Amherst’s Soil and Plant Tissue Testing 

Laboratory, which provides one of the most affordable 

ways for individual farmers to test for toxins in their 

soil. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service 

(NRCS) also provides soil survey resources including 

the Web Soil Survey which provides soil data and 

includes specific soil interpretations for urban soils. 

Water Access/Use: Efficient water use will help 

keep operating costs down and help you carefully 

manage this limited resource. While contacting 

your city or local water authority may be your best available option for access to water, you can also contact 

your local USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS) office for both financial and technical 

assistance to help implement conservation practices, 

including water-use efficiency. 

Capital and Financing: Urban agriculture projects 

can have significant start-up costs that require access to loans, grants, and investments to get the 

project off the ground. Having a sound business plan 

can help show creditors that your operation is a worthy 

investment. The New Orleans Food and Farm Network’s Farm Financing Reference Manual lists a wide 

variety of funding sources once a plan is in place, and 

USDA’s local FSA offices can offer credit to farmers for 

working capital or infrastructure development. 

Infrastructure: On-farm infrastructure – from high 

tunnels to cold storage to on-farm solar energy 

– can be a key part of a successful operation. 

NRCS offers help financing high tunnels and efficient 

irrigation through local NRCS offices. FSA can support 

cold storage through its Farm Storage Facility Loan 

program. USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research 

and Education program (SARE) supports research and 

education projects for on-farm sustainable energy and 

season extension. And USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is available to producers in both 

urban and rural areas to support on-farm sustainable 

energy projects. 

Market Development: It’s not enough to grow 

your crop. You also have to let consumers in your 

area know you are selling it. Urban growers are developing creative strategies to reach nearby consumer 

markets. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service helps 

farms connect with consumers through its Farmers 

Market and Local Food Promotion Program and Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. USDA Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grants are available 

for marketing research and development. Meanwhile, 

having your crops certified as organic can be an important selling point. The National Organic Certification 

Cost-Share Program provides reimbursements for up 

to 75 percent of the costs of organic certification, up to 

a maximum of $750. 

Other helpful toolkits and guides with important 

information for urban farmers: 

› Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers 


Project Guide to Urban Farming.
 

› Baltimore City Farm Alliance’s Urban Agriculture 

How-to Guide. 

› New Orleans Food & Farm Network Toolbox. 

› Cornell University’s Small Farms Program Guide to 

Urban Farming. 

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The following pages provide detailed information 

on the common elements an urban farmer will 

need to consider as he or she starts an urban 

farm, followed by resources that help address each 

need. Each section outlines federal educational and financial resources, followed by some of the most useful 

non-federal resources available at the time this toolkit 

was developed. Appendix A of the toolkit will direct 

you to existing general urban farming toolkits, such 

as those developed by city governments. Appendix B 

provides cost estimates for urban farms. 

Throughout the toolkit, you will find pull-out boxes 

containing specific information such as first steps to 

applying for federal funding, making your first visit to 

a USDA Farm Service Agency office, and resources 

specific to indoor agriculture operations. 

Business Planning and 

Risk Management 

Whether it is a for-profit, a non-profit, a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a cooperative, an urban farm will 

need a business plan, and urban farmers will need to 

understand legal issues that could affect the business. 

These issues include building permits, Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, 

and risk management tools. Some key resources to 

explore as you develop your business plan and risk 

management strategies include: 

Federal Educational Resources for Business 

Planning and Risk Management 

› EPA’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities 

- Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook provides 

worksheets and questions for urban farmers to develop or revise their business plans, operating strategies, 

physical resource needs, and human resource needs 

› USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture 

(NIFA) offers a Sustainable Agriculture Research 

and Education (SARE) Program that showcases 

technical resources organized into “topic rooms.” 

The Local Food Topic Room includes a section 

on business issues, including business planning 

guides that have been developed with support from 

SARE. SARE also has a learning center devoted to 

value-added production, which includes a variety of 

guides to business planning for farms with a value-added component. Both have resources relevant 

to farming in urban environments. 

› USDA’s National Agricultural Library links to full-text 

guides on how to start a small farm business and how 

to develop business and marketing plans. 

Federal Funding for Business Planning and 

Risk Management 

› The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education 

SARE Program. provides technical assistance as well 

as grant funding for research and education projects 

in sustainable agriculture, including urban agriculture. 

Eligible applicants: Varies depending on program; 

includes farmers, nonprofits, and academics in both 

rural and urban areas. 

Next steps: See the box in the “Applying for a Federal 

Grant” section for information about first steps in 

applying for any federal grant. Then explore the SARE 

website and contact your regional SARE office for 

more information. 

› The Farmers Market Promotion Program and 

Local Food Promotion Program. (FMPP) and 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) offer 

grants that can be used in the planning stages of establishing or expanding local food business enterprises, including in urban areas. Activities can include but 

are not limited to market research, feasibility studies, 

and business planning. 

Eligible applicants: For-profit farms, cooperatives, 

producer associations or networks; nonprofit and 

public benefit corporations; economic development 

corporations; regional farmers market authorities; and 

local and tribal governments. 

Next steps: See the box in the “Applying for a Federal 

Grant” section for information about first steps in 

applying for any federal grant. Then explore the AMS 

website for more information. 

› Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) provides a 

risk management safety net for all commodities on 

the farm under one insurance policy and is available 

in all counties nationwide. This insurance plan is 

tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured 

revenue, including farms with specialty or organic 

commodities (both crops and livestock), or those 

marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, 

specialty, or direct markets. For more information, visit 

http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/wfrp.html. 

Community Educational Resources for 

Business Planning and Risk Management 

Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers Project includes a Guide to Urban Farming, with specific 

information on Risk Assessment and Insurance, and 

Sample Business Plans. The guide was developed in 

and is specific to New York, but much of the information 

is relevant for all urban farmers. 

› The National Center for Appropriate Technology 

(NCAT), through programs supported by USDA Rural 

Development, maintains a wealth of resources related 

to business planning and risk management for 

small-scale, sustainable or organic farmers. 

› FarmAnswers.org, a resource of the University of Minnesota, is funded by USDA’s Beginning Farmer and 

Rancher Development Grant program (BFRDP) and 

serves as the national BFRDP clearinghouse. Browse 

its compilation of many farm business planning 

guides, including: 

•Is starting an agricultural business right for you? 

A guide for small prospective small farms 

•Dig in! A guide for starting a community garden 

•Building resilience: Small farm planning and
 

operations, which covers business and cash 


flow planning, bookkeeping, taxes, and 


marketing basics. 


Whether it is a for-profit, a non-profit, a 

sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a 

cooperative, an urban farm will need a 

business plan, and urban farmers will 

need to understand legal issues that 

could affect the business. 

› FarmsReach has an extensive business and financial 

planning toolkit that includes software tools, factsheets, and online workshops. 

› The Oregon State University Extension Service has 

created a Whole Farm Management Planning Book 

that includes worksheets to develop operations, plan 

marketing strategies, and manage finances. 

› The Urban Agricultural Legal Resource Library, a project of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, has 

compiled a collection of important legal information, 

best practices, and supporting tools related to urban 

agriculture. This includes sections on: 

• Liability, Risk, Insurance. This page answers 

frequently asked questions on these topics for food 

enterprise and urban farms. 

• Employment Laws. A breakdown of employment 

structure, enforcement, laws and regulations. 

Includes information about volunteers, interns, legal 

partnerships and independent contractors. 

• Nonprofit urban farms. This page includes guidance on a variety of nonprofit models and case 

studies as well as information on tax-exempt status 

for 501(c)(3) organizations. 

› The Community Law Center’s Urban Agriculture 

Law Project offers a manual that provides a detailed 

overview of the laws, regulations, rules, and policies 

involved in urban agriculture projects. While the manual was created specifically for Baltimore, many legal 

considerations are applicable to urban agriculture 

programs across the county. Topics include governance structures, land use restrictions, keeping 

farm animals, distributing produce, and liability, 

among others. 

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Land access is particularly 

challenging in urban areas, 

where vacant land suitable 

for farming is often not 

available, or land that 

exists is difficult to transfer 

to urban growers. 

Access to land is one of the biggest challenges 

facing new farmers and farmers looking to 

expand their operations across the country. 

Land access is particularly challenging in urban areas, 

where vacant land suitable for farming is often not 

available, or land that exists is difficult to transfer to 

urban growers. 

Some cities are developing innovative and creative 

strategies to connect vacant land and lots with 

interested farmers. Federal resources are also 

available to assist. 

Land Access
 

Federal Funding for Accessing Land 

USDA’s Farm Service Agency provides a variety of 

loan programs to support farm ownership and operation, including microloans of up to $50,000. Loans are 

available to both urban and rural producers. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers. Visit your 

local Farm Service Agency office for more information 

on who qualifies as an agricultural producer. 

Next steps: See the “Applying for a Federal Grant” 

section for guidance on what to expect at your first 

FSA visit.Your local FSA office (map here) can then talk 

you through farm loan opportunities that can help you 

secure land tenure. 

Community Educational Resources 

for Accessing Land 

Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers 

Project’s Guide to Urban Farming includes information 

on land access and tenure and Codes and Permits. It 

includes information on land banks, rooftop access for 

urban farming, sample lease agreements, and land-linking services. Information is in some cases specific to 

New York – for instance, not all municipalities have land 

banks established – but some of the information is applicable to other cities. It can also provide ideas that city 

governments can pursue to support urban agriculture. 

› The Urban Agricultural Legal Resource Library, a project of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, has 

developed a site focused on land access for urban 

agriculture. This resource covers how to access public lands, the purposes of and best practices for land 

trusts, and the existing urban farming land inventories 

conducted in cities around the country. The website 

contains information regarding lease agreements and 

easements, particularly relevant to non-profit urban 

agriculture projects. 

› Legal Tools for Urban Agriculture in Baltimore City, 

Chapter 2: Land Access and Use Restrictions (pages 

6-13). Lessons learned from Baltimore’s promotion 

and encouragement of urban agriculture via land 

access strategies. 

› Emory Law School’s report on urban agriculture 

zoning strategies from 16 cities, published in 2011, 

contains some innovative case studies that can be 

models for other cities. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State recently published 

an updated zoning guide for urban agriculture with 

information culled from 86 municipalities’ zoning 

ordinances. 

› The Urban Agricultural Legal Resource Library, a project of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, has 

compiled resources related to raising livestock and 

poultry in an urban setting. It includes an overview 

of the types of laws that govern animal husbandry 

and examples of cities that have zoned to allow specific types of animals to be raised. 

› The San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance has a 

comprehensive guide to starting an urban farm or 

garden in San Francisco with a lengthy section on 

land acquisition. Some of the guidelines included are 

instructive for urban farmers in other cities. 

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Complete an AD 2047 form, which officially puts you into the FSA 

database to receive critical FSA information. 

› Although not required, appointments are strongly recommended. 

› Report any changes to your farm operation, accounts, or ownership changes to 

FSA as soon as possible 

› File your acreage reports annually to maintain eligibility 

› Keep your records consistent with crop insurance: acres, shares 

› Stay current and read the newsletters 

You are guaranteed to receive a Receipt for Service after each FSA office visit. 

Tips for success: 

First Steps: 

Visiting the Farm Service Agency 

In order to qualify for many USDA grant and loan programs, a farmer must first visit and 

register with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). As a new farmland owner or renter, 

you are encouraged to visit your local FSA office to learn about the USDA programs 

that can provide assistance for your operation. You do not have to own your farmland to 

qualify for FSA programs. 

Find FSA: FSA has an office in more than 2,000 counties nationwide and in almost 

every rural county of the United States. Each FSA office is staffed with a dedicated team 

that knows the programs to help you get started as a new farmer or rancher. The offices 

offer financial assistance, can help to finalize your business plans, can talk to you about 

conservation planning, and help connect you to the Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS) for additional assistance with conservation planning. 

To find your office, visit the web at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app. 

Although appointments are not necessary, they are strongly recommended to avoid an 

unexpected wait. 

Some offices may not offer all services. Contact your local office before your visit if you 

have any questions. 

What to bring: 

Proof of identity: driver’s license, Social Security number/card 

Copy of recorder deed, survey plat, rental or lease agreement of the land 

Entities: corporation, estate, or trust documents 

You do not have to own property to participate in FSA programs 

To enroll your farm, you must: 

Be able to identify the location of the property 

Provide proof of legal ownership or determine who is the farm operator or owner and 

proof of permission to farm 

FSA will then: 

• Enroll farm or ranch in the FSA database 

• Assign a farm number 

• Create a map outlining the farm or ranch boundaries with acreage figures 

• Provide you with routine program notifications 

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Ensuring healthy soils is not only critically important, but difficult in urban settings, where soil can 

be contaminated by multiple sources – historical 

use of coal for heat and cooking, pollution from industrial practices and consumer products such as leaded 

gasoline and lead-based paint, urban fill in low lying 

areas, pesticide residues, and illegal dumping. Unfortunately, soil testing may be expensive and determining 

what to test for may be confusing for urban farmers. 

Remediation may be expensive and require coordination and collaboration with environmental regulatory 

agencies which require significant time for urban 

farmers. To help to address these issues, the following 

resources are available: 

Soil Quality 

Federal Educational Resources for 

Assessing and Managing Soil Quality 

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has 

compiled a set of resources on its Urban Soils webpage. The site includes surveys, links and guides including the Urban Soil Primer, an introduction to urban soils 

for homeowners and renters, local planning boards, 

property managers, students, and educators. You can 

also explore NRCS’s website on soil health. The site 

is designed to help visitors understand the basics and 

benefits of soil health—and to learn about Soil Health 

Management Systems from farmers who are using 

those systems. 

› The Cooperative Extension Service is funded by 

the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture 

(NIFA) and state and local partners. Each state and 

U.S. territory has an extension office at its Land Grant 

University and a network of local or regional offices. 

There are more than 3,000 Extension offices across 

the nation. Extension staff provide practical and 

research-based information to agricultural producers, 

small business owners, youth, consumers, and others 

in communities of all sizes. Depending on where you 

are located, an Extension agent may be available to 

provide technical assistance on soil and other issues 

as you develop your urban farm. Check with your 

Extension office (map here) to find out which soil 

tests they might provide or recommend. Your local 

Extension office may also host workshops and other 

education events that you can attend. Some Extension offices have websites devoted to urban agriculture or local food systems. 

› The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 

Brownfields Program provides educational resources and guidelines for gardening on contaminated 

sites. It also encourages urban agriculture programs 

to work with local, State, or tribal brownfield programs 

to identify clean sites for food production and agriculture or to secure technical assistance to assess and 

clean proposed areas. Review its Interim Guidelines 

for Safe Gardening Practices for step-by-step recommendations on how to assess the risk of soil contamination on your land, how to conduct soil sampling 

and interpret the results, and how to conduct best 

management practices. EPA maps past and active 

brownfield grants as well as Superfund and other 

land cleanup programs at: http://www2.epa.gov/ 

cleanups/cleanups-my-community 

› EPA’s Superfund program also has established a 

website on Ecological Restoration that highlights the 

use of soil amendments and other strategies to address the stabilization of contaminated sites. Additional information can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ 

superfund-redevelopment-initiative/ecological-revitalization-restoring-lands 

Soil Remediation 

may be expensive and 

require coordination 

and collaboration with 

environmental regula 

tory agencies which 

require significant time 

for urban farmers. 

› USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program supports grants for research 

and education projects and technical assistance to 

farmers and ranchers in both urban and rural areas 

to help them farm more sustainably. SARE’s local 

food reading room includes a How-to Guide for the 

Aspiring Urban Micro-Agricultural Entrepreneur. 

Developed for farmers in West Philadelphia, some 

of the information is applicable to all urban farmers. 

Pages 5-12 cover soil testing. 

› Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and 

information produced by the National Cooperative 

Soil Survey led by NRCS and provides access to the 

largest natural resource information system in the 

world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online 

for more than 95 percent of the nation’s counties and 

anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The 

site is updated and maintained online as the single 

authoritative source of soil survey information. 

Federal Funding for Soil Testing 

The Cooperative Extension Service is funded by 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state 

and local partners. Most Extension offices offer free 

or low-cost soil testing services to farmers, gardeners, 

and landowners. The benefit of in-state analysis is that 

fertilizer recommendations are calibrated to soils in the 

region but testing focuses on agronomic parameters for 

soil and plant health rather than environmental contamination. Not all Extension labs are able to test for heavy 

metals and other toxins commonly found in urban soil 

and this is frequently requires addition testing and 

cost. You can also send soil samples to another Extension office. 

Eligible applicants: Resources available to agricultural producers and other members of the public, both 

rural and urban. 

Next steps: Your local Extension office (map here) 

will have information on resources available to assist 

with soil testing, advice on soil remediation, and other 

technical assistance. Ask to speak with the person 

who is responsible for agriculture and natural resources or the Master Gardener Program. If you are 

a small-scale organic or sustainable farmer, see this 

note from the ATTRA program regarding fertilizer 

recommendations associated with many soil tests. 

› The EPA Brownfields Program directs funding to 

state, local and tribal governments – and in some 

cases, nonprofit organizations – for the purposes of 

assessing and cleaning up contaminated sites. For 

individual farmers, testing and remediation of contaminated soil can be expensive; many communities have 

addressed the problem through an EPA Brownfields 

Program grant to the city for the testing and cleanup 

of multiple sites. 

Eligible applicants: State, local, and tribal governments; nonprofits in some cases. 

Next steps: Contact your EPA Regional Office (map 

here) to learn more about the Brownfields program. 

Reach out to local officials, such as your mayor’s 

office, to encourage them to apply for a Brownfields 

grant to support testing and cleanup of your site and 

other properties in the city. 

› USDA’s SARE Program provides grant funding 

for research and education projects related to 

sustainable agriculture, including soil management 

in urban agriculture. 

Eligible applicants: Varies depending on program; 

includes farmers, nonprofits, and academics in both 

rural and urban areas. 

For further assistance: Explore the SARE website 

and contact your regional SARE office for more 

information. 

Community Educational Resources for 

Assessing Soil Quality: 

› The ATTRA Program, supported by USDA Rural 

Development, maintains a database of alternative 

soil testing laboratories that are used to working with 

small-scale and organic growers. Read this note on 

the database before utilizing it. 

› Soil Safety Resource Guide for Urban Food Growers. This report by The Johns Hopkins Center for a 

Livable Future covers how to investigate levels of soil 

contaminants in your plot and how to minimize exposure to contaminants when growing food. It provides 

further resources for testing, screening, and minimizing contaminant risks on your land. 

› Urban Agriculture and Soil Contamination: An Introduction to Urban Gardening. This report published 

by the Environmental Finance Center at the University 

of Louisville also provides testing resources and information on soil contamination, including which crops 

are most suitable for growing in contaminated soils. 

› Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers 

Project has website sections devoted to soil contamination and soil remediation. 

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Water can be difficult to access in an urban 

area, especially if urban farmland is not 

owned by the farmer. There are a number 

of local-level resources that have been developed to 

provide strategies for navigating municipal water regulations and optimizing and diversifying water collection 

on urban farms, as well as some federal resources. 

Cleveland worked with its local food policy 

council and other stakeholders to develop 

systems that allow farmers to tap into fire 

hydrants for a more affordable fee 

With significant start-up costs, urban agriculture projects need access to loans, grants, 

and investments to get off the ground. One 

of the most important steps to getting financed is having a sound business plan to show how your project is 

a worthy investment. Here are some resources to get 

you started: 

Water Accessing Capital and Financing


Federal Educational and Funding 

Resources for Water 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has resources 

available through its Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS) to provide financial and technical 

assistance to help agricultural producers implement 

conservation practices on their farms, including water-use efficiency, through contracts up to a term of 10 

years. Contracts can support, for example, a transition 

to drip irrigation. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers farming 

eligible land in both rural and urban areas. Talk with 

your local NRCS office for more information about who 

qualifies as an agricultural producer and the types of 

land that are eligible. 

Next steps: Contact your local NRCS Service Center 

(map here) to learn about the Environmental Quality 

Incentives Program and other technical and financial 

resources available from NRCS. 

Community Educational Resources 

for Water 

Municipal access: 

The Urban Agricultural Legal Resource Library, a 

project of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, 

has compiled legal information from a number of cities 

on water issues and strategies for urban agriculture, 

including water use agreements, regulations governing 

rainwater harvesting, and stormwater runoff regulations. 

The site provides several case studies as well. 

• Case study from the City of Cleveland. Cleveland 

worked with its local food policy council and other 

stakeholders to develop systems that allow farmers 

to tap into fire hydrants for a more affordable fee. 

Water optimization and diversification: 

• Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers 

Project has information on water pollution and 

testing as well as rainwater harvesting strategies 

for water collection. 

• The Pacific Institute – Case Study of sustainable 

water use in urban agriculture in Oakland, CA. 

This report explains permaculture methods to 

reduce and maximize water use on an urban 

farm. These methods include water harvesting, 

water retention, swales and basins, drip irrigation, 

and more. 

• Harvesting Rainwater for Landscape Use. For a 

more technical resource on rainwater harvesting, 

this information was developed by the University 

of Arizona Cooperative Extension. The website 

provides diagrams and step-by-step instructions for 

simple and complex water harvesting systems. 

Federal Educational Resources for 

Accessing Capital and Financing 

United States Environmental Protection Agency’s 

Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook. This handbook 

covers how to develop your business plan, including 

organization and management, marketing, operations, 

and financial strategies. See the appendices on pages 

22 through 23 for recommendations on planning for infrastructure and equipment, manpower and workforce, 

regulation compliance, projecting income and expenses, risk management, and potential 

funding sources. 

Federal Funding Resources for Urban Farm 

Capital and Financing 

› FSA Farm Loan Programs. USDA’s Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) delivers commodity, credit, conservation, disaster, and emergency assistance programs 

that help improve the stability and strength of the agricultural economy. These programs are available to 

urban as well as rural farmers. In particular, FSA can 

offer credit to farmers to purchase farmland, finance 

annual operating expenses, or build a farm storage 

facility such as a cold storage unit. FSA also offers microloans of $50,000 or less with reduced paperwork 

requirements. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers. Visit your 

local Farm Service Agency office for more information 

on who qualifies as an agricultural producer. 

For further assistance: See the “Applying for a Federal Grant” section for guidance on what to expect at 

your first FSA visit. Call or visit your local Farm Service Agency office (map here) to explore farm loan 

opportunities that can help you secure land tenure. 

Community Educational Resources for 

Accessing Capital and Financing 

› The New Orleans Food and Farm Network’s Farm 

Financing Reference Manual. This comprehensive 

manual lists a wide variety of funding sources based 

on different needs and capacities. It delves into 

how to access financing, such as determining 

what program is most appropriate for a specific 

project and what materials are needed to apply. 

The New Orleans Food and Farm Network also maintains the FarmCity Toolbox, which includes a Funding Resource Directory and several other resources 

for funding. 

10 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 11 
 

-

Urban farmers, federal and 

city government agencies, 

and local organizations 

around the country have 

developed a variety of tools 

to help address those chal 

lenges and assist the growth 

of agriculture in cities. 

On-farm infrastructure – from raised beds or 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers in rural Grants (CDBG) to cities for the purpose of developing a rooftop garden to hoop houses or on-farm and urban areas. Talk with your local USDA Rural vibrant, livable communities. Many of these grants are 

solar energy – is a critical component of a Development office to learn more about eligibility. used by cities for local food-related projects. 

successful urban farming operation and can impact For further assistance: Contact your local Rural Eligible applicants: Municipal governments. 

the length of your growing season and your access to Development Service Center (map here) to learn For further assistance: Talk with your city or state 

markets. It’s important to understand zoning codes, about REAP. government about opportunities to utilize HUD’s 

› USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service can support CDBG program to support urban agriculture. 

equipment purchases, though not brick-and-mortar 

permitting requirements, and other local regulations 

that may impact your ability to build infrastructure on Community Educational Resources for construction, through its Farmers Market Promotion your farm. Financial resources will also be critical, and Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Program (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Prosome are available from the federal government. › Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers gram (LFPP). FMPP grants are used to establish or 

Project has compiled resources on season exten­ expand domestic, direct farm-to-consumer markets. 

sion infrastructure, from low tunnels and cold frames LFPP grants are used in both the planning and implementation stages of establishing or expanding local to high tunnels and greenhouses. It also provides information on building raised beds, rooftop farming, and regional intermediary (non-direct-to-consumer) Infrastructure 

Federal Funding Resources for 

Urban Agriculture Infrastructure 

› USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s 

(NIFA) Sustainable Agriculture Research and 

Education program (SARE) provides grants for 

research and education projects and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers, academics, Extension agents, and nonprofits. Many of the resources 

developed with this funding can also be found on 

the SARE website. Educational resources related to 

infrastructure include guides to on-farm sustainable 

energy options and high tunnels and other season 

extension techniques. 

Eligible applicants: Varies; includes farmers, nonprofits, and academics in both rural and urban areas. 

Next steps: Explore the SARE website and contact 

your regional SARE office for more information. 

› USDA has resources available through its Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to support 

infrastructure such as high tunnels and efficient irrigation on farms, both rural and urban, through contracts 

up to a term of 10 years. NRCS offers both financial 

and technical assistance. 

food business enterprises. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers farming Eligible applicants: For-profit farms, cooperatives, 

eligible land in both rural and urban areas. Talk with or producer associations or networks; nonprofit and 

your local NRCS office for more information about public benefit corporations; economic development 

who qualifies as an agricultural producer and the corporations; regional farmers market authorities; and 

types of land that are eligible. local and tribal governments. 

For further assistance: Contact your local NRCS For further assistance: See the “Applying for a FedService Center (map here) to learn about the Environ­ eral Grant” section for guidance on what to expect at 

mental Quality Incentives Program and other techni­ your first FSA visit. Then explore the AMS website for 

cal and financial resources available from NRCS. more information. 

› USDA Farm Service Agency Farm Storage › The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelFacility Loans support cold storage for fruit and opment provides Community Development Block 

vegetables, along with wash and pack facilities and 

related equipment. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers in both 

rural and urban areas. Talk with your local FSA 

office for more information on who qualifies as an 

agricultural producer. 

Next steps: See the “Applying for a Federal Grant” 

section for guidance on what to expect at your first 

FSA visit. Contact your local FSA Service Center (map 

here) to learn about the Farm Storage Facility Loan 

program. 

› USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), 

is available to agricultural producers in urban areas 

as well as rural and can support on-farm sustainable 

energy projects, including purchasing, installing and 

constructing renewable energy systems, making 

energy efficiency improvements, and participating 

in energy audits. 

and fencing. 

› Cooperative Farming: Frameworks for Farming 

Together is a resource developed with support 

from Northeast SARE. It provides guidance on 

how to share farm equipment and other 

infrastructure resources. 

› Iowa State has developed a resource specific to machinery sharing, called Machinery Sharing Manual 

for Fruit and Vegetable Growers. It examines way to 

share purchasing and maintenance costs as well as 

suggestions for time management. 

12 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 13 
 

 

Growing food (and raising animals) design at residences, gardens, and other locations. 

Their publications also provide information on using in an urban environment presents trees to improve agriculture and information on polli­ many challenges. To meet those nators, water quality, wildlife, and more. 

challenges, there are many local and fed­ › ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Informa­ eral-level resources available to support tion Service, is a program developed and managed 

strategies that include intensification, season by the National Center for Appropriate Technology 

extension, livestock production, and growing (NCAT) with funding from USDA Rural Development. 

The ATTRA website provides publications related to on rooftops or raised beds: many topics relevant to small and urban farm production, including pest management, organic production, 

and more. 

Federal Technical Resources to Support 

Urban Agricultural Production 

› USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service 

(NRCS) provides conservation planning and techFinancing Infrastructure for

Indoor Growing Environments Production Strategies 

I

f you are interested in developing an indoor agricultural operation such as a hydroponic, aquaculture, 

or aquaponic operation, your needs will look very 

different from those of an outdoor urban farm. Below 

are select educational and financial resources relevant 

to indoor operations: 

A number of learning centers cover 

sustainable agricultural production, 

with information that is applicable to 

urban growers. 

Federal Educational and Financial 

Resources for Indoor Agricultural Systems: 

USDA’s National Agricultural Library maintains a list of 

educational resources for aquaponic operations, 

including a basic introduction to the concept, facility 

design, production tips, links to archived webinars, and 

other useful information. 

The Cooperative Extension Service is jointly funded by 

USDA and state and local partners. Many Extension 

offices have aquaponic, hydroponic, or aquaculture research and demonstration sites; to find resources near 

you, contact your local Extension office (map here) or 

search “Extension + aquaponics” online. 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service can support 

equipment purchases, though not brick-and-mortar 

construction, through its Farmers Market Promotion 

Program (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Program 

(LFPP). FMPP grants are used to establish or expand 

domestic, direct farm-to-consumer markets. LFPP 

grants are used in both the planning and implementation stages of establishing or expanding local and 

regional intermediary (non-direct-to-consumer) food 

business enterprises. 

Eligible applicants: For-profit farms, cooperatives, or 

producer associations or networks; nonprofit and public 

benefit corporations; economic development corporations; regional farmers market authorities; and local and 

tribal governments. 

For further assistance: See the “Applying for a Federal 

Grant” section for guidance on what to expect at your 

first FSA visit. Then explore the AMS website for 

more information. 

USDA Rural Development can support the purchase of 

land, equipment and buildings by nonprofits, for-profit 

businesses, or individuals through the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program. This program places 

a priority on projects related to local food systems, and 

loan guarantees for local food projects can be made 

in urban areas as well as rural areas. 

Eligible applicants: Lending institutions apply to 

Rural Development, which in turn provides a guarantee 

on the loan. 

For further assistance: Contact your local bank to 

find out if it participates in the program; the bank then 

contacts USDA Rural Development office (map here) to 

learn more about the B&I program and how to utilize it. 

Community Resources for Indoor 

Agricultural Systems: 

The ATTRA program, supported by USDA Rural Development, maintains a wealth of technical resources on 

greenhouse production, including pest management, 

organic greenhouse production, and transplant production, and several resources on aquaponics, including 

a basic primer on important considerations for anyone 

interested in starting up in aquaponics. 

The University of Florida’s Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Center hosts a variety of aquaponics 

resources, including start-up guides, information on producing in aquaponics systems, applicable regulations, 

and food safety. 

Federal Educational Resources to Support 

Urban Agricultural Production 

› USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program provides grants for research and 

education projects to farmers and ranchers, academics, Extension agents, and nonprofits. It features many 

of the resources developed with this funding in “learning centers” on the SARE website. A number of learning centers cover sustainable agricultural production, 

with information that is applicable to urban growers. 

For example, see information on growing successfully in high tunnels and raising small ruminants. 

› USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has developed 

Virtual Grower software version 3.0. Virtual Grower 

can help greenhouse growers determine heating 

costs, identify potential heat cost savings through 

different greenhouse designs, predict crop growth, 

assist in scheduling, make real-time predictions of 

energy use, and see the impact of supplemental lighting on plant growth and development. The software 

allows users to experiment with “what if” scenarios in 

a risk-free setting. 

› Organic farming is a strategy that many urban gardeners and farmers are using or exploring. USDA’s 

Agricultural Marketing Service “organic portal” 

helps you learn more about whether organic is a 

good option for you, and about financial and technical resources to support a transition to organic. The 

Organic Resource Guide featured on the site directs 

farmers to resources across USDA that can assist 

organic farmers and ranchers. 

› The USDA National Agroforestry Center has a variety of educational materials on edible woody landscapes, which can be included in urban agriculture 

nical assistance in consultation with farmers. NRCS 

works with farmers to develop a schedule for implementation of conservation practices to solve a 

variety of natural resource concerns in both rural and 

urban areas. 

Eligible applicants: Individuals or groups of decision 

makers, communities, conservation districts, units 

of state and local government, tribes, and others; 

and agricultural producers farming eligible land who 

want to voluntarily conserve, maintain, and improve 

natural resources. Check with your NRCS office for 

more information on who qualifies as an agricultural 

producer and the types of land eligible to participate 

in the program. 

For further assistance: Contact your local NRCS Service Center (map here) to learn about the technical 

and financial resources available from NRCS. 

› The USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community 

Forestry Program (UCF) provides financial, technical, 

and educational assistance to cities, suburbs, and 

towns to support urban tree planting and management, including urban orchard and urban agroforestry 

projects. Assistance is delivered to communities 

through state forestry agency partners. 

Eligible applicants: Nonprofits, local and tribal governments, and academic institutions. 

For further assistance: Connect with your state 

Urban and Community Forestry contact (list here) to 

learn more about financial and technical assistance 

available through this program. 

14 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 15 
 

 

 

 

-

-

The 2014 Farm Bill autho 

rized incentives to producers 

who are either socially disad 

vantaged, limited resource, 

or beginning farmers and 

ranchers in order to provide 

affordable risk protection for 

those operations. 

Production Strategies continued
 

› The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program 

(NAP) covers crops commercially produced for food 

or fiber, and other specifically named crops (Christmas trees, turfgrass sod, etc.) that are grown in rural 

and urban areas. 

Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers farming 

eligible land in both rural and urban areas. There is 

no minimum size of an operation (meaning that small 

urban farmers can take advantage of risk protection 

for their commercial operations that traditionally 

would not have crop insurance available to them) in 

order to be eligible for NAP. Further, the 2014 Farm 

Bill authorized incentives to producers who are either 

socially disadvantaged, limited resource, or beginning 

farmers and ranchers in order to provide affordable 

risk protection for those operations. While NAP does 

not cover home gardens (as they are not ordinarily 

viewed as commercial enterprises), NAP does provide 

risk coverage for producers who may commercially 

produce small crop acreage in an area for local or 

direct markets. 

For further assistance: Contact your local FSA 

Service Center to learn about NAP and other financial 

and technical assistance available from FSA. 

Community Educational Resources 

for Urban Agriculture Production 

Cornell University’s Northeast Beginning Farmers 

Project has gathered information on season extension, 

raised bed farming, container gardening, intensive 

growing techniques, and a wealth of other production 

topics. The site also contains guidance on raising livestock in urban environments, which includes information on zoning ordinances for livestock in cities around 

New York State. 

› Alliance for Community Trees has a Community 

Groves program and guidebook to help nonprofits, 

community leaders, and residents plan, establish, 

and maintain fruit and nut tree orchards at gardens, 

schools, parks, or vacant lots. 

› Community Food Forests is a resource for all who 

are developing food forests, which combine trees, 

shrubs, and annual crops to produce food. Many 

food forests are in urban areas on public, private, or 

other land and have dual goals of food production 

and education. 

First Steps 

Applying for a Federal Grant
 

Obtain a DUNS Number 

Your entity may obtain a DUNS number in two ways: 

By Toll-Free Telephone 

Business entities may request the DUNS 

number by calling a toll-free telephone 

number: 1-(866) 705-5711. Tell the operator that you are applying to a Federal 

financial assistance program and need to 

register for a DUNS number. 

Over The Web 

Business entities can also obtain 

a DUNS number through D&B’s 

website at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/ 

webform 

To complete the process to obtain a 

DUNS number, you will need to provide the following information: 

• Legal name of your business entity 

• Address 

• Phone number 

• Name of the CEO or business 

owner 

• Legal structure or type of business 

(corporation, partnership, proprietorship, etc.) 

• Year the entity was created 

• Primary line of business 

• Total number of employees (fulland part-time) 

Note: Obtaining a DUNS number 

places your organization on D&B’s 

marketing list that is sold to other 

companies. You can request not to 

be added to this list during your 

application. D&B should not charge 

you a fee for requesting a DUNS 

number. You are also not obligated 

to purchase any of their products as 

a condition to obtain DUNS. It may 

take 2 -3 days for you to obtain a 

DUNS number. A Frequently Asked 

Questions about DUNS is available 

at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ 

displayFAQPage.do 

Step 1: 

What Are DUNS and SAM? 

DUNS is Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) “Data Universal Numbering System”. It is a copyrighted, proprietary 

means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number Dun & Bradstreet provides free of charge. 

The System for Award Management (SAM) is the Official U.S. Government registration system. Business 

entities that have obtained a DUNS number must register annually on SAM to be eligible to receive financial assistance. There is NO charge to register or maintain your entity registration record in SAM. 

Register on SAM.gov 

Once you have been assigned a DUNS 

number, you must annually register 

on SAM.gov to remain eligible to 

receive program financial assistance. To 

complete the process on SAM, you will 

need the same kind of information used 

to obtain your DUNS number as well as 

your Tax Identification Number (TIN) and 

other data to complete registration and 

reporting requirements. 

Before registering, you should review 

the SAM User Guide. It can be viewed 

online or downloaded as a PDF. If your 

organization has the necessary information ready, online registration will take 

about 30 minutes to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of your 

business entity. It may take 3 business 

days or up to 2 weeks before your SAM 

registration becomes active. If you are 

updating or renewing your registration 

information, it will take approximately 24 

hours to become active. 

Step 2: 

In order to be eligible to receive financial assistance from USDA or other federal agencies, prospective 

applicants who are not individuals (e.g. nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, academic institutions, 

and others with an EIN tax identification number from the Internal Revenue Service [IRS]) are required to 

obtain a DUNS number and register annually in the SAM system. The process to obtain a DUNS number and register on SAM.gov requires two steps. 

Remember that this process can take up to 2 weeks, so allow for ample time between initiating the registration and completing your application on grants.gov. You do not need a DUNS number or register on 

SAM if you are an individual farmer or to obtain technical assistance. 

16 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 17 
 

Due to limited land availability and higher costs 

that urban growers often face, it can be difficult 

for urban growers to make a profit. But urban 

growers have ready access to consumers and are developing creative strategies to reach new markets and 

diversify their income streams. This section includes 

information on a variety of marketing tactics, as well 

as tips for navigating regulations. 

Through partner organizations, 

USDA also provides funding for 

wireless equipment to process 

EBT and credit/debit transactions 

Eligible applicants: Individual farmers and ranchers, Eligible applicants: Agricultural producers or 


nonprofit cooperatives, or farmers markets can be producer groups. 


authorized to accept SNAP. 
 For further assistance: Contact your local RD 

For further assistance: Read more about the Service Center to learn more about these grants. 

program here. If you are interested in applying to Community Educational Resources for become eligible to accept SNAP and receive equip- Urban Agriculture Market Development ment, you can do so through the Farmers Market 

› The ATTRA program, supported by USDA Rural Coalition. 

Development, compiles resources targeted to smaller › USDA’s WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program scale sustainable farmers, including those engaged 

(FMNP) provides fresh, unprepared, locally grown in urban agriculture. Visit its marketing portal for 

fruits and vegetables to low-income pregnant, breastMarket Development 

Federal Funding Resources to Support 

Urban Agriculture Market Development 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) runs the 

Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Local 

Food Promotion Program, which support education, 

promotion, outreach, coordination, business planning 

for projects such as farmers markets, mobile markets, 

roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities, as well as local 

food projects that are not direct-to-consumer (e.g. food 

hubs, farm to retail/restaurant). 

Eligible applicants: For-profit farms, cooperatives, 

or producer associations or networks; nonprofit and 

public benefit corporations; economic development 

corporations; regional farmers market authorities; and 

local and tribal governments. 

For further assistance: See the box on page 21 for 

information about first steps in applying for any federal grant. Then explore the AMS website for 

more information. 

› USDA AMS also implements the Specialty Crop 

Block Grant Program, which can be used for education, promotion, research, outreach, coordination, 

business planning for projects that solely enhance the 

competitiveness of “specialty crops,” or fruits, vegetables, nuts and nursery crops. States receive funds 

from USDA and make awards for projects, including 

establishing/developing urban community gardens 

and urban agriculture education and promotion. 

Eligible applicants: State departments of agriculture are eligible to apply to the USDA; however, they 

partner with applicants, including farmers, nonprofits, 

academics, and a range of others working with specialty crops. Grants must have a broad impact on the 

community and specialty crop industry, so projects 

that only benefit an individual farmer are not eligible 

for funding under the program. 

For further assistance: Reach out to your state lead 

to learn more about the program and when applications will be accepted. 

› National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program: 

Provides reimbursements for up to 75 percent of 

the costs of organic certification, up to a maximum 

of $750 per certification. Funds are made available 

through states, generally departments of agriculture. 

Eligible applicants: Certified organic producers and 

handlers can apply for reimbursement. 

For further assistance: Read more about the specifics such as current funding, fact sheets, and upcoming events here. Then contact your state lead for the 

program to learn more and apply for reimbursement. 

› USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) runs 

the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 

(SNAP) at Farmer’s Markets, which assists farmers’ 

markets and direct-marketing farmers to become authorized to accept SNAP EBT benefits. USDA makes 

funds available through states to supply farmers and 

farmers markets with EBT equipment, which is free. 

Through partner organizations, USDA also provides 

funding for wireless equipment to process EBT and 

credit/debit transactions, which carries a fee. 

feeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, 

and to infants and children up to 5 years of age, 

who are found to be at nutritional risk and who are 

enrolled in the WIC program. 

Eligible applicants: Individual farmers or farmers 

markets can be authorized to accept the WIC Farmers 

Market Nutrition Program coupons, and then submit 

the coupons back to state agencies for reimbursement. Not every state participates in the program. 

For further assistance: Contact your state agency to 

become authorized to accept and redeem 

FMNP coupons. 

› USDA’s Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program 

(SFMNP) awards grants to states, territories, and tribal 

governments to provide low-income seniors with 

coupons that can be exchanged for eligible foods 

at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs. 

Eligible applicants: Individual farmers and farmers 

markets can become authorized to accept SFMNP. 

The program is administered by state agencies. 

For further assistance: Contact your SFMNP state 

agency to become authorized to accept and 

redeem SFMNP. 

› USDA Rural Development (RD)’s Value-Added 

Producer Grants are available for working capital, 

planning, marketing, and outreach. Specific funds are 

available for projects that focus on local and regional 

food and local supply networks or support beginning 

farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers 

and ranchers, veterans, and small or medium-sized 

farms or ranches. Agricultural producers or producer 

groups are eligible to apply, including those in 

urban areas. 

information on direct marketing options, value-added 

activities, organic marketing, and more. 

› Urban Guide to Farming in NY - Section IV: Making 

Urban Farming Possible. Written for urban farmers 

in New York but relevant to those in other cities, this 

section of the guide covers how to price products, 

where to sell, marketing regulations, CSAs in the City, 

value-added processing, accepting SNAP, and more. 

› One way to diversify a farm’s output is via a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Grow NYC 

has put together tip sheets for starting a CSA; while 

focused on New York City, the information is relevant 

for most urban environments. And USDA’s SARE 

program supported the development of A Multi-farm 

CSA Handbook that provides guidance on cooperative marketing, a potential CSA practice for your farm. 

› With the support of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), Drake Agricultural Law Center has produced legal guides for direct farm marketing that 

cover many U.S. states. Since many urban farms use 

a variety of direct marketing approaches, these legal 

issues are important to understand. 

› The New Entry Sustainable Farming Project has developed the guide Selling at a farmers market, 

which provides information to farmers on choosing 

a market, applying to sell at a market, designing 

market displays, setting prices, making sales, and 

keeping records. 

18 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 19 
 

 

Producing, marketing, and distributing food grown 

on urban land requires knowledge about agriculture, business, and finances. Ongoing training and 

support in these areas are critical to ensuring long-term 

success. These services must be accessible and affordable so that growers are able to balance professional 

development with day-to-day operations. The following 

educational and training resources can help support the 

growth of urban agricultural programs and businesses, 

and many are equally helpful for rural farm businesses. 

Training and Mentoring 

Federal Funding Resources to Support 

Training and Mentoring 

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development 

Program is a competitive grant program that funds projects that provide education, mentoring, and technical 

assistance to people entering farming and those in the 

first 10 years of managing a farming operation, where 

“farming” includes farming, ranching, and nonindustrial 

private forestry. The grant program requires a 25-percent match. 

Eligible applicants: Collaborative network of public 

or private entities, including nonprofits, cooperative 

extension, colleges or universities, or others. 

For further assistance: Read more about the grant 

opportunity here and explore abstracts of previously 

funded projects to learn more about the type of projects supported. 

› USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service runs three 

grant programs that have supported training and 

mentoring efforts among other activities. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program can be used for 

projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of 

“specialty crops,” or fruits, vegetables, nuts, and nursery crops. States receive funds from USDA and make 

awards for projects, including establishing/developing urban community gardens and urban agriculture 

education and promotion. 

Eligible applicants: State departments of agriculture are eligible to apply to the USDA; however, they 

20 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT

partner with applicants, including farmers, nonprofits, 

academics, and a range of others working with specialty crops. Grants must have a broad impact on the 

community and specialty crop industry, so projects 

that only benefit an individual farmer are not eligible 

for funding under the program. 

For further assistance: Reach out to your state lead 

to learn more about the program and when applications will be accepted. 

The Farmers Market Promotion Program and the 

Local Food Promotion Program support training 

and technical assistance to establish farmers markets, 

mobile markets, roadside stands, community-supported 

agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other 

direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities, as 

well as local food projects that are not direct-to-consumer (e.g. food hubs, farm to retail/restaurant). 

Eligible applicants: For-profit farms, cooperatives, or 

producer associations or networks; nonprofit and public 

benefit corporations; economic development corporations; regional farmers market authorities; and local and 

tribal governments. 

For further assistance: Applying for a Federal Grant” 

section for information about first steps in applying for 

any federal grant Then explore the AMS website for 

more information. 

› The Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program 

(RAPP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services helps refugee farmers earn viable incomes 

through agriculture by providing grants to support 

organizations and training in topics like business 

practices, pest control, land financing, and selling to 

restaurants and farmers markets. 

Eligible applicants: Nonprofits working with refugees 

engaged in agriculture. 

For further assistance: Learn more about the program here and contact the RAPP program manager 

listed on the page to learn more. 

Community Resources for Urban Agriculture 

Training and Mentoring 

› The ATTRA program, supported by USDA Rural Development, hosts a list of farm apprenticeships and 

internships around the country. 

While urban agriculture tends to 

involve open, community spaces, 

such programs can be threatened 

by vandalism and crime. The following resource provides guidance on how to prevent 

vandalism on your land. 

Safety and Security 

› Integrating Urban Farms into the Social Landscape 

of Cities: Recommendations for Strengthening 

the Relationship between Urban Farms and Local 

Communities. This resource published by the Johns 

Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health discusses how to cultivate community buy-in for your urban 

agriculture program and use it as a way to avoid 

vandalism and make a meaningful contribution to 

your community. 

› New Entry’s Farmer Resource Library. An initiative 

of Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and additional partners, New Entry’s 

Farmer Resource Library provides training, articles, 

and fact sheets on several entrepreneurial aspects of 

urban farming – including recordkeeping, banking, 

and financial modeling. 

› BeginningFarmers.org. This website offers a list of 

training and mentoring programs across the country, 

from in-person to online. 

› Cooperative Extension Offices. Find your local 

university cooperative Extension office, which can 

provide technical assistance and ongoing training 

for farmers. 

› Creating Farmer Networks: A Toolkit for Promoting Vibrant Farm Communities. Pacific Northwest 

Extension created this guide to share ways to create 

and maintain farmer networks for information sharing, 

training, and mentoring. Its development was supported by USDA’s SARE program. 

 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 21 
 

Appendix A: 

General Guides for Urban Agriculture
 

The following general guides were developed by 

federal or local government or community organizations and are meant to assist urban growers in thinking about the necessary steps to start their own urban 

agriculture operation. While several of these guides 

focus on a specific city, they are meant to be relevant 

to areas across the country. › USDA’s National Agricultural Library’s urban agriculture page is a col

­

lection of information and tools from both within and outside of USDA 

related to urban agriculture. 

› The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields 

Program. This guide provides information for people pursuing 

agriculture projects as part of brownfield redevelopment and reuse. 

› ATTRA, The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: 

Guide to Urban Agriculture. ATTRA is committed to providing highvalue information and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture 

in the United States. The website has several publications and links to 

organizations that provide a wealth of information on urban agriculture. 

› PolicyLink’s Growing Urban Agriculture: Equitable Strategies and 

Policies for Improving Access to Healthy Food and Revitalizing 

Communities. This guide outlines the policies, practices, and programs 

that are working to sustain urban agriculture efforts in low-income 

communities and communities of color. 

› University of Missouri Extension’s Urban Agriculture - Best Practices 

and Possibilities 

› Baltimore: Baltimore City Farm Alliance How-to Guide and the 

Green Registry and Green Pattern Book, a collaborative effort with 

the USDA Forest Service to map vacant land and identify productive 

uses for that land, including urban agriculture. 

› Chicago: Advocates for Urban Agriculture’s Resource Guide › Lincoln, MA: The Food Project’s Urban Grower’s Manual › Los Angeles: Cultivate LA’s Assessment of Urban Agriculture in 

Los Angeles County 

› New Orleans: New Orleans Food & Farm Network Toolbox › New York City: 596 Acres: Turning Your Lot Into a Food Production 

Space and GreenThumb NYC’s Gardener’s Handbook 

› New York State: Cornell Small Farms Program’s Guide to Urban 

Farming in New York State 

Appendix B: 

Cost Estimates for Urban Farming
 

This appendix gives a broad overview of the 

costs associated with starting and operating an 

urban farm. The costs are approximate, as many of 

the components (such as soil or utilities) will vary by 

location. Below, the start-up expenses are broken 

down into categories: 

Location 

This includes acquiring the land, making sure it’s zoned properly with 

the necessary permits in place, and getting an environmental assessment done. In many cases, land access and soil tests can be subsidized. 

Site Preparation 

Once the land is purchased or rented and all the necessary permits 

and tests are obtained for it to operate as an urban farm, the farmer will 

prepare the land for growing. The largest associated cost (and likely 

largest cost of the entire operation) will be soil, but soil prices will vary by 

location and volume. Other costs include fencing, signage, and getting 

adequate water to the site. 

Structures 

This includes both infrastructure necessary for growing (such as high 

tunnels) and storage (such as a cooler). What types of structures will 

be needed will depend on location, types of crops grown, and desired 

length of growing season. 

Growing and Selling 

These are the expenses that you will expect to incur in your first year of 

operation (as opposed to true start-up costs, which may involve additional expenses). They include traditional farming costs such as tools, 

growing supplies and utilities, as well as business costs like advertising 

and website design. 

What follows is a more detailed breakdown of the expected costs of 

each category outlined above. Again, these are general guidelines, but 

they should give you an idea of approximately where and how much 

to budget for starting an urban farm. The Indianapolis estimate was 

compiled by Emily Toner, the Urban Agriculture Educator for Purdue Extension, in conjunction with Amy Matthews, owner of South Circle Farm, 

and Matthew Jose, owner of Big City Farms. The estimate for Chicago 

was compiled by Zachary Grant, the Local Food Systems and Small 

Farm Educator, with University of Illinois Extension, Cook County. 

22 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 23 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urban Farm Start-Up 

Cost Estimate Table: Chicago 

Compiled by: 	 Zachary Grant, Local Food Systems and Small Farm Educator, 

University of Illinois Extension, Cook County 

This worksheet is an estimate of most of the costs for a urban farm in Year 1. The first block of costs, 

Urban Farm Site Preparation, describes expenses for preparing a one-acre urban plot of land for an 

in-ground farm. The second block of expenses describes a basic list of costs expected for the growing season. While these costs are not true “start-up” costs because they will be present every year, 

the costs are included here in order to represent expenses to expect in Year 1. 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION Estimate 

PERSONNEL 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION CHICAGO continued Estimate 

STRUCTURES 

Project Manager $7,500 Wash-Pack Station $2,000 

Subtotal $7,500 Greenhouse structures and High Tunnels $18,000 

Cooler (2 Cool Bot Rooms) $4,000 

Environmental assessment $1,000 Outdoor storage $5,500 

Land acquisition $9,600 Community shade structure $2,500 

Site plan n/a Subtotal $32,000 

Rezoning costs n/a 

Permitting $275 GROWING & SELLING DURING YEAR 1 Estimate 

Liability insurance $1,000 Tools and growing supplies $12,500 

Subtotal $11,875 Vehicle $5,000 

Utility costs (water & electricity) $3,000 

LOCATION 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION ESTIMATE + remediation costs $138,490 

PREPARATION 

Signage 

Fencing 

Contamination remediation 

Water connection 

Soil 

Wood chips 

Tractor labor to spread soil and wood chips 

$620 Accounting service $500 

$12,353 Website - hosting, upkeep, design $1,800 

variable Marketing & advertising $500 

$6,178 Farmer’s labor $45,000 

$6,786 Computer $1,000 

GROWING & SELLING 

$6,178	 Total $69,300 

Subtotal $87,115 URBAN FARM YEAR 1 ESTIMATE + remediation costs $207,790 

Note: this estimate does not include contamination remediation costs. Zoning costs are also not 

included, as Chicago zones for urban agriculture at this time. These costs are a compiled estimate 

of the average cost of an urban farm in Chicago, based on data from actual farms. 

24 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT	 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 25 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urban Farm Start-Up 

Cost Estimate Table: Indianapolis 

Compiled by: 	 Emily Toner, Urban Agriculture Educator, Purdue 

Extension - Marion County; Amy Matthews, Owner, 

South Circle Farm; Matthew Jose, Owner, Big City Farms 

This worksheet is an estimate of many of the costs for a urban farm in Year 1. The first block of 

costs, Urban Farm Site Preparation, describes expenses for preparing a one-acre urban plot of land 

for an in-ground farm. The second block of expenses describes a basic list of costs expected for the 

growing season. While these costs are not true “start-up” costs because they will be present every 

year, the costs are included here in order to represent expenses to expect in Year 1. 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION Estimate 

PERSONNEL 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION INDIANAPOLIS continued Estimate 

STRUCTURES 

Project Manager $7,500 Wash-Pack Station $2,000 

 Subtotal $7,500 Greenhouse structures and High Tunnels $5,000 

Cooler $5,500 

Environmental assessment $9,000 Outdoor storage $5,500 

Land acquisition variable Community shade structure $2,500 

Site plan $5,000 Subtotal $20,500 

Rezoning costs $5,000 

Permitting $2,000 GROWING & SELLING DURING YEAR 1 Estimate 

Liability insurance $1,000 Tools and growing supplies $15,000 

Subtotal $22,000* Vehicle $2,750 

Utility costs (water & electricity) $2,000 

LOCATION 

URBAN FARM SITE PREPARATION ESTIMATE + remediation costs $138,490 

PREPARATION 

Signage 

Fencing 

Contamination remediation 

Water connection 

Soil 

Wood chips 

Tractor labor to spread soil and wood chips 

*Note: Does not include land acquisition 

$500 Accounting service $500 

$10,000 Website - hosting, upkeep, design $1,800 

variable Marketing & advertising $500 

$5,000 Farmer’s labor $45,000 

$50,000 Computer $1,000 

$0 GROWING & SELLING TOTAL $68,550

$5,000 Total 

 Subtotal $70,500 URBAN FARM YEAR 1 ESTIMATE + remediation costs $189,050 

Note: Because land access and cost varies so widely, the line item is left blank here. For 

reference, the Chicago estimate puts it at approximately $10,000. Similarly, this estimate does 

not include costs for contamination remediation, due to variance. Again, this table is meant to 

show the estimated costs associated with each portion of starting an urban farm. 

26 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT	 URBAN AGRICULTURE TOOL KIT 27 
URBAN 


AGRICULTURE
 

TOOL KIT
 

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February 2016