Grow the Good Program

Grow the Good is a grant program facilitated by the Iowa Food Hub, Oneota Community Food Cooperative Board of Directors, and local community partners. Established in 2024, this grant program supports local food businesses and is guided by three of the Oneota Community Food Cooperative's organizational ends: 

• End #2. We support building thriving local food systems and encourage the expansion of locally-grown food sources. 

• End #4. Our organization promotes and exemplifies cooperative principles of business. 

• End #7. Our members are diverse and engaged, working together and sharing time, energy, and resources to build a resilient and thriving local community. 

Who can apply?
Farms, food businesses, and individuals who produce, process, or distribute community-based food within 50 miles of Decorah, Iowa, our local foodshed. Our purpose is to strengthen partnership relationships between small producers and local food outlets. 

Priority consideration will be given to producers with: 

• Gross sales up to $100,000

• Proposals with total project cost of up to $20,000

• Local producers or entities that support local producers who sell via the Decorah Farmers Market, Oneota Co-op, or Iowa Food Hub.

Grow the Good Application Timeline 

Application Opens: Mid-January 2025
Applications Due: March 1, 2025
Grantees Selected: April 1, 2025
Grants Dispersed: End of April 2025

What projects can be funded?

Grant awards may range from $1,000 to $4,000. Projects must include food grown or raised in the Oneota Co-op's hyper-local foodshed. 

Applicants must demonstrate how their project meets at least one of the following grant goals: 

• Iowa Food Hub customers, Oneota Co-op members and the local community have more opportunities to access community-based food

• Farm and food businesses grow, process, cook, or distribute more community-­based products

• Farm and food businesses add consistency and resilience to their product offerings

• Farm and food businesses move our community towards a more equitable local food system

Projects could include:

• Equipment and supplies for growing, processing, storing, and distributing food ( e.g. a walk-in cooler}

• Seed money for start-up labor for a specific project (e.g. a local salsa brand}

• Business support (administrative, legal, and licensing fees; education costs}

• And more! Feel free to inquire. We will give preference to projects where our scale of funding can make a significant impact.

Click here for the Project Application

Click here to donate to the program

Inquiries regarding sponsorship and/or application should be directed to Piper Wood at oneotawood@gmail.com and Hannah Breckbill, oneotabreckbill@gmail.com.