Food System Funding and Policy

The NH Food Alliance works to align its network partners around key food system policy issues and funding opportunities. The goal? To build our network partners' capacity to advocate for policies that support our collective food system goals and secure funding and investments to grow a strong and resilient food system in New Hampshire.

On an ongoing basis, we centralize information about grant opportunities

Grant and funding information is collectected and centralized on the on the Network News page on the NH Food Alliance website. Browse grants here 

Each year, we co-host a NH Agricultural Policy Forum

Under the leadership of the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition and in partnership with other network partners, the NH Food Alliance co-hosts an annual policy forum to provide an overview of  food system-related policies proposed to the upcoming New Hampshire legislature and share best practices for engaging with the legislative process. Key network partners, such as the League of Conservation Voters, NOFA-NH and American Farmland Trust) are invited to speak about their organization’s policy priorities. 

The NH Agricultural Policy Forum cover the 2023 legislative cycle was on December 13, 2022 date. View the recording or the 2023 Food System Legislation listing . 

As needed, we coordinate 'Quick Response Teams'

When opportunities arise, the NH Food Alliance Backbone team coordinates a quick response team of network partners and food system experts to address, collaborate or advise.  The quick response teams currently meeting in early 2023 are: 

• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding team is coordinating the documentation of meaningful infrastructure projects in need of investment in New Hampshire 
• Agricultural Land Preservation Program (ALP) team is helping to advise the re-launch of the Agricultural Land Presevation Program in partnership with the NH Deparment of Agriculture, Markets and Food
• Investing in NH's Food System team is helping the network to align around food systems' related funding requests in the 2023 NH budget cycle

If you're interested in learning about or joining any of those quick response teams, please reach out to Nicole Cardwell at nicole.cardwell@unh.edu.