Suburban Growers Urged to Start LFIG Grant Applications Now Ahead of March 27 Deadline

AURORA -- Farmers, urban growers, and food businesses across Aurora and the Chicago suburbs are being encouraged to begin the application process immediately for the Fiscal Year 2026 Local Food Infrastructure Grant (LFIG) program as the March 27 deadline approaches.

Advocates say prospective applicants should start preparing this week because several state registration requirements must be completed before an application can be submitted. Those steps can take time, making early preparation critical for growers hoping to secure funding.

Applications for the FY2026 grant cycle opened Feb. 18, offering farmers, food cooperatives, community organizations, and food entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive funding for infrastructure that helps move Illinois-grown food from farms to local markets, schools, restaurants, and families.

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance is encouraging suburban growers and food system partners to act quickly to ensure they can complete the process before the deadline.

“Local food doesn’t move itself,” said Liz Moran Stelk, executive director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. “Farmers and growers across Illinois — including in suburban communities — are seeing strong demand for locally produced food. But meeting that demand requires infrastructure that many small and mid-sized producers simply can’t build on their own.”

The Local Food Infrastructure Grant program supports projects such as cold storage, processing equipment, food aggregation hubs, transportation capacity, and distribution systems. These investments help growers scale production, reach new markets, and reduce food waste while strengthening local food supply chains.

For suburban producers, the program can help expand access to local markets, restaurants, school districts, and food pantries throughout the region.

Previous grant recipients demonstrate how infrastructure investments can strengthen local food systems.

In Urbana, Sola Gratia Farm used LFIG support to expand refrigerated transportation and distribution capacity. The nonprofit farm now delivers more fresh produce to schools, food pantries, and neighborhood markets while reducing spoilage and improving efficiency.

In McLean County, Funks Grove Heritage Fruits & Grains invested in grain handling and processing improvements that allowed the farm to process more products on-site and retain more economic value locally.

“These are exactly the kinds of ripple effects we want to see,” Stelk said. “When farmers have the infrastructure they need, they can expand access to fresh food, strengthen local economies, and build more resilient food systems.”

With the March 27 deadline approaching, advocates say growers in Aurora and suburban communities should begin the application process now to ensure they have time to complete the required state registration steps and submit a strong proposal.

More information about eligibility and application details is available at:
https://agr.illinois.gov/assistance/illinoisfarmprograms/lfig.html