Local Food Grant Opportunity Opens for Champaign-Urbana Growers as March 27 Deadline Approaches

CHAMPAIGN -- Farmers, food businesses, and community organizations across the Champaign-Urbana region are being encouraged to begin the application process now for the Fiscal Year 2026 Local Food Infrastructure Grant (LFIG) program, with the application window closing March 27.

Advocates say interested applicants should start preparing this week because state registration requirements must be completed before a grant application can be submitted — a process that can take time if not started early.

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance is urging growers and food system partners across Central Illinois to take advantage of the funding opportunity while allowing enough time to complete the administrative steps required by the state.

Applications for the FY2026 program opened Feb. 18 and support investments that help move Illinois-grown food from farms to local markets, schools, grocery stores, and families.

“Local food doesn’t move itself,” said Liz Moran Stelk, executive director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. “Farmers are seeing growing demand for locally produced food, but the infrastructure needed to store, process, and distribute that food is often the missing piece. The LFIG program helps close that gap.”

The program funds projects such as cold storage, food processing equipment, aggregation facilities, transportation capacity, and distribution systems — infrastructure that allows farms and food businesses to expand market access and improve efficiency.

Champaign-Urbana already offers a strong example of how the program can benefit local growers and communities.

Urbana-based Sola Gratia Farm previously used LFIG funding to expand refrigerated transportation and food distribution capacity. The nonprofit farm, known for its commitment to food access and community partnerships, now delivers more fresh produce to schools, food pantries, and neighborhood markets throughout the region.

The investment helped reduce spoilage while improving the farm’s ability to supply fresh, locally grown food to organizations serving families across Champaign County.

“These are exactly the kinds of ripple effects we envisioned,” Stelk said. “When you invest in infrastructure, you’re not just helping one farm. You’re strengthening supply chains, improving food access, and supporting local economies.”

Across Illinois, the program has drawn strong interest from farmers and food businesses looking to expand operations and build stronger local food systems.

Advocates say strong participation in this year’s application cycle will also help demonstrate continued demand for the program as state lawmakers debate the next budget this spring.

Farmers and organizations interested in applying are encouraged to begin the state registration process now to ensure they can complete their applications before the March 27 deadline.

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