Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship Program

Applications Currently Closed
  • Applications are due October 6th, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST.
  • A free Google account is required to use the application form.
  • Required orientations will take place November 4 and December 10 from 4-5 pm PST on Zoom, and the fellowship will conclude in February 2026.

With funding from the USDA Farm Service Agency through a cooperative agreement with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), CAFF is partnering with Agroecology Commons, Food Access Los Angeles, Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC), Veggielution, and the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR) to offer the Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship program.

Purpose

The Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship Program aims to support the self-empowerment of urban farmers in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Through this 16-month fellowship, a cohort of local growers will gain the necessary skills, resources, and networks to thrive as leaders in agriculture and urban farming. Fellows will gather to learn from one another, our local partners, and invited experts on community organizing, statewide political structures, and local city/county agricultural issues.

The fellowship includes robust leadership development opportunities tailored to the unique challenges faced by urban farmers. Through facilitated workshops, farmer-to-farmer learning, and climate resilience training, the program will strengthen leadership skills and foster leaders empowered to effectively navigate complex agricultural landscapes and advocate for their communities.

The fellowship will cover the following core topics relevant to urban farmers and growers: 

  • Governance 101: Understanding of government systems and how farmers can access government resources, as well as existing gaps and opportunities for improvement of statewide urban agriculture support.
  • Existing Programs and Resources: Learn about relevant and available agriculture service programs available through federal, state and local agencies like the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to benefit your growing operation.
  • Land Access: Challenges and avenues to address land access for urban farming
  • Water: Sustainable water management practices in urban agriculture, including rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation techniques.
  • Funding and Profitability: Financial planning, grant writing, and business development skills to ensure the economic viability of urban farming ventures
  • Urban Agriculture Policies: Education around policies that support and promote food systems and programming at the local and state levels
  • Technical Assistance: Access to technical expertise and resources to address operational challenges and adopt climate-friendly farming practices, may include soil health, tool sharing, seed production and saving, ecological pest management, value added processing, marketing, etc. 
  • Storytelling: Connect and lean into stewardship stories to create a narrative promoting the realities and future of urban agriculture. Develop the ability to illustrate the big picture as well as the nuances of being an urban grower.
  • Network and Leadership Development: Learn how to pique the interest of policy makers, legislators, and others by utilizing the “elevator pitch” of your agriculture experience and its importance within the sector. Connect with other growers to develop relationships that lead to food system sustainability and sharing of growing strategies, challenges, and successes.

Expectations

  • The fellowship will run for 16 months, starting in November of 2024 to February 2026
  • The farmer stipend of $10,000  will cover your time in the fellowship cohort, as well as travel to area events
  • Approx 2 hours bi-weekly of zoom/class time and approximately 1-2 hours per week of independent activities
  • Orientations will be November 4 and December 10 from 4-5 pm PST on Zoom
  • Attend two regional events in the Spring and Fall of 2025, and an in-person Growing Urban Agriculture statewide partner gathering in Los Angeles in February 2025
  • Attendance is required at at least 85% of events, workshops, fellowship activities, etc. with four stipend payments spread out quarterly 
  • Individual and small group local projects will be required as part of the cohort
  • Engage with other local farmers to share knowledge and learn about growing practices
  • Share experiences via video or written word at the end of the fellowship period (e.g. via blog, social media post, etc.)
  • The fellowship will be a mixture of cohort work, independent local policy engagement and education, and insight from the Growing Urban Agriculture partner organizations

Who Can Apply

  1. Eligible applicants must operate or work at an urban agriculture business, organization, collective/cooperative, or site, and can include urban agriculture producers, nonprofit organizations, and other community-based organizations. All levels of experience are welcome to apply.
  2. Urban and suburban farmers and growers in the following counties are eligible to apply:  Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Solano, Napa, and Sonoma. 
  3. Priority will be given to applicants that are from or meaningfully serve historically and systemically underserved communities, marginalized populations, including unhoused, formerly incarcerated, low-income, and schools with a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch.
  4. Priority will be given to applicants that are actively involved in growing or teaching (eg. food, fiber, medicinals) for their community. 
  5. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.

Important Deadlines

  • Applications are due October 6th, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST.
  • Required orientations will take place November 4 and December 10 from 4-5 pm PST on Zoom, and the fellowship will conclude in February 2026

Definitions

  1. Urban Agriculture refers to the cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in urban settings, including things like in-ground small plot cultivation, raised beds, vertical production, warehouse farms, mushroom growing, urban forestry and tree care, community gardens, rooftop farms, hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic facilities, and other innovations. Urban farmers and gardeners work among diverse populations to expand access to nutritious foods, foster community engagement, offer workforce development opportunities, educate communities about food and farming, and expand green spaces.
  2. “Socially disadvantaged groups”, as defined in AB 1348, are African Americans, Native Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanic, Latino/a, Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander groups. Other historically underserved groups of farmers include urban farmers, veteran farmers, women farmers and LGBTQ farmers. (CDFA Farmer Equity Act) 
  3. “Historically underserved community” generally refers to a group of people who have been marginalized or disadvantaged in society due to a variety of factors, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. These communities often have limited access to resources, opportunities, and services that are readily available to other groups. This can include, but is not limited to, inadequate access to quality education, healthcare, housing, and economic opportunities. The term is often used in the context of social justice, public policy, and community development efforts aimed at addressing these disparities and promoting greater equity and inclusion.

For questions about the application, please contact:
Keely Cervantes Policy & Organizing Manager, CAFF
urbanag [at] caff.org