Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the goal of advancing equity in…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the goal of advancing equity in capital access for beginning farmers is to build the strength and resilience of socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers through increasing their knowledge, skills, experience, and network accessing capital to grow their businesses. The objectives for the project are:objective 1: to develop and deliver a thorough and practical financial literacy and capital access curriculum combining one-on-one coaching, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning and mentoring.objective 2: to strengthen a collaborative network of business and farm support organizations to participate in curriculum development and delivery, including networking and funder matchmaking events.objective 3: build the capacity and sustainability of a network of service providers through a rigorous evaluation plan to track outputs and outcomes, regularly communicating with and gathering the network of project partners to share learnings and make improvements to ensure project success.rifpc is uniquely situated to perform this work. We are trusted partners of the federal and state agencies and we work regularly with the community-based organizations that work directly with our state's underserved farmers. We have established effective partnerships with technical assistance and business service providers. Our work in this area to date has been well-regarded by all parties.a rigorous evaluation plan will track outputs and outcomes surveys and key informant interviews. This project will result in 100+ underserved RI farmers receiving individualized technical assistance, allowing them to overcome barriers to accessing capital and funding programs. Long term impacts include increased economic viability and a more just and resilient local food system.