Roots of resilience project - cultivating self-sufficiency and equity for underserved farmers

The Just Cities Institute received a $734,715 Project Grant awarded on September 30, 2025, by the Institute of Youth, Family, and Community under the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers program (CFDA 10.443). The three-year award, extending through September 29, 2028, supports the Roots of Resilience Project, which cultivates self-sufficiency and equity for underserved farmers in Berkeley, California.

Under this federal grant program, the awardee is expected to deliver outreach, training, and technical assistance services designed to help socially disadvantaged farmers, veteran farmers, and beginning farmers access USDA programs and build viable agricultural enterprises. Based on typical funded projects under this program, services may include experiential education and mentorship on value-added agriculture and climate-smart practices, on-farm training, entrepreneurship development, linguistically and culturally appropriate skills training, technical assistance on regenerative agriculture and conservation planning, and farm incubator services emphasizing land access, business planning, and market development.