Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grants

The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) program seeks to increase awareness and consumption of locally produced foods and related products and to increase the production and improve the distribution of foods and related products for local consumption. The Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant program is an economic development program designed to help the Wisconsin agricultural and food industry find ways to improve food production, processing, marketing, and distribution with the ultimate goal of expanding Wisconsin’s local food system. BLBW grant funds are administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP).

DATCP may award grants to individuals or organizations to fund projects that are designed to increase the sale of Wisconsin agricultural or food products to local purchasers. This includes grants for projects to create, expand, diversify, or promote any of the following:

• Local food marketing systems and market outlets.

• Local food and cultural tourism routes.

• Production, processing, marketing, and distribution of Wisconsin food products primarily for sale to local purchasers. 

Eligible Applicants include:

• Individual independent producers selling locally

• Individual independent processors using WI ingredients that make up 51% of their product by weight

• Groups of independent producers

• Farmer/Rancher Cooperatives

• Grower Associations

• Schools and institutions

• Food service operations

• Non-profits

• Budgets must show at least a 1-to-1 funds match.

• Project must be completed within 24 months after contract is signed by DATCP. A no-cost extension of up to one year is available upon request and is granted at the discretion of DATCP.

• Requests must be between $5,000 and $50,000.

• Primary beneficiaries are Wisconsin agriculture products based businesses

• Private farms or agribusinesses applying for funds must be selling at least 51% of their agricultural products locally. Value-added food businesses, or processors must be purchasing, or growing at least 51% of their product (by weight) ingredients locally.

• If you have received funding from the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grant program within the last four years, you are not eligible to apply.

• If you currently have any grant with DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development you are not eligible to apply (this includes Specialty Crop Block Grants and Dairy Processor Grants).

• Dairy processors looking for grant funds should apply for DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development’s Dairy Processors Grant.

Read the Request for Proposals carefully before completing an application.

Completed proposals must be submitted to Ryan Dunn at ryand.dunn@wisconsin.gov. All documents must be included in a single PDF or word file.

• 2023 Request for Proposals

• Register for Informational Webinar​

• ​BLBW Grant Impact Report (2008-2020)