Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) Grant Program
The LASA Grant Program provides grants that directly benefit and strengthen the local food system in Rhode Island. The program was established by the Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) of 2012 via an innovative public-private partnership between the state and three private foundations — the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Rhode Island Foundation. Currently, the program is made possible by funding from the State of Rhode Island. The goal of the LASA grant program is to support the growth, development, and marketing of local food and seafood in Rhode Island.
Grant Award Amounts
The maximum grant award available to a farmer, individual, business (e.g., LLC), or non-profit organization is $20,000. Overhead and/or administrative costs are limited to 10% of the total budget proposal.
2027 Funding Priorities
The LASA Advisory Committee sets priorities each grant year and makes recommendations to the Director of the RIDEM. Applicants are required to fulfill at least one (not all) of the funding priorities listed below.
- Support the entry, growth, and long-term sustainability of new, beginning, small, women, veteran, and other underserved or under-invested producers across Rhode Island’s agriculture, aquaculture, and commercial fishing sectors, including producers of food, nursery crops, flowers, fiber, and other agricultural products.
- Support the growth, viability, and market readiness of Rhode Island agriculture, aquaculture, and commercial fishing businesses, including investments that improve business operations, increase production capacity, expand markets, or make it easier to bring products to market.
- Support the long-term sustainability and availability of Rhode Island’s agricultural, aquaculture, and commercial fishing businesses by investing in farmland access and protection, succession and transition planning, and intergenerational transfer of land, knowledge, skills, and operations.
- Support climate-smart agriculture and aquaculture practices, including climate change mitigation and adaptation activities that strengthen the resilience and sustainability of Rhode Island’s agricultural, aquaculture, and fishing businesses.
- Support the development of new marketing, promotion, sales, and distribution channels that help Rhode Island farms, aquaculture operations, and fishers reach new and existing markets, including communities with limited access to fresh, local food.
- Support the development of new and value-added products, including investments in value-added processing capacity that benefit Rhode Island agricultural, aquaculture, and fishing businesses.
- Support on-farm and on-business food safety improvements, including FSMA, HACCP, and other applicable food safety requirements.
- Regenerative Agriculture Specialized Funding: Support and prioritize regenerative agriculture projects that help Rhode Island farmers adopt and expand practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration, improve soil health, reduce nutrient runoff, strengthen farm resilience, and enhance the long-term sustainability of Rhode Island’s agricultural sector.
- Ocean State Procurement Portal registration: https://ridop.ri.gov/ocean-state-procures-osp
- Finished Application in the GMS System
- Filled out budget template in eCivis GMS
- Necessary supporting documents (Lease agreements etc.)
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Grant-related questions should be directed to DEM.LASA@dem.ri.gov or (401) 222-2781. Division of Agriculture staff are available to assist you during State of Rhode Island business hours, Monday– Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Assistance may not be available shortly before deadlines.