• Wyoming Forward Contract Grant Program Awards 24 Wyoming Farms, Aggregators, and Food Security Service Organizations
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) and Food Works Group are pleased to announce that 24 Wyoming organizations have been awarded grant funds through the Wyoming Forward Contract Grant Program to strengthen food production and food access across the state. The program is part of the $2.4 million Food Security System Implementation Project to strengthen food access in Wyoming by distributing funds and providing technical assistance to food system contributors in the state.
This program received a total of 30 applications requesting $1,959,196.43 in funding. After careful review, $1,091,366.51 in funds have been awarded to 24 entities. These selections were made by a review committee of seven individuals with extensive experience in local food systems and food security; these selections were reviewed and finalized by the Wyoming Food Insecurity System Implementation Steering Committee.
“We know that many people are food insecure in our rural state,” DFS Director Korin Schmidt said. “This program is a one-time, targeted support for food and nutrition efforts, with the goal of creating long-term viability for local food growers, producers, and food banks/pantries to ultimately reduce food insecurity for individuals and families in Wyoming.”
Awarded Entities
The Forward Contract Grant Program awarded funds to the following 24 organizations to support forward purchasing agreements, infrastructure investments, and planning activities that connect Wyoming producers with food security service organizations:
• 1890 Farms, LLC — Riverton, Wyoming
• Action Resources International — Laramie, Wyoming
• Afton Food Pantry — Afton, Wyoming
• Buffalo Youth Nation Project — Fort Washakie, Wyoming
• Edible Prairie Project — Gillette, Wyoming
• Eterna Fresh — Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Etheridge Seed Farms, LLC — Worland, Wyoming
• Food Bank of Sweetwater County — Rock Springs, Wyoming
• Fresh Foods Wyoming, L3C (dba Eat Wyoming) — Casper, Wyoming
• Lander Care and Share Food Bank — Lander, Wyoming
• Needs Inc Food Pantry — Cheyenne, Wyoming
• One22 Resource Center — Jackson, Wyoming
• Papa Joe’s Produce, LLC — Powell, Wyoming
• Shawn Weber Farms — Riverton, Wyoming
• Raw Town Local Grocers — Rawlins, Wyoming
• Rooted in Wyoming — Sheridan, Wyoming
• Senior Citizens Council DBA The Hub on Smith — Sheridan, Wyoming
• Shumway Farms LLC — Afton, Wyoming
• Silver Stream Farm — Pinedale, Wyoming
• Slow Food Wind River — Lander, Wyoming
• Taste of the Wind LLC — Laramie, Wyoming
• Ten Galón, Inc. — Sheridan, Wyoming
• The Farm Jackson Hole — Jackson, Wyoming
• Wild Edge — Lovell, Wyoming
Implementing Recommendations of the Wyoming Food Systems Assessment
The Wyoming Department of Family Services awarded a contract to Food Works Group (FWG), a nationally focused advisory firm that supports local and regional food systems, to administer this program and distribute funds throughout the state of Wyoming. FWG is implementing three statewide recommendations from the Wyoming Food Systems Assessment, which include future purchase agreements, capacity building via grants, and connection.
Throughout the project, FWG is working closely with the Wyoming Food Coalition, a key leader in the Wyoming food system. Wyoming Food Coalition has been selected to implement the fourth recommendation of the Wyoming Food Systems Assessment, which is coordination and collaboration.
Learn More
To learn more about the project and awarded entities, please visit the full announcement here.
This project is paid for with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 and the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. During the 2023 Legislative Session, the Wyoming Legislature allocated the ARPA funding to implement the recommendations identified in the Wyoming Food Systems Assessment, completed in Spring 2024.
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Wyoming Department of Family Services
The Wyoming Department of Family Services‘ work centers around three values: 1) Safe at home, 2) Opportunities for success, and 3) Supporting the people who support the families. DFS achieves this vision by giving families opportunities for success throughout their interactions with the department. Families come in contact with DFS for many reasons, including but not limited to, child abuse and neglect services, adult protection services, juvenile justice services, child care licensing, and assistance with food or child care. Many of DFS’ goals reflect the department’s desire to improve upon the practice and service delivery that enhance families’ abilities to be successful and remain safe at home. More information can be found in DFS’ SFY 2024–2026 Three-Year Strategic Plan.
Food Works Group
Food Works Group (FWG) is a nationally focused, women-owned advisory firm that measures, strategizes, and supports equitable and sustainable progress across the food system. Our work helps clients solve operational challenges with a goal towards accelerating success, maximizing impact, and adapting to the fast-paced evolution of regional food systems. We advise clients on a range of topics, including: agriculture and food related business operations and planning, asset mapping and needs assessments, food banking and food hub program operations and evaluation, workshop development and stakeholder engagement, facility and financial modeling, and project and program implementation across the food system.
Wyoming Food Coalition
Until December 2019, Wyoming was the only state without any form of food policy council. However, numerous producers, local food networks, food security and justice collaborations, institutions of higher education, and other food system leaders had been working for years to address challenges across the state. In late 2019, leaders from these sectors met and combined decades of experience to form the Wyoming Food Coalition. Its mission is to strengthen local food systems by connecting stakeholders and amplifying their voices so that Wyoming producers, consumers, and environments thrive.
