Wyoming Food Systems Assessment -
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

Forward Contract Pilot Grant Program Awards Eight Wyoming Farms, Aggregators and Food Security Service Organizations

May 29, 2025  – The Wyoming Department of Family Services and Food Works Group are pleased to announce that eight Wyoming organizations have been awarded pilot grant funds to strengthen food production and food access in the state. The grant 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. 

 

To learn more about the project and awarded entities, please visit the full announcement here. 

 

Awarded Entities

The Food Security System Implementation Project includes a forward contract grant program to support development and strengthen relationships between Wyoming producers and food security service organizations. The pilot grant program awarded a total of $322,705 in funds to support the following eight organizations: 

 

• 1890 Farms - Riverton, Wyoming 

• Edible Prairie Project - Gillette, Wyoming 

• Foundations for Nations Food Pantry - Riverton, Wyoming 

• Eat Wyoming - Casper, Wyoming 

• One22 Resource Center - Jackson, Wyoming 

• Rooted in Wyoming - Sheridan, Wyoming 

• Silver Stream Farm - Pinedale, Wyoming (formerly known as Satchitananda Farm)

• Slow Food Wind River - Lander, 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. 

 

Future Funds Available 

 

By early 2026, FWG will announce the availability of the full Forward Contract Grant Program funds to enhance the capacity for food pantries to purchase and distribute Wyoming-grown foods. Interested applicants can sign up to be notified about the 2026 Full Grant Program here. In addition, FWG will soon develop a process and begin making investments in infrastructure and distribution to better connect Wyoming producers and buyers.

 

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.