Community food projects often stall because basic infrastructure is missing—think greenhouses, cold storage, or shared processing space. The Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF) provides funding for equipment and infrastructure that improves access to local, nutritious, and culturally meaningful food across Canada (Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).
This guide explains how to apply to the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, with a clear breakdown of Large Scale and Small Scale streams, eligibility rules, and common pitfalls to avoid.
The Local Food Infrastructure Fund is a federal, non-repayable contribution program run by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. It supports not-for-profit and community-led projects that strengthen local food systems and improve food access.
There are two main funding streams, each designed for a different project size and level of complexity.
The Local Food Infrastructure Fund — Large Scale Projects stream is for more complex initiatives with multiple infrastructure needs and formal partnerships.
Funding available
Cost-sharing requirement
Who can apply
Project requirements
This stream is often used for projects like shared commercial kitchens, community food hubs, food storage and distribution facilities, or large-scale greenhouses.
The Local Food Infrastructure Fund — Small Scale Projects stream is designed for simpler, locally driven projects with lower budgets.
Funding available
Who can apply
Project requirements
Small Scale funding is commonly used for items like walk-in freezers, community garden infrastructure, irrigation systems, or small-scale food processing equipment.
While each intake may vary slightly, the application process generally follows the same steps.
Choose Large Scale if your project:
Choose Small Scale if your project:
Your application must clearly explain:
Applications that connect infrastructure directly to clear results for community food access are stronger (Source).
Large Scale applications must:
Only include eligible costs related to infrastructure and equipment. Planning, operating, or unrelated administrative expenses can weaken your application.
Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you quickly confirm which LFIF stream fits your organization, location, and project type.
LFIF is not always open year-round. Applications are assessed competitively, and funding decisions depend on available federal budgets (Source).
No production element
Projects focused only on food distribution, without growing or producing food, are usually ineligible.
Weak partner roles (Large Scale)
Listing partners without clear responsibilities or contributions can disqualify a Large Scale application.
Unclear food security results
Vague statements like “improves access” without explaining how or for whom often score poorly.
Ignoring cost-share rules
For Large Scale projects, failing to document the full 25% contribution is a common reason for rejection.
Q: Is the Local Food Infrastructure Fund repayable?
No. Both the Large Scale and Small Scale streams provide non-repayable contributions (Source).
Q: Do projects need partners to qualify?
Yes for Large Scale Projects, which require at least two partners. Small Scale projects do not require formal partnerships (Source).
Q: What types of infrastructure are eligible?
Eligible items include production-related infrastructure such as greenhouses, cold storage, food processing equipment, and distribution infrastructure tied to local food systems (Source).
Q: What does the 25% cost-share mean in practice?
Your organization and partners must cover at least 25% of total project costs through cash or documented in-kind contributions like donated labour or equipment (Source).
Q: Are Indigenous-led projects prioritized?
The most recent program guidelines state that projects serving Indigenous and Black communities, as well as other groups facing barriers to food access, may receive priority.
The Local Food Infrastructure Fund is one of the most important federal programs supporting community food infrastructure in Canada. Matching your project scope to the right stream and providing clear food access results and a realistic budget are key to a strong application.
GrantHub tracks hundreds of active grant programs across Canada, including federal food and agriculture funding. Checking which programs align with your organization can save weeks of research and help you plan stronger applications.
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