Business Support Resources

Application assistance and Farm Conservation Plans for any property owner in the Farm Forest and Open Space Program in Washington and Kent County. SRICD is a quasi-public not for profit corporation of the State dedicated to conserving the natural resources of Washington and Kent County, Rhode Island. We provide no cost assistance with applications for USDA NRCS federal funding as well as technical assistance with conservation needs.
We provide Open Space maps for a small fee and by-appointment assistance with your Farm Designation tax program application, as well as conservation education programs in your local school.
All services are available on site at our office, at your home, or at a public space convenient to you. Translated materials and interpreted services are available in Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Hmong, and other languages but may require advance notice. Please give us a call for help connecting with local farming, forest management, and conservation resources. We look forward to serving you!

SRICD is a quasi-public not for profit corporation of the State dedicated to conserving the natural resources of Washington and Kent County, Rhode Island. We provide no cost assistance with applications for USDA NRCS federal funding as well as technical assistance with conservation needs.
We provide Open Space maps for a small fee and by-appointment assistance with your Farm Designation tax program application, as well as conservation education programs in your local school.
All services are available on site at our office, at your home, or at a public space convenient to you. Translated materials and interpreted services are available in Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Hmong, and other languages but may require advance notice. Please give us a call for help connecting with local farming, forest management, and conservation resources. We look forward to serving you!

ERICD is a quasi-public not for profit organization dedicated to conserving the natural resources of Bristol and Newport Counties, Rhode Island. We provide no cost assistance with applications for USDA NRCS federal funding as well as technical assistance with conservation needs. We also provide Open Space maps for a small fee and by-appointment assistance with your Farm Designation tax program application, as well as conservation education programs in your local school. Though our current property is not ADA accessible, all services are available on site at your home or at a public space convenient to you. Translated materials and interpreted services are available in Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Hmong, and other languages but may require advance notice. Please give us a call for help connecting with local farming, forest management, and conservation resources. We look forward to serving you!

The RI Department of State Business Services Division maintains Rhode Island’s business registry. While we record new business formations and ongoing business registration activity, we also provide thoughtful guidance and comprehensive services to those looking to start and maintain a business or non-profit in Rhode Island.

Explore Business Basics to learn how to create a comprehensive business plan, choose a unique business name, choose a legal structure, hire employees, and choose a location to ensure success from day one. You can also find a list of support resources from our partners, including start-up assistance, loan application preparation, marketing and brand building, legal counseling, and much more.

NRICD is a quasi-public not for profit organization dedicated to conserving the natural resources of Providence County, Rhode Island. We provide no cost assistance with applications for USDA NRCS federal funding as well as technical assistance with conservation needs. We also provide Open Space maps for a small fee and by-appointment assistance with your Farm Designation tax program application, as well as conservation education programs in your local school. Though our current property is not ADA accessible, all services are available on site at your home or at a public space convenient to you. Translated materials and interpreted services are available in Spanish, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Hmong, and other languages but may require advance notice. Please give us a call for help connecting with local farming, forest management, and conservation resources. We look forward to serving you!

The Legal Food Hub is a free service that connects eligible food farmers, food entrepreneurs, and food/farm organizations in New England to volunteer attorneys for free legal assistance. Legal issues we help with include zoning, land leases, real estate transactions, intellectual property, entity formation, estate planning, contract review, disputes, and more! There are no limits on how often you can use our services as long as you are eligible (eligibility guidelines are available on our website).

The Rhode Island Disaster Relief Program (RIDRP), administered by RIDEM, provides financial assistance to eligible Rhode Island agricultural producers who experienced losses from weather events in 2023 and 2024. The program will distribute nearly $15M in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster relief funding to help producers recover from eligible crop, livestock, timber, on-farm infrastructure, and other agricultural losses not covered by other USDA disaster programs.

Who Is Eligible?
An Eligible Producer is a producer who:

Suffered an eligible loss in Rhode Island as a direct result of a weather event in 2023 or 2024
Had an ownership share and production risk in the affected crop, livestock, or timber (including timber rights)
Eligible Loss Categories
Eligible producers may receive assistance for the following:

Infrastructure Loss
Future Economic Loss
Market Loss
Timber Loss
Bare-Ground Practices Necessary to Mitigate Land Loss
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, all of the following must apply:

You meet the definition of an Eligible Producer.
The eligible loss occurred in the State of Rhode Island.
Total eligible losses across all claimed categories equal at least $2,500.

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.

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.

The National Young Farmers Coalition’s Next Generation Farmer Fund offers grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for new conservation practices implemented in 2027. Eligible projects address soil health, water management, energy use, or biodiversity. Examples include cover cropping, irrigation efficiency, pollinator plantings, high tunnels, and agroforestry.

Applicants must be 40 or younger as of December 31, 2027, actively farm or ranch in 2027, and produce food or fiber as a primary or significant agricultural purpose. Additional eligibility requirements apply.

Awards include conservation technical assistance. Applications open on October 28 and close on December 1, 2026. An informational webinar is held on November 5 at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Visit the website to review grant details, eligibility, and webinar registration.