All food business owners operating in San Diego County can apply, including but not limited to farmers, ranchers, fishermen, beekeepers, value-added food processors, food distributors, restaurateurs, caterers, retailers, and composters. For-profit and nonprofit businesses, micro-enterprise home kitchen operations (MEKHOs), sidewalk vendors, and pop-ups are all eligible and encouraged to apply.

Priority is given to Indigenous and people of color, immigrants, women, seniors, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with low income.

We encourage all food business owners operating in San Diego County to apply, regardless of immigration or citizenship status.

To be eligible, businesses must be in operation, meaning they are selling a product or service at the time of application. Operating businesses at any stage of development are eligible to apply, but priority is given to small-scale and early-stage businesses.

Our guidelines for determining program eligibility are flexible. In general, we define small-scale businesses as those with gross sales under $500k annually and early-stage businesses as those that have been operating for less than ten years.

We understand that definitions of these terms can vary, and no one definition works for all. The goal is to make this program as inclusive as possible, taking a human, case-by-case approach and prioritizing a commitment to those who have been most affected by inequities in the food system.

Start date for services begins in April 2024, but can vary based on participant readiness and needs.

Program duration varies based on participant needs, pace, and capacity. Formally, the program can last up to two years depending on their needs, scale, and stage of operation. Informal support can be available to participants through the Lab beyond the two years, if needed.

Through Pollinator, participants receive support from values-aligned partners on their top priority needs. This can include anything from business plan development and coaching, to marketing and legal support. The goal of the program is to provide deep, one-on-one support to food system businesses to help them create a strong foundation for viability and success.

Service providers are selected uniquely for each case, based on their expertise and ability to provide high-quality service that best fits each business’s needs. The Lab strives to choose service providers who center social and racial equity in their work, and those who have lived experience farming, fishing, and/or owning a food business, particularly in San Diego County.

The value of services will depend on the needs of each business and available funding. We are striving to offer a maximum of $25k worth of services per business, over the course of two years.

No, the program is free for selected businesses.

The program is operated primarily in English. Our goal is to be able to support food business owners with limited English proficiency in the future, through offering the program in other languages.

In some cases, we may be able to provide businesses with select services in other languages, or referrals to multi-lingual service providers. Please contact us if this could meet your needs.

This year, the application opens in early January 2024 and closes February 29, 2024. Select candidates will be invited for a 30-minute interview in March. Six (6) businesses are selected and accepted into the program annually, and will be notified in early April.

The Local Food Economy Lab reviews and selects applications based on three categories of criteria:

• Program Fit

• Demonstrated Need

• Community Impact

The Lab also takes into consideration factors like the following:

• Business type

• Business location

Learn more about these selection criteria.

If your business is not selected to join the Pollinator cohort, please don’t be discouraged! We hope to continue growing our relationship with you, following your journey, and supporting your business. You are always welcome to apply for a future cohort, or to engage with us in other ways.

As the Local Food Economy Lab grows, we will continue to offer additional programs, services, resources, and support for beginning and small scale food businesses in San Diego County. Watch this space for other ways to engage with us.

Please reach out to the Local Food Economy Lab Manager, Hanna Schuler, at hanna@sdfsa.org.