In October 2020, NODC was awarded a USDA Rural Business Development Grant to provide intensive, individualized business consulting services to existing farmers and ranchers.

The OPFF provides assistance to farmers and food banks with pre-paid, long term contracts for farmers to provide food to food banks and community food programs.

Eat Local First Olympic Peninsula is a collaboration among organizations to promote increased access to and consumption of locally-grown food.

In June 2019, NODC was one of 48 organizations across the US to receive a technical assistance award from the USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) initiative. USDA is funding Rural Development Initiatives (RDI), based in Eugene, Oregon, to assist NODC in using the WealthWorks model to develop strategies for increasing community benefit from our region’s working forest lands. Strategies might include: Value-adding of under-utilized species like native hardwoods. Expanding production from non-industrial private landowners. Developing community forests. Thermal modification of wood products. Support for entrepreneurship in the wood value-adding sector. As part of the planning process, NODC has convened a series of small meetings with stakeholders. With the help of analysis from RDI, NODC will hold additional meetings with partners and stakeholders to narrow the focus of the work and develop a plan for next steps in support of selected strategies.

The NODC was awarded a planning grant of $38,891 from USDA Rural Development’s Local Food Promotion Program in December 2019 to identify the most effective strategies to expand regional wholesale markets for producers on the North Olympic Peninsula. NODC worked with partners WSU Clallam County Extension , The Local Food Trust and Eat Local First Olympic Peninsula on a study targeting producers who are interested in expanding and could benefit the most from assistance with aggregation, distribution and capacity building, as well as buyers who want to increase their purchases of local food but have faced barriers in working with multiple small producers. Specific objectives of the project included: Determine the needs and capacity of both buyers and producers across the Olympic Peninsula. Identify local assets and supply chains to increase market channels and acquisition. Provide recommendations for needed infrastructure appropriate to the scale of producer, buyer and regional needs. The report on the project, Developing Regional Wholesale Markets for Farmers on the Olympic Peninsula: Assessment, Barriers and Recommendations , can be read here .

The NODC received funding from USDA Rural Development to purchase commercial kitchen equipment for lease to Finnriver Farm and Cidery 's new location at the main intersection of Hwy 19 and Center Rd. in Chimacum, WA. Finnriver Farm is part of a regional effort to revitalize agriculture in Chimacum, the region that has prime soils and a history of productive, diverse farms. The new shared-use commercial kitchen opened in June 2018. It has enabled Finnriver to add food service at the Cidery and has allowed the Chimacum Corner Farmstand to expand their prepared food offerings. The kitchen is also used regularly by Dented Buoy Pizza and a number of other food producers. Learn more about the project here >>

The NODC was awarded a $10,000 stipend from the Citizens Institute for Rural Design , with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the USDA and the Orton Family Foundation. This award supported a community-wide 2.5 day workshop and design charette and to plan for transportation and infrastructure improvements at the intersection of Highway 19 and Center Road. The project also received in-kind design expertise and technical assistance valued at $35,000. The award was a competitive process with seven communities receiving funding out of over 60 applications nationwide. Partners include (and are not limited to): Jefferson County Department of Community Development, Jefferson Land Trust , Finnriver Farm and Chimacum Corner Farmstand . ​Project partners were also awarded a Futurewise Livable Communities Award in 2016. Read more about the award here . ​ Read more about the project here.

The NODC was awarded $72,000 from the USDA to support efforts in the Port Townsend School District to serve healthy, whole and local foods to students. Funding was used to purchase kitchen equipment to process whole fruits and vegetables, train kitchen staff to cook with whole foods and upgrade garden tools. Additional school staff time was devoted to providing "edible education" in elementary classrooms. In partnership with WSU. Read more about the USDA Farm to School Grant, 2016 >>

Access to land and affordable housing have been identified by farmers on the Olympic Peninsula as the top factors limiting growth in the agriculture sector. Jefferson Land Trust seeks to make land and housing available to farmers and farmworkers at its 15.8 acre acquisition in Chimacum. The NODC performed a feasibility analysis to explore options for land ownership, use and housing on the property. Jefferson Land Trust is a regional leader in innovative strategies for conserving working lands to keep them productive, affordable and available for generations to come. The Chimacum Commons property is located in the heart of the Chimacum Crossroads initiative, a multi-stakeholder effort to keep agriculture viable and profitable. Learn more about Jefferson Land Trust here >>