The two Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program grants, the Infrastructure Grant and the Equipment-Only Grant, are accepting applications.
The dollars come from a cooperative agreement between the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A total of $27 million is available.
RFSI grant projects must expand middle-of-the food supply chain capacity for locally- and regionally-produced foods and offer more and better market opportunities to small- and mid-sized agricultural producers, including those who may not have access to value-added opportunities or processing to meet market demand for premium or value-added products, such as underserved producers.
Find application materials: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/RFSI.aspx
Infrastructure Grant
These grant awards will range from $100,000 to $3 million.
This grant can fund capital investments such as construction, equipment, and building renovations. The grants can also fund facility design or engineering, staff time, modernizing systems, plan development, and market development. A match is required for Infrastructure Grants and starts at 50 percent of the total project cost. However, if the main applicant qualifies as underserved, the match requirement will be reduced to 25 percent of the total project cost.
Equipment-Only Grant
These grant awards range from $10,000 to $99,999.
This grant can only fund equipment, such as delivery vehicles, frozen or refrigerated storage, value-added food processing equipment, or other equipment for middle-of-the food supply chain activities. Equipment may be new, used, or refurbished. No match is required.
More Information
An informational webinar about applying for the RFSI grants is Jan. 9 at 11 a.m. via ZoomGov. Register: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItc-2vqzsoHtBdKiBNr_W67dczjIS6MYs#/registration
DATCP will host open office hour sessions to answer specific RFSI grant questions on these dates:
- Jan. 18 at 1 p.m.
- Feb. 1 at 1 p.m.
- Feb. 15 at 1 p.m.
- Feb. 29 1 p.m.
Register: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItde6qrzgiGbLPBAcgUAvVkvhltNuiGqE#/registration
