Funding Opportunities October 2022

By September 23, 2022Grants and Scholarships
USDA Invites Proposals for Regional Food Business Centers
Proposal Deadline November 22, 2022

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced $360 million in pandemic recovery funding for the establishment of six or more Regional Food Business Centers charged with providing coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building for small and midsize farms and food businesses that were adversely impacted by covid-19. USDA is prioritizing three regions of high need – counties on the US-Mexico border, the Mississippi Delta and Southeast, and Appalachia – and a nationwide Tribal Food Business Center.  Additional regional centers (regions to be determined) will also be established.

Eligible applicants include partnerships of three or more entities from two or more of the following categories: producer networks or associations, food councils, tribal governments, state agencies or regional authorities, institutions of higher learning, nonprofits, and economic development corporations. Awards to the newly establishing Centers will range from $15 million to $50 million over a five-year period.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
$40 Million available for nutrient management grants
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is again offering its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Fiscal Year 2023.   New this year: some of the funds will be disbursed as grants to the applicant organization, rather than partnership agreements between NRCS and the applicant.  The focus is on nutrient management for water quality, soil health, and other environmental benefits.  Deadline for applications is October 31.