USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program

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INTRODUCTION TO RFSI PROGRAM

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program is designed to develop and administer state-coordinated initiatives that enhance resilience in the middle-of-the-supply-chain operations while strengthening local and regional food systems. The US Virgin Islands RFSI Program, allocated with $2,070,798 in funding, prioritizes expanding capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of specific agricultural products (including eggs and honey but excluding wild caught fish, meat, and poultry).

In partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) will conduct a competitive solicitation process to distribute funds across two grant categories. The Infrastructure Grant Program will provide up to $500,000 in funding and the Simplified Equipment-Only Grant Program will provide an additional $1,000,000. Applicants have the option to choose either grant offering, but cannot apply to both.

Infrastructure grants range in value, ranging from a minimum award of $100,000 to a maximum award of $500,000, with a 50% matching fund requirement (though certain historically underserved groups may qualify for reduced match of 25%). Simplified Equipment-Only grants range from a minimum award of $10,000 to a maximum award of $100,000, with no matching fund requirement.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RFSI PROGRAM

The significance of the RFSI Program for the US Virgin Islands lies in its aim to enhance food processing options for local and regional producers across the territory. The primary focus of project funding is on expanding capacity and infrastructure in the middle of the supply chain, thereby strengthening the local food system.

The USDA defines the middle of the food supply chain as activities occurring after the production of the agricultural product but before the product is sold to consumers. These activities encompass the processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products between leaving the field and entering the marketplace. Consequently, grant funds are ineligible for use in cultivations, harvest, or retail marketing of eligible food products.

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RFSI PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility is open to domestically owned entities with facilities physically located within the territory of the US Virgin Islands, including:

  • Agricultural producers or processors, and groups thereof;
  • Nonprofit organizations engaged in middle-of-the-supply-chain activities, such as processing, aggregation, and distribution of designated agricultural products;
  • For-profit entities involved in middle-of-the-supply-chain activities like processing, aggregation, or distribution of designated agricultural products, with a primary focus on local and regional producer benefit, that meet SBA small business size standards;
  • Local government entities participating in middle-of-the-supply-chain activities, such as processing, aggregation, and distribution of designated agricultural products;
  • Tribal governments engaged in middle-of-the-supply-chain activities, such as processing, aggregation, and distribution of designated agricultural products; and
  • Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals that facilitate collaboration among producers or invest in equipment to benefit multiple producers in middle-of-the-supply-chain activities, including processing, aggregation, and distribution of designated agricultural product.

Funding is available for competitive sub-awards through two types of grant opportunities - Infrastructure Grants and Equipment Only Grants. Applicants have the option to choose either grant offering.

  • Technical assistance and training sessions will take place during the RFA period.
  • Applications will be evaluated by a team of reviewers with relevant local experience.

RFSI Timeline

  • Request for Applications: October 21 - December 20, 2024
  • Period of Performance: March 2025 - December 2026
  • Site visits: Twice per year
  • Reports due: Every six months during grant period 

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS

Infrastructure Grants will range in value from a minimum award of $100,000 and a maximum award of $500,000. Funds will be disbursed no earlier than March 2025, and projects must be completed by December 2026.

Infrastructure Grants will fund projects that expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Examples include:

  • Expanding processing capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new wholesale/retail product lines;
  • Modernizing equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs, or retooling; (e.g., adapting product lines for institutional procurement or adding parallel processing capacity);
  • Purchase and installation of specialized equipment, such as processing components, sorting equipment, packing and labeling equipment, or delivery vehicles;
  • Modernizing manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems;
  • Enhancing worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements;
  • Construction of a new facility;
  • Increasing packaging and labeling capacities that meet compliance requirements under applicable laws (e.g. sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment);
  • Increasing storage space, including cold storage;
  • Develop, customize or install climate smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals;
  • Modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, including associated Hazard, Analysis, and Critical Control Points (HACCP) consultation, plan development and employee training; and
  • Training on the use of all equipment purchased under the grant and associated new processes;
  • Expand capacity for processing, aggregation and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers;
  • Improve the capacity of entities to comply with federal, state, and local food safety requirements;
  • Improve operations through training opportunities; and
  • Modernize processing and manufacturing equipment

Allowable activities or tasks that could be a part of such projects may include:

  • Hiring term-limited personnel to assist with project implementation activities;
  • Purchasing special purpose equipment: defined in section 8.2 of the AMS General Terms and Conditions. This includes the purchase of special purpose equipment for institutions or others that will benefit multiple producers through middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural product;
  • Analyzing potential facility upgrades and changes that meet regulatory requirements, obtaining design and/or architecture services, etc. (to the extent these costs are directly related to the project);
  • Planning for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) or other food safety or worker safety measures or equipment recommendations; and
  • Upgrades or new facilities for processing specific agricultural products, such as:
    • On-farm post-harvest processing, preservation, and storage/cold storage;
    • Post-harvest cleaning and grading;
    • Aggregator warehouse and storage, including cooperatives;
    • Purchase of freezing equipment, freezer, or cold storage;
    • Processing, canning, preserving and pasteurization;
    • Preparation and packing;
    • Drying, hulling, shelling, and milling; and
    • Cooking, baking, juicing, distilling, fermenting.

Unallowable activities:

  • Acquiring real property (including land purchases), or any interest therein;
  • Projects focused on meat and poultry processing or other ineligible agricultural products as noted in section 1.2.1;
  • Activities that have received a Federal award from another Federal award program;
  • Claim expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any Federal, State, or local government funding; and
  • Projects which have already received funding from another federal grant or subaward programs may not receive funding for the same activities through an Infrastructure Grant. However, Infrastructure Grants may build on the successes of prior funding, such as the USDA

*If the application file does not open, the alternate option is to download the file to your desktop/laptop first (Click Save button or Ctrl+S), then open the Adobe Acrobat Reader app from your desktop/laptop, and finally select the downloaded file. It then opens and the application is fillable.

Match Verification Template Letter

Evidence of Critical Resource Infrastructure Template Letter

Other Supporting Documents Required for Application:

  • Letters of Support
  • Infrastructure Plans
  • Equipment Quotes, Contracts, Pricing

SIMPLIFIED EQUIPMENT-ONLY GRANTS

Simplified Equipment-Only Grants will range in value from a minimum award of $10,000 and a maximum award of $100,000 and do not require cost sharing or matching. The Simplified Equipment-Only Grant is a fixed price grant, meaning it will fund only equipment purchases (not associated facility upgrades, staffing, or other costs), and the amount awarded will be equal to the cost of the equipment up to $100,000. Funds will be awarded no earlier than March 2025, and project transactions completed by December 2026.

**If the application file does not open, the alternate option is to download the file to your desktop/laptop first (Click Save button or Ctrl+S), then open the Adobe Acrobat Reader app from your desktop/laptop, and finally select the downloaded file. It then opens and the application is fillable.

Evidence of Critical Resource Infrastructure Template Letter

Other Supporting Documents Required for Application:

  • Letters of Support
  • Equipment Quotes, Contracts, Pricing

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

A completed e-copy of the relevant application (Infrastructure or Simplified Equipment-Only) and supporting documents must be emailed to rfsi@cfvi.net and received by CFVI , no later than 5 p.m. AST on December 20, 2024. Applications received after the 5 p.m. deadline shall not be processed by staff or reviewed by the Evaluation Committee (EC). All applicants must be a legal entity with a Unique Entity ID (see Other Resources – Quick Start Guide for Getting a Unique Entity ID) and have the legal capacity to accept federal funds.

APPLICATION RESOURCES

OTHER RESOURCES

SOURCE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, please visit the USDA-RFSI website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please contact rfsi@cfvi.net.

This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, and American Sign Language) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.