We’re no longer accepting applications for the Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant Program. Details on this page apply to the spring 2024 Request for Proposals for projects by businesses and organizations operating in the middle of the food supply chain.
We expect to announce grant awards in fall 2024. Although the grant program has closed, free technical assistance is still available to producers, businesses, cooperatives, and other organizations that are part of the food supply chain in Minnesota.
The purpose of RFSI funding is to invest in infrastructure for aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food intended for human consumption, including specialty crops, dairy, grains, aquaculture, and other food products (except meat and poultry, which are funded through other programs).
Informational webinar / Seminario web informativo
Watch the recording of the February 28 RFSI informational webinar (YouTube) or read the webinar transcript.
We provide an overview of the RFSI Grant Program, information on the application process, and answers to common questions.
Brindaremos una descripción general del programa de Becas Para Infraestructura de Sistemas Alimentarios Resistentes de Minnesota (RFSI), información sobre el proceso de solicitud y respuestas a preguntas comunes.
Eligibility and funding priorities
Eligible applicants must be operating middle-of-the-food-supply-chain activities for the benefit of local and regional producers. This includes aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of food meant for human consumption (but not meat or poultry). Eligible entities include:
- Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors (including cooperatives or associations)
- For-profit entities
- Nonprofit organizations
- Local and tribal governments
- Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals that are bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit middle-of-the-supply-chain activities for multiple producers
All for-profit entities must qualify as small businesses based on U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Size Standards. Check if your business qualifies, using the SBA's Size Standards Tool.
All applicants must have a federal Unique Entity ID (UEI). Requesting a UEI online is free.
This grant program will prioritize:
- Historically underserved farmers and ranchers
- Small and underserved business owners
- Other businesses that qualify under the SBA categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, and veteran-owned small business
Amount available
We expect to award approximately $9.6 million in this round of grant funding using a competitive review process.
The smallest award will be $100,000 and the largest will be $3 million. The final number of grants will depend on the size of each grant award, but we expect it to be between 25 and 40 grants.
Match requirements
- The default match requirement is 50% of the total project cost.
- The match requirement is reduced to 25% of total project cost for the following groups:
- Historically underserved farmers and ranchers
- Small disadvantaged businesses (51% or more owned and controlled by one or more socially disadvantaged persons)
- Women-owned businesses (51% or more owned and controlled by one or more women)
- Veteran-owned businesses (51% or more owned and controlled by one or more military veterans)
Applying
- Applications were due on April 3, 2024. You can read the 2024 Request for Proposals (PDF) if you're interested in knowing more about program guidelines and eligibility rules.
Contact us if you need this information in an alternative format.
Program background
The Minnesota Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program is funded by a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) and the MDA. The contents of this webpage and other program materials are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA. Through this program, we are working in partnership with USDA AMS to make competitive subaward grants to build resilience across the middle of the food supply chain in Minnesota and provide targeted market development services for local and regional food products.
