Because RFSI is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the program is exempt from federal prevailing wage requirements (commonly known as Davis-Bacon rules). Most RFSI projects are also exempt from state prevailing wage requirements (the Minnesota Prevailing Wage Act), as long as you don’t use state funds to meet your project’s matching requirement.
If you do plan to use more than $200,000 in state funds (i.e., state financial assistance such as a state grant or loan) to meet all or a part of your project’s matching requirement — and if your project involves construction — the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry will need to evaluate your project to determine if state prevailing wage requirements will apply. These rules require that the wages of laborers and workers should be comparable to wages paid for similar work in the community as a whole.
Because RFSI is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the program is exempt from federal prevailing wage requirements (commonly known as Davis-Bacon rules). Most RFSI projects are also exempt from state prevailing wage requirements (the Minnesota Prevailing Wage Act), as long as you don’t use state funds to meet your project’s matching requirement.
If you do plan to use more than $200,000 in state funds (i.e., state financial assistance such as a state grant or loan) to meet all or a part of your project’s matching requirement — and if your project involves construction — the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry will need to evaluate your project to determine if state prevailing wage requirements will apply. These rules require that the wages of laborers and workers should be comparable to wages paid for similar work in the community as a whole.
Typically, per Section 8.0 of the USDA AMS General Terms and Conditions (below), software purchases are not allowable. However, the RFSI Program Scope and Requirements (below) does allow for the funding of projects aimed at modernizing via information technology systems. Specifically, for RFSI, software purchases that align with the intent of the grant are allowable.
RFSI grants will fund projects that expand capacity and infrastructure in the middle of the supply chain, specifically for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Software or data supporting agricultural production (e.g., production planning) or direct-to-consumer sales (e.g., farmers' markets) does not align with the allowable RFSI middle-of-the-supply-chain activities; however, connecting producers to buyers or new market opportunities would align. If a project focused on data or software will include purposes outside of the middle of the food supply chain or products not eligible for RFSI (e.g., meat or poultry), you may only request funds for the portion of the project that will serve eligible purposes.
Typically, per Section 8.0 of the USDA AMS General Terms and Conditions (below), software purchases are not allowable. However, the RFSI Program Scope and Requirements (below) does allow for the funding of projects aimed at modernizing via information technology systems. Specifically, for RFSI, software purchases that align with the intent of the grant are allowable.
RFSI grants will fund projects that expand capacity and infrastructure in the middle of the supply chain, specifically for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Software or data supporting agricultural production (e.g., production planning) or direct-to-consumer sales (e.g., farmers' markets) does not align with the allowable RFSI middle-of-the-supply-chain activities; however, connecting producers to buyers or new market opportunities would align. If a project focused on data or software will include purposes outside of the middle of the food supply chain or products not eligible for RFSI (e.g., meat or poultry), you may only request funds for the portion of the project that will serve eligible purposes.
Yes. We recorded the February 28 webinar and it’s available to view on YouTube. There’s also a transcript (PDF) of the webinar.
Yes. We recorded the February 28 webinar and it’s available to view on YouTube. There’s also a transcript (PDF) of the webinar.
Yes, it is allowable to apply using a fiscal sponsor, so long as both you and the fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply. The fiscal sponsor, rather than the sponsored organization or project, is the applicant. This means the fiscal sponsor will be responsible for entering into a grant contract agreement with the MDA and must ensure all project activities and costs, including activities and costs of the sponsored organization, comply with applicable state and federal rules and regulations.
As the applicant, the fiscal sponsor — not the sponsored organization or project — will also be the organization that determines your eligibility to claim the 25% reduced match. Proposals that involve a fiscal sponsorship must clearly disclose the arrangement and all parties that are involved within the application. Additionally, any fees charged for fiscal sponsorship are not allowed to be charged as a direct cost to the grant, but fiscal sponsorship fees may be allowable as part of your indirect costs so long as they are charged consistently with the sponsor organization’s established policies.
Yes, it is allowable to apply using a fiscal sponsor, so long as both you and the fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply. The fiscal sponsor, rather than the sponsored organization or project, is the applicant. This means the fiscal sponsor will be responsible for entering into a grant contract agreement with the MDA and must ensure all project activities and costs, including activities and costs of the sponsored organization, comply with applicable state and federal rules and regulations.
As the applicant, the fiscal sponsor — not the sponsored organization or project — will also be the organization that determines your eligibility to claim the 25% reduced match. Proposals that involve a fiscal sponsorship must clearly disclose the arrangement and all parties that are involved within the application. Additionally, any fees charged for fiscal sponsorship are not allowed to be charged as a direct cost to the grant, but fiscal sponsorship fees may be allowable as part of your indirect costs so long as they are charged consistently with the sponsor organization’s established policies.
No, your project must be based in Minnesota to be eligible for Minnesota RFSI grant funds. But other states are also running their own RFSI grant programs. You can check which other states are currently accepting grant applications and if you’d be eligible to apply to their grant program on the USDA’s State Infrastructure Grants website.
No, your project must be based in Minnesota to be eligible for Minnesota RFSI grant funds. But other states are also running their own RFSI grant programs. You can check which other states are currently accepting grant applications and if you’d be eligible to apply to their grant program on the USDA’s State Infrastructure Grants website.