State Food and Nutrition Grants

The DC Department of Transportation, Urban Forestry Division (UFD) seeks applications from local government, non-governmental, and community-based organizations to promote a broad range of urban forestry activities in disadvantaged communities within the District of Columbia. Donor Name: District Department of Transportation (DDOT) State: District of Columbia Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The USFS Urban and Community Forestry Program authorizes funding for a broad range of activities, such as urban wood utilization, urban food forests, extreme heat mitigation, urban forest stewardship, management, and access, and workforce development, that would promote urban forestry within disadvantaged communities. Local government, non-governmental, and community-based organizations are eligible to apply for Fiscal Year 2024 Urban and Community Forestry grant funds. Activities to support nature-based interventions such as forest therapy, urban forest interpretation, and environmental education will be delivered to communities that have been historically overburdened and under-resourced.  Funding Information DDOT-UFD will award up to $750,000 in total grant funds to be disbursed to qualified applicants. DDOT-UFD anticipates making 3-5 awards, with an anticipated award range of $150,000 to $250,000. Award Period  Performance should be complete no later than three years from the execution of the grant agreement. Eligibility Criteria Local government, non-governmental, and community-based organizations are eligible to apply for Fiscal Year 2024 Urban and Community Forestry grant funds. For more information, visit DDOT.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture has entered into a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to administer the Resilient Food System Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program in Vermont. Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets (VAAFM) State: Vermont County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/05/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The program aims to: Promote development of Vermont value-added products; Support initiatives that provide fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities that keep profits in rural communities; Increase and diversify processing capacity across the state, with an emphasis on underserved communities; Improve the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Vermont food products for local and regional markets; Target gaps and opportunities in pandemic assistance and existing USDA grant programs that support the agricultural supply chain. Funding will be focused on projects that: Improve job quality through increased wages, benefits, and/or worker safety and well being; Focus on small and medium-sized enterprises that expand services and product offerings for consumers and producers (with an emphasis on value-added products); Demonstrate local support for the project; Are submitted by cooperatives, farmer, and worker-owned enterprises. Funding Information Approximately $2,000,000 will be available for infrastructure projects. Grants can range from $100,000 – $500,000 and will run from fall 2024 through February 2027.  Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants must be domestically owned, physically located in Vermont, and registered in Vermont with the Vermont Secretary of State. Sole proprietors using a business name other than their own name must have their assumed business name (formerly known as a trade name) registered with the Vermont Secretary of State. Eligible entities can include: Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Nonprofit organizations operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Local government entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural product. These include organizations such schools (K-12; colleges/universities), hospitals, food banks, gleaners, food rescue, workplace cafeterias, correctional facilities, farmers markets, and care centers (senior, preschools). For-profit entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, or distribution of targeted agricultural products, whose activities are primarily focused for the benefit of local and regional producers, and that meet the eligibility requirements of the Small Business Administration (SBA) small business size standards, matched to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. For more information, visit VAAFM.

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program, funded by the USDA, allocates approximately $2 million for infrastructure grants to Vermont businesses and organizations aiming to strengthen local and regional food systems. The grants support projects that improve the aggregation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, and wholesaling of Vermont food products. This track encourages development of Vermont value-added products and promotes fair wages and job creation. A 50% match is required, which can be reduced to 25% for historically underserved farmers. Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and are available from fall 2024 through February 2027.

This track of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program provides approximately $1 million for grants aimed at purchasing equipment necessary for the middle of the food supply chain activities in Vermont. The grants range from $30,000 to $100,000 with no match requirement. Applications for this track are set to open in late August 2024 and close in early October 2024, with grant activities beginning in early 2025.

The Make it Minnesota Marketing Investment Cost-Share Program, funded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's AGRI Program, supports Minnesota-based consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in food, beverage, or pet food sectors. The program reimburses 50% of eligible marketing investments up to a maximum of $3,000 per company per fiscal year. This funding can be used for in-store demonstrations, Minnesota Pavilion events, and B2B tradeshow costs, among other high-impact marketing activities. The program aims to help these companies increase their market presence both domestically and internationally.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to improve access to fresh food within food deserts by providing incentives to establish grocery stores. Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity State: Illinois County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  05/24/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts program is intended to address the challenge of food deserts. Food deserts are census tracts meeting specific criteria related to poverty standards, population density, and limited food accessibility. This program aims to combat food insecurity by offering competitive grants to support the establishment of new grocery stores in these areas by reimbursing successful applicants for eligible capital and non-capital costs.  Performance Goals and Measures  Grantees will be required to submit performance data to the Department on a quarterly basis. Performance reporting may encompass both the implementation of projects supported by the grant and impacts on the community. Performance measures may include but will not necessarily be limited to: New Store Project Milestones Completed Quarterly food sales New Grocery Store Remaining Open 1 year after project completion Number of employees in full time equivalents Funding Information Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this program is $14 million across multiple rounds. Awards will range from $160,000 to $2,400,000. Project Period The period of performance is expected to be July 1st, 2024 through December 31st, 2026. The following expenditures will be eligible for reimbursement under this program: Land acquisition and related expenses Site development Construction of a new facility Renovations of an existing facility Furniture, fixtures, and equipment Working capital for first-year operating expenses, including: Employee wages Utility costs Initial inventory of food Other operating expenses that support the retail sale of food. This will not include expenditures on items unrelated to provision of fresh foods (e.g., video poker machines, inventory of cleaning supplies for sale) Eligibility Criteria An entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, the time of grant application. The portal will verify that the entity: Has a valid FEIN number Has a current SAM.gov registration, SAM.gov registrations must be marked as “public” to allow the GATA Grantee Portal to expedite the review of the federal information; Has a valid UEI number Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, as applicable Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list (verified once entity is registered in GATA Grantee Portal); and Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list For more information, visit DCEO.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is currently accepting applications for the spring round of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Infrastructure Grant program. Donor Name: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) State: Virginia County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/06/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The AFID Infrastructure Program is focused on awarding reimbursable grants primarily for capital projects at new and existing food hubs, farmers’ markets, commercial kitchens and other value-added facilities such as those used for processing and packaging meats, dairy products, produce, or other Virginia-grown products. Small farmers, food producers, local food systems advocates and others interested in building their community’s local food and farming infrastructure are encouraged to learn more about the program and work with their localities to identify and develop suitable projects. Project Types  Projects receiving funding through the AFID Infrastructure Program must be infrastructure development projects that directly support local food production and sustainable agriculture/forestry and demonstrate a broad community benefit. Grant funds should be used primarily for capital expenditures. Priority Project Types Consideration will be given to the following project types: Processing facilities that are primarily locally owned, including commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, animal slaughtering facilities, or other facilities, and that are primarily utilized for the processing of meats, dairy products, produce, or other products. Farmers markets. Food hubs and other agricultural aggregation facilities. Funding Information The maximum award per grant is $50,000. Eligibility Criteria  Applications must be made by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, typically Counties and Cities, but also Towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions. Applications may be made on behalf of more than one locality, provided each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator. Applicants are permitted to have multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but will only be eligible for one grant award per grant round. Applicants must be in good standing with any other awards from the AFID program. For more information, visit VDACS.

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations (‘the Permanent Commission’ or ‘the Department’) is seeking applications to develop and implement a program or initiative that intentionally addresses at least one (1) SDOH and builds stronger community connections. Donor Name: Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations State: Maine County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/03/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The Permanent Commission recognizes that addressing social drivers of health (SDOH)  is critical to improving public health outcomes and that historic disparities in SDOH have led to disproportionate chronic health and disease impacts for racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations, which were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health researchers have put considerable energy into improving SDOH outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities, yet these disparities persist. The goals of this program are to: Deepen the Permanent Commission’s relationships with CBOs and community leaders whose goals and activities align with the Permanent Commission’s statutory mandate; Invest resources directly in the Maine communities most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; Support CBOs in creating new and innovative community-led approaches to addressing the SDOH for their communities; and Increase social capital in historically marginalized communities by supporting community building activities within Maine. Funding Information The total grant funding for this program is $300,000. Applicants may apply for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 in funding to be used over their contract period. The Department anticipates issuing awards for a contract period beginning as early as June 2024 and ending by December 2025. Contracts may not exceed 18 months or extend beyond December 2025. Allowable Uses of funds  Allowable uses of funds may include but are not limited to: Staffing and/or consultant costs associated with the proposed project, including but not limited to: Staff/consultant time related to planning, execution, evaluation, and reporting on the proposed project, Professional development that is directly related to enhancing the project, Community outreach and engagement. External communications (storytelling, marketing/PR, website, social media, radio), Costs to reduce barriers for community member participation in the proposed project, including but not limited to: participation stipends, travel reimbursement, childcare at events, light snacks at events, interpretation services, and other services that address specific barriers preventing community members from participating in events and activities. Material costs associated with the proposed project, such as space rentals, speaker or facilitator costs, and activity costs. Indirect costs not to exceed 10% of the overall proposed project cost. Additional costs proposed by CBOs specifically approved by the Permanent Commission. Eligibility Criteria  Given the program goals described above, applicants must demonstrate the following to be eligible for award consideration: That the applicant organization meets the definition of a Community Based Organization (CBO) used in this RFA. A CBO is defined as “an organization driven by and accountable to the community and/or population that it serves…, has a physical presence in the community it serves and has clear processes to include community perspectives in determining the priority issues it addresses and the solutions pursued.” That the proposed project or initiative is designed to benefit communities located within Maine. For more information, visit PCSRITP.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Cardiovascular Health Unit is requesting proposals to connect community and clinical sectors among Minnesota adults especially those from communities disproportionally impacted by cardiovascular disease including Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hmong/Asian American communities, to improve heart health and reduce impacts of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) State: Minnesota County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/12/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: MDH will prioritize grants to organizations that serve communities disproportionally impacted by heart disease including Black/African American, American Indian, and Hmong/Asian American populations. Project proposals will demonstrate how organizations create or enhance existing community clinical linkages to increase referrals to social needs, culturally relevant supports, and/or lifestyle change programs for adults with hypertension, high cholesterol, or other risk of cardiovascular disease. Projects must create or enhance existing community clinical linkage(s) to increase referrals to one or more of the following categories (1, 2 or/and 3) of support for adults in the focus population with hypertension, high cholesterol, or other risk of heart disease: Category 1: Social services and supports that address at least one area where they live, learn, work and play. Category 2: Culturally responsive education and/or support for chronic condition prevention, screening, follow up, and/or self-management. Category 3: Evidence-based lifestyle change programs that address hypertension or high cholesterol. Funding Information Estimated Amount of Awards $60,000 annually. Estimated Annual Award Range $20,000-$60,000. The estimated grant start date is Oct. 1, 2024, and the projected end date is June 30, 2027. Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to: Clinics or healthcare organizations Community-based organizations Community Health Boards/Local Public Health Nonprofit organizations Faith-based organizations Community Health Boards Tribal governments Social service organizations For more information, visit MDH.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offers Simplified Equipment-Only Grants under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, aimed at strengthening food system infrastructure. These grants provide financial support solely for equipment purchases necessary for food production and processing. Each grant ranges from $10,000 to $100,000 and does not require cost-sharing or matching. Recipients must substantiate equipment costs through documentation such as contracts or quotes. The program emphasizes enhancing the capabilities of small and mid-size producers and benefits diverse groups including underserved and veteran farmers. Projects must be completed between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026.

The Infrastructure Grants, part of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, aim to enhance the middle of the food supply chain through improved aggregation points, food processing infrastructure, and storage facilities. This grant supports projects that upgrade equipment, facilitate transition to licensed spaces, and expand storage capacities to boost local food production. Priority is given to projects that benefit underserved and veteran farmers, and socially disadvantaged individuals. Funding is prioritized for needs such as food hubs, cooperative developments, and increased cold storage, especially in urban areas.

Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant Applications for the new Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant program are now open through May 7! Program Overview: The Iowa Department of Education has received $900,000 to support the enhancement and expansion of summer meal programs in currently underserved and eligible areas. Program Details: Funding Source: $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Purpose: Enhance and expand summer meal programs in underserved areas. Target Audience: Iowa children ages 18 and under. Programs Supported: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO). Grant Opportunity: Provides additional revenue source for summer meal programs beyond federal meal reimbursement. Allowable Expenses: Enhancing meal quality, incorporating locally grown foods, updating program equipment, conducting program outreach, and operational/administrative personnel expenses not fully covered through meal reimbursement. Eligible Sites for Expansion: Possible new meal site locations include: Schools Community buildings Libraries Apartment complexes Parks Swimming pools Splash pads Churches Other public sites where children gather Non-Congregate Distribution: Non-congregate distribution may be an option for State agency approved sponsors in rural areas unserved by a congregate meal service. Application Deadline: May 7 Don't miss this opportunity to expand summer meal programs and ensure Iowa children have access to healthy meals during the summer break! Apply now!

Description: The Illinois Grocery Initiative aims to establish new grocery stores in food deserts to increase access to fresh food in underserved areas. This grant, under the funding opportunity number FY24-2 and CSFA number 420-35-3295, anticipates awarding 8 grants with a total program funding of $14,000,000. Eligible projects must involve capital expenditures, as operational costs are not covered. Grants will range from $160,000 to $2,400,000, and applicants are required to meet cost-sharing requirements. The application window opens on 04/09/2024 and closes on 05/24/2024. Indirect costs are allowed but restricted to capital-only expenditures. There are mandatory and optional technical assistance sessions provided to assist applicants, with registration required through provided links.

General Program Support (GPS) funding provides funding for Florida’s arts and cultural organizations, both public and private. Donor Name: Florida Department of State State: Florida County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/03/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: GPS is designed to fund general program activities (as opposed to a specific project) of an organization. The grant funding should further the State’s cultural objectives by: conducting, creating, producing, presenting, staging or sponsoring cultural exhibits, performances, educational programs, or events; or providing professional services as a State Service Organization or Local Arts Agency. The Division offers four types of General Program Support: Arts in Education program support for organizations that promote excellence in arts education. Discipline-based program support for cultural and artistic programming in the areas of dance, literature, media arts (i.e. film, radio or television), museum, music, presenter, theatre, traditional arts and visual arts. Local Arts Agency program support for designated Local Arts Agencies (LAA). LAAs are public entities whose primary mission is to support arts and culture organization and artists through advocacy, disseminating information and serving as a convener for arts and culture. LAAs must be officially designated in at least one Florida county to apply. State Service Organization program support for State Service Organization (SSO). SSOs are non-profit organizations operating on a permanent basis, providing services in at least 40 Florida counties. Funding Information General Program Support grants have a minimum request amount of $1,000 and a maximum request of $150,000 based on proposal type and funding level. Grant Period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Eligibility Criteria All current and previous grantees must be in good standing with the Division of Arts and Culture and the Department of State at the time of application. Applicant organization must be either a public entity or a Florida non-profit, tax exempt corporation as of the application deadline. All organizations must have at least one year of completed arts and cultural programming and be able to provide their last completed fiscal year’s operating budget. Applicant must have registered with the Division of Corporations, and their status be “active,” as of the application deadline. Applicant must be registered as a vendor with the Department of Financial Services, and be able to provide a copy of their Florida Substitute W-9 form. Applicant must have a UEI Number. Specific Eligibility Requirements To request more than $25,000  have at least one completed grant from the Division of Arts and Culture. A grant is completed (closed) after the cycle is concluded and the final report has been approved. To request more than $50,000 have at least one completed grant from the Division of Arts and Culture. A grant is completed (closed) after the cycle is concluded and the final report has been approved. have at least 3 years of completed programming; and have at least one paid, full-time staff member in a management position. Arts in Education organizations must have an arts education mission. Museum discipline be open to the public for at least 180 days a year; own or utilize works of art, historical artifacts or other tangible objects (live or inanimate); and exhibit these works of art, historical artifacts or other tangible objects to the public on a regular schedule. Professional Theatre discipline compensate artistic staff and actors. Local Arts Agency organizations must have official designation in one or more counties. State Service Organization reach at least 40 counties with services and activities For more information, visit Florida Department of State.

The Community-Based Deer Management Grant Program will assist local communities and non-profits in facilitating efforts to address overabundant deer in New Jersey’s urban landscape. Donor Name: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State: New Jersey County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/03/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding can assist in making signage, data, and deer processing needs to facilitate and/or maintain Community-Based Deer Management programs. Who is Eligible? Applicants eligible to apply for funding under this program include: County and local government units within New Jersey, including municipal park systems; Local nonprofit organizations recognized by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code authorized to operate in the State of New Jersey. Qualifications Required for Consideration Funding is available to support several initiatives as described below: Signage for Community-Based Hunting Programs Open only to County and Local government units within New Jersey, including municipal park systems. Applicants must own or otherwise be authorized to have signage installed at the identified locations. If approved to receive signage, an applicant will not receive any direct funding. Instead, NJDEP will contract to have the signs produced and delivered to the applicant. Deer Population Density Estimate/Survey Open only to County and Local government units within New Jersey, including municipal park systems. Forest Health Survey Open only to County and Local government units within New Jersey, including municipal park systems. Venison Donation Program Open to all entities identified under Who Is Eligible. Deer must be processed at New Jersey Department of Health inspected butchers. Venison must be donated to food banks operating in the State of New Jersey. Grant Limitations As noted above, funding for signage will not be included as a financial award to the recipient. NJDEP will coordinate the production and delivery of any signs. An applicant may apply for funding under any or all of the four (4) identified initiatives. The Department will have final determination of which initiatives and for how much they are funded for each applicant. The Department reserves the right not to award a grant if, in its sole discretion, no acceptable application is received, funding is no longer available or for any other reason. For more information, visit NJDEP.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) is currently accepting applications for grant projects under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI). Donor Name: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture State: Pennsylvania County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The RFSI program will transform the food system to benefit consumers, producers, and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-size producers. To be more resilient, the food system of the future needs to be more diversified, distributed, and local. Funding Priorities The USDA encourages projects that benefit underserved farmers and ranchers, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, veteran producers, and processors and other middle of the supply chain businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals, as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will prioritize funding projects that pertain to the following gaps identified in the middle of the food supply chain in Pennsylvania. Aggregation Points – Aggregation points, include food hubs or farmer cooperatives to help individual producers fulfill bigger orders while saving costs on storage, packaging, and distribution. Food Processing Infrastructure – As Pennsylvanian food processors look to expand their production capacities by adding product types, increasing production volumes, or increasing packaging and labeling capacities for retail product lines, they need to upgrade equipment and often need to move to a licensed space outside of their homes. Food processing infrastructure also includes large-scale commercial equipment. Storage – In Pennsylvania, more storage is needed to hold produce to be washed and distributed. Limited cold storage is available in urban areas. More storage is also needed to segregate and supply identity preserved grains, whole grains, and dry bean for human consumption to processing plants in Pennsylvania. Funding Information 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 (and 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 July 1, 2024, and projects must be completed by June 30, 2026. Eligibility Criteria  The following are eligible to apply for grants under the Program: Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors. Nonprofit organizations operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. For-profit entities operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products, whose activities are primarily focused for the benefit of local and regional producers and that meet the eligibility requirements of the SBA small business size standards. Local government entities operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Tribal governments operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Institutions such as schools, universities or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or investing in equipment that will benefit multiple producers’ middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. For-profit entities must meet the eligibility requirements of the SBA small business size standards matched to industries described in the North American Industry Classification System. Applicant businesses and organizations must be domestically owned and applicants’ facilities must be physically located within this Commonwealth. Applicants doing business along the Commonwealth’s border should only apply in one state to avoid duplication of Federal funds. For more information, visit PDA.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Bureau of  Nutrition and Physical Activity (BNPA) administers funds provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the operation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program (BFPC) for the State of Arizona. The USDA nutrition programs are discretionary, and each provides a specific service to women, infants, and children who are low-income and at nutritional risk. The overall goal of all the USDA Nutrition Programs is to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing eligible participants access to nourishing food and supportive nutrition education. ADHS is working with the counties to provide WIC services, and this opportunity is to provide additional community support as needed.  Financial Notes: N/A

The Ohio Meat Processing Grant Program, initially established by House Bill 110 of the 134th Ohio General Assembly and further funded by House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly, is designed to support Ohio livestock and poultry producers. This program offers grants up to $500,000 to assist in the improvement and expansion of meat harvesting/processing services. These grants aim to enhance processing efficiency and support the expansion or construction of facilities on existing sites. Administered by the Ohio Department of Development, eligible businesses must be for-profit entities operating a Federal or State registered meat harvesting/processing facility in Ohio as of July 1, 2023. Funding can cover a range of costs associated with plant construction/expansion and the purchase of new/upgraded machinery or technology, excluding personnel costs, land purchases, and non-eligible expenses. A total of $14 million in funds is available for Fiscal Year 2024, with grants covering no more than 65% of project costs, requiring matching funds for the remainder. Grant renewed every year.

Under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and funded by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Simplified Equipment-Only Grants are designed to support Pennsylvania's food system transformation. These grants, focusing on equipment purchases for small to mid-size producers and processors, aim to diversify, distribute, and localize food systems to enhance consumer access, producer options, and rural community markets. Grant amounts range from $10,000 to $100,000, requiring no cost sharing. Eligible equipment expenses include purchase costs, delivery, and installation if included in the official bid. Applications are accepted electronically, with project completion required by June 30, 2026.

The Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP) is a reimbursement grant program aimed at supporting produce and aquaculture operations to enhance their food safety practices. The program's primary goal is to minimize microbial contamination and food-borne illnesses risks, thereby expanding market access for the operations. To be eligible, applicants must be produce or aquaculture operations as defined, own or lease the property for the project, be legally recognized within the Commonwealth, and have been managed as a commercial enterprise for at least three years prior to application. Applications are due by May 24, 2024, at 4:00 PM. The grant encompasses a comprehensive review process, including a Request for Response (RFR) outlining grant criteria, timelines, and expectations. Award decisions will be based on these criteria, and successful applicants will enter into a grant agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), with reimbursements made upon project completion and submission of required documentation.