Service Eligibility Partners (SEP) Grant (SEP)

The Service Eligibility Partners (SEP) grant program is aimed to help local growers participate in the "Service Incubator" series build the capacity needed in their business plans and operations to become eligible for USDA-FSA and NRCS services and programs. It supports Maricopa County growers and small-scale operations in building the capacity outlined in their business plans, while also increasing their eligibility for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) services and programs. The program focuses on business development rather than on-farm practices or infrastructure.

The grant is administered by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension's Urban & Small Agriculture Production program (Urban Agriculture Production, Small-Scale, and Beginning Farmer Program) through the Center for Urban Smart Agriculture at Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, under a cooperative agreement with USDA's Farm Service Agency. FSA selected UA Cooperative Extension in July 2023 to support urban agriculture efforts in Phoenix.

SEP is offered alongthe City of Phoenix Office of Environmental Programs' Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture (RSA) Grant, which is a separate opportunity focused on practices and infrastructure.

Eligibility requirements:

• Actively farming/ranching, or starting an operation. Goods are being produced for distribution, not for personal consumption — the primary product must be a farm commodity, and operations that manufacture agricultural support supplies are not eligible.

• Farm/ranch within Maricopa County, Arizona limits

• Have no more than 5 employees

• Operation is under 50 acres in size or under $25,000 in annual revenue

• Have not received prior FSA or NRCS funding in the past 10 years

• Have an initial business plan draft

• All businesses must be registered with the Arizona Department of Revenue prior to applying

• Willingness to participate in the Service Incubator Series in Maricopa County

Priority is given to Historically Underserved Producers by USDA definition.

Desired projects include: professional development in operating an agricultural business; enhancing financial literacy for FSA and NRCS programs; implementing or enhancing record keeping on the operation; incorporation of an operation; translation services; and/or other needs producers identify and justify to increase their eligibility for FSA and NRCS programs and services.

Eligible costs: equipment, supplies, contractual services, consultant (professional services), training and education, administrative costs, miscellaneous costs, and other costs.

• Awards of $5,000 to $10,000

• Total funding available for 2024 was $20,000, to be repeated in 2025, 2026 and 2027 for total funding of $80,000

• 2–4 awards were made in year one of the program; 8–16 awards will be made over the four years of the program

• Funds are advanced to recipients but require budget reporting with documentation of funds spent, with penalties for any misuse of funds

• All work must be completed within 12 months after executing the official Grant Agreement with the University of Arizona Urban Agriculture Production, Small-Scale, and Beginning Farmer Program. Grant recipients must agree to the terms required by the federal government and sign a Grant Agreement.

• Recipients must be willing to participate in the Service Incubator Series in Maricopa County

• Cycle timelines: year-one applications were due July 15, 2024 at 5:00 PM. The 2025 cycle closed April 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM, with winning applicants selected and notified by June 1, 2025, agreement development/signing/approval by July 30, 2025, and a 12-month project running August 1, 2025 to August 1, 2026. Information sessions for the 2025 cycle were held April 9, 2025 (virtual) and April 16, 2025 (in person).

• Funding source: a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA). USDA selected University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in July 2023 to support urban agriculture efforts in Phoenix.

Apply through the program's online application form. For the most recent published cycle the application was an online Qualtrics form at https://tinyurl.com/SEPRSAGRANT (resolves to https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV\_514OWiVktFxRbw2), shared with the City of Phoenix RSA Grant; no applications are accepted by email. The 2024 cycle used a Google Form at https://forms.gle/KmTfSkDiwnAPJaeY6, still linked from the program's eligibility-requirements PDF.

Grant applicants must attach a project proposal. At a minimum, proposals should include a project plan, project summary, project timeline, eligible costs and project budget, and qualifications and experience of the applicant(s) — outlining prior experience of individuals and any prior participation in UArizona Urban Agriculture Production, Small-Scale, and Beginning Farmer events. Proposals cannot exceed three pages excluding attachments. For the 2025 cycle, required attachments were a project narrative, a project budget (narrative plus budget not to exceed five pages total), and the applicant's resume; optional attachments were pictures and plans/blueprints.

Proposals are evaluated on the project plan (which must include one or more of the desired project characteristics, clearly demonstrate how the project works toward eligibility in NRCS and FSA programming, and outline how it will be completed within 12 months), the project budget (clear and presented as requested), and the qualifications and experience of the applicant(s). The 2025 criteria were completeness of application, alignment with allowable budget categories, and relevance and connection to desired project characteristics.

Questions about the SEP Grant: Naomi Pier, University of Arizona, nmpier@arizona.edu, (602) 827-2140.

• SEP eligibility requirements and application (PDF): https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/data/urbn-ag-sep-eligibility-requirements.pdf

• SEP eligibility requirements, revised (PDF, adds the USDA nondiscrimination statement): https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/data/urban-ag-sep-eligibility-requirements-revised.pdf

• Grant Information Session slides: Service Eligibility Partners Grant and Resilient & Sustainable Agriculture Grant (April 2025): https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/oepsite/documents/food/SEP+RSA%20Grant%20Information%20Sessions.pdf

• Administering program: https://extension.arizona.edu/programs/urban-ag-production-small-scale-beginner-farmer-program

• Maricopa County Cooperative Extension: https://extension.arizona.edu/local-offices/maricopa-county

• Background interview on Extension's funding support: https://extension.arizona.edu/news/extension-helps-agricultural-producers-connect-vital-grants-and-loans