Michigan Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI)

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) received over $10 million from USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program. The purpose of the RFSI program is to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain, to provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses, to support the development of value-added products for consumers, fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities.

Funds support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry (which are eligible for funding elsewhere).

There were two types of grants and an applicant could only apply for one: Infrastructure Grants (maximum $475,000) and Equipment Only Grants (minimum $10,000, maximum $100,000 for equipment purchases). The Equipment Only option is a Fixed Price Grant funding only equipment purchases, with no match required.

Entities eligible for Infrastructure Grants made by MDARD:

• 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

• Local government entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities

• Tribal governments operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities

• 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

For-profit entities must meet the eligibility requirements of the SBA small business size standards matched to the applicable NAICS industry.

The program supports food system crops and products meant for human consumption. Ineligible products include meat and poultry, wild-caught seafood, exclusively animal feed and forage products, fiber, landscaping products, tobacco, and dietary supplements. End-of-supply-chain businesses that sell directly to the consumer (e.g., restaurants) do not meet the middle-of-the-supply-chain purpose. Composting and processing of resultant organic material are not eligible.

Each applicant must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov before accepting funds.

Infrastructure Grants: maximum award $475,000. Recipients are required to contribute 50% of the total proposed project cost as a match to federal funding. For historically underserved farmers and ranchers, or other businesses qualifying under the SBA categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, or veteran-owned small business, the required match is reduced to 25% of project cost (self-certified in the application). Other federal funds and program income are ineligible sources of match. Signed match verification letters must accompany the proposal.

Equipment Only Grants: $10,000 minimum to $100,000 maximum, Fixed Price, no match required. The equipment threshold is $5,000 or more per item; items under $5,000 are considered supplies and are not allowed. Recently purchased equipment is allowed up to 90 days prior to grant award.

Payments are strictly a reimbursement of expenses incurred; reimbursement requests may be submitted once a quarter through MiAgGrants. Progress reports are due semi-annually plus a final performance report.

USDA has final approval for projects; MDARD's Joint Evaluation Committee makes funding recommendations. Projects cannot begin until USDA's official award announcement and the MDARD/sub-grantee contract is signed. NEPA/NHPA/ESA environmental review applies. Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements apply to public infrastructure projects over the $250,000 procurement threshold (not applicable to for-profit entities). Acquiring real property is not an eligible cost.

MDARD guidance advised planning Equipment Only projects for completion within one year and Infrastructure projects for completion by December 2026 at the latest; the grant term runs through 2027.

Applications had to be submitted on the MiAgGrants site under a MiLogin Citizen Account (an individual using State of Michigan online services for their own personal transaction) or Business Account (an individual acting on behalf of a business, organization, or corporation).

The 2024 grant cycle Request for Proposals opened May 8, 2024 and closed June 17, 2024 at 5 p.m. EST. No late submissions were accepted and incomplete submissions were not considered. Applicants submitted a project narrative on a USDA-provided template; Equipment Only applicants also had to attach documentation substantiating the cost of each piece of equipment (contracts, catalog pricing, or binding quotes from licensed commercial entities). Letters of support and match verification letters were submitted as attachments within MiAgGrants.

As of 2026-09-03 no new Michigan RFSI cycle is posted. Questions: mda-grants@michigan.gov.

RFSI Program Grant Guidelines (RFP): https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/rfsi/2024-RFSI-Program-Guidelines-Final.pdf

MDARD Matching Funds Verification Letter template: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/rfsi/2024---Matching-Funds-Letter.pdf

MDARD Critical Resources Letter: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/rfsi/2024---Critical-Resources-Letter.pdf

USDA Applicant Environmental Questionnaire: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/rfsi/2024---Environmental-Questionnaire.pdf

USDA RFSI Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/rfsi/2024---USDA-FAQs.pdf

Informational Webinar recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqEyllfaa2c

USDA AMS RFSI program: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/rfsi