Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA AMS) is partnering with state Departments of Agriculture to invest in food supply chain resilience, market access, and value-added processing infrastructure through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI).

The purpose of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) is to build resilience across Maine’s middle of the food supply chain. Funds will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Maine-produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry.

The Maine Department of Agriculture (DACF) will work in partnership with USDA to make competitive sub-award investments in middle of the supply chain infrastructure (Infrastructure Grants) to domestic food and farm businesses and other eligible entities. Projects will begin no earlier than July 1, 2024 and must be completed by May 24, 2027.

Eligible Industry: Specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, and other food products. Meat and poultry are ineligible industries/commodities. 

Eligible Applicants: 

• **Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors, nonprofit organization, local government entities and 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 invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, or distribution of targeted agricultural product

• RFSI Infrastructure Project Grant Awards

  • Project awards will range from $100,000 - $250,000

  • A 50% match of the total proposed project cost is required.

  • Match exception: historically underserved producers and small disadvantaged businesses can request to reduce the required match contribution to 25%.

  • In-kind funds may be allowed as a match if they are not already used as a match for another federal grant agreement. Indirect costs may also count towards the required match contribution.

• RFSI Equipment-Only Grant Awards

  • Equipment-only awards will range from $10,000-$100,000

  • Designed for equipment purchases (not associated with facility upgrades, staffing, or non-equipment costs).

  • The total amount awarded will equal the cost of the special middle-of-the-supply-chain equipment, up to $100,000.

  • No matching fund requirement.

**Maine RFSI Priorities: ** RFSI Infrastructure Project grant applications must align with one or more of the following RFSI funding priorities:

• Projects that will achieve on-farm facility infrastructure improvements (including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and/or construction of new buildings at existing facilities) to resolve middle-of-the-food-supply chain challenges.

  • The on-farm facilities to receive upgrades, repairs, or reconfigurations must be facilities that enhance middle-of-the-food-supply chain activities and not production related activities.

• Projects that support processing and packaging improvements (including value-added processing, hiring term-limited personnel to assist with project implementation, co-packing and packaging investments, and processing, canning, and preserving as an area most in need of investment, drying, hulling, shelling, milling, cooking, baking, juicing, distilling, and fermenting).

• Projects that support storage and distribution improvements (including cold storage, and aggregator warehouse and storage space and delivery and distribution investments).

• Projects that directly benefit underserved or underrepresented food producers.

  • Applicants must indicate if their project will directly benefit underserved farmers and ranchers, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, veteran producers, or processors or other middle-of-the-supply chain businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals including Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Producer Partners.

• Projects that demonstrate stakeholder support.

  • Applicants will be encouraged to describe the stakeholders that support the need for their project and why (other than the applicant and organizations involved in the project). Letters of support are encouraged.

• **Projects that improve middle-of-the-supply-chain challenges within Maine’s targeted agricultural products **(specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, value-added products).

Applications must be submitted to the State of Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, via email, at: rfsi.agr@maine.gov. Application submissions must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., local time, on October 28, 2024.

The downloadable RFA file contains all the components and instructions needed to submit a complete application package. When you click on the Download RFA DOCX button above, the RFA file will automatically be saved to your computer. You will need to open it from the folder where it was saved (often your download or documents folder, depending on your computer settings).

There are two embedded document templates linked within the RFA file (RFA Part II Files Required and/or Recommended, page 13, Application File One Template and Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure Template). These document templates are also linked to this page. Applicants must follow the templates and instructions provided in the RFA file to submit their application. Application completeness and adherence to the formatting outlined in the RFA file are important.

Application File One Template (DOCX) - Please carefully review the RFA file for instructions on how to use the template as part of a complete application package

Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure Template (DOCX) - Please carefully review the RFA file for instructions on how to use the template as part of a complete application package

Distressed Communities Index – Please use this link if you are unable to access the USDA Distressed Communities Index link provided in the RFA Application File One.

Questions? Instructions for asking clarifying RFA questions are included in the RFA document. All RFA questions must be submitted via the Submitted Questions Form (RFA Appendix B). All RFA questions must be received by September 23, 2024.

The RFA # 2024ARDRFSIEQUIP1 Question and Answer Summary (PDF) document provides the Department's responses to each of the RFA clarifying questions submitted.

• Maine RFSI Equipment-only RFA Quick Facts

• RFSI Virtual Office Hours

• Program Contact

Maine RFSI Equipment-only RFA Quick Facts

The State of Maine is seeking applications for the Maine Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) equipment-only grant program. Funding will be awarded in the range of $10,000-$100,000 for special purpose equipment to be purchased by eligible Maine food and beverage entities. Funds will support middle of the supply chain equipment investments for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Maine-produced food and beverage products. Non-equipment expenses, such as personnel, facility updates, and non-equipment costs, are not eligible for this funding opportunity. Applicants are not required to provide a matching contribution.

Grants will be awarded in five food and beverage product categories:

1. Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine-grown and harvested specialty crops.

2. Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine dairy or eggs. 

3. Food and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine grains. 

4. Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine-farmed aquaculture.

5. Maine-produced specialty food and beverage products containing one or more Maine-grown and harvested ingredients. 

The headquarters of eligible applicants must be located in Maine. Applicants must operate, maintain, and report on the special purpose equipment; all grant funded activities must occur in Maine. Food products including meat, poultry, wild-caught and foraged ingredients are excluded.