Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP)

The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) program supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The program focuses on strengthening the viability and resilience of regional food economies through collaboration and coordination. In 2020, USDA awarded 23 partnerships in 15 states. 

Being a partnership program, applicants must consist of multiple entities and organizations. This program is not intended for projects conducted by single organizations with several collaborators, but rather for multi-sector partnerships of organizations coming together on more or less equal footing to execute multi-faceted projects. A partnership is an agreement between one or more eligible entities and one more eligible partner.

Partnerships that include “Limited Resource Entities” are strongly encouraged to apply. AMS defines “Limited Resource Entities” as any organization that provides technical assistance services to and engages historically underserved farmers and ranchers in addressing their needs. See USDA definition of Historically Underserved Groups for further information.

Eligible Partners include:

• State Agencies or Regional Authorities

• Philanthropic Corporations

• Institutions of Higher Education

• Commercial, Federal or Farm Credit System Lending Institutions

• Private Corporations 

Eligible Entities include:

• Individual producers

• Farmer or rancher cooperatives, producer networks or associations

• Majority-controlled producer based business ventures

• Food Councils (a.k.a food policy council)

• Community Supported Agriculture Networks or Associations

• Local Governments

• Nonprofit Corporations

• Public Benefit Corporations

• Economic Development Corporations

• Regional Farmers Market Authorities

• Tribal Governments

As a program designed to use public investment to catalyze the development and expansion of local and regional food economies, RFSP grants require a non-federal cash match equal to 25% of the total amount of federal funding provided. As a result, in-kind contributions do not count towards the match; however, in-kind contributions do contribute to priority consideration during the administrative review portion of the application process.

• Federal Register

• 2021 Request for Applications

• 2021 FAQ