Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program

Reimbursable grants of no more than $250,000 per grant, awarded to Virginia political subdivisions to support the processing, flash freezing, and infrastructure of the invasive blue catfish. Authorized under Va. Code Sec. 3.2-312 and administered through the AFID Fund; awards are competitive based on application strength. Priority is given to projects that create capacity near small-scale blue catfish watermen, primarily locally owned processing facilities, projects incorporating existing seafood processors, and projects in the Rural Coastal Virginia Community Enhancement Authority or Planning District 23.

• Political subdivisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia, typically counties and cities but also towns, industrial and economic development authorities, and planning district commissions.

• Projects must support the processing, flash freezing, or infrastructure of invasive blue catfish.

• Projects must directly support local food production, enhance environmental sustainability, and demonstrate a broad community benefit.

• Applicants may receive only one grant award per grant round.

• Applicants must be in good standing on any other awards from the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund.

Award ceiling: $250,000 per grant. Va. Code §3.2-312 as summarized by VDACS: "Any funds awarded by the Governor shall be awarded as reimbursable grants of no more than $250,000 per grant to political subdivisions to support blue catfish processing, flash freezing, and infrastructure projects." The guidelines restate it as "grants of up to $250,000 per grant." No minimum is published.

Reimbursement, not cash up front. "These grants are awarded competitively and paid out as reimbursements." "Reimbursements may be requested periodically throughout the grant period; up to 75 percent of the grant funds may be allocated prior to the end of the grant period." The final 25% is paid only after the closeout package — final report, deliverables, and a budget close-out form with all receipts, invoices and backup documentation — is verified.

Grant period: "Grant awardees have two years from the award announcement date to complete their deliverables and may request an extension from the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for up to one additional year." An interim report is due one year in. Each grantee signs a Memorandum of Agreement setting the grant period and reporting requirements.

Match: not required. A local match is only a scoring factor — the review criteria include "projects providing a local match, if any."

Use of funds: "Grant funds should be used primarily for capital expenditures."

Note on who can apply: the recipient must be a Virginia political subdivision, so a farm, waterman, or processing business would need to work through its locality rather than apply directly.

Submit a completed application (AFID Infrastructure Program Application format) with the Blue Catfish budget form during the next funding round, by email to Rachel Meyers (rachel.meyers@vdacs.virginia.gov) or by mail to VDACS Office of Agriculture and Forestry Development, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, VA 23219.