Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) - Virginia

USDA cooperative-agreement program administered by VDACS that makes competitive subawards to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain - expanding capacity for aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transport, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food (specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry). Infrastructure and equipment-only grant tracks are offered, with matching funds required.

Domestic food and farm businesses and other eligible entities operating in the middle of Virginia's food supply chain. A Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov registration) is required and matching funds apply.

Two grant tracks; an eligible entity may apply for only one and cannot apply for both.

Infrastructure Grants — "Minimum of $100,000 up to $3 million." Match: "Infrastructure grant recipients are required to contribute 50% of the total project cost as a match to federal funding. This may be as cash, in-kind, or a combination of the two." A "Reduced Match of 25% of total proposed project cost" applies to small and underserved business owners, historically underserved farmers or ranchers, and businesses qualifying under the SBA categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, or veteran-owned small business; for nonprofits and formal cooperatives, "the majority (51% or higher) of the board of directors or owners/operators need to meet the criteria." Federal funds cannot be used as match, and each match source needs a signed Letter of Match Verification submitted with the proposal.

Simplified Equipment-Only Grants — "Minimum of $10,000 and maximum of $100,000 for equipment-only, fees, and delivery." It is a fixed-price grant that funds equipment purchases only: "It will not fund associated facility upgrades, staffing, installation, or other costs." Equipment must be valued at "$5,000 or higher, per unit," and "No Match required."

Approximately $6.5 million was available for competitive subaward grants across the round.

Apply during the annual application period, which opens in the spring, using the RFSI Infrastructure or Equipment-Only grant application via VDACS; supporting documents include an evidence-of-critical-infrastructure letter, environmental pre-screening worksheet, grant checklist, and match verification letter. Currently closed.