Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program


Grant funding for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program is currently closed. Please check back later for other possible opportunities to apply.


For questions, contact Jason Fearneyhough

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has a cooperative agreement with Wyoming under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and Wyoming are working together to offer over $1.8 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Wyoming is currently not accepting applications for this grant.

 

In May 2023, USDA announced the availability of up to $420 million through RFSI to strengthen local and regional food systems. Through this program, AMS has entered into cooperative agreements with state agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture, commercial food processing, seafood, or food system and distribution activities or commerce activities in states or U.S. territories. RFSI is authorized by the American Rescue Plan. Updates for each state’s Request for Applications for the RFSI program are available on the AMS website.

 

Using RFSI funding, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture will fund projects that increase dry and cold storage, enhance delivery and distribution, provide more processing options for Wyoming grown products, and help producers enter new markets. The state’s priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.


The WDA will allocate approximately $1,8 million divided between the two allowable RFSI grant programs. $1,35 million will go toward large-scale infrastructure grants and $462,880 will go toward the smaller scale equipment only grant program.


The equipment only grant program will consist of a competitive process to award $10,000 to $100,000 equipment only projects with no matching funds required as per program guidelines.


The large-scale Infrastructure grants will range from $100,000 to $750,000 and require a dollar for dollar match. That is to say at least a 50% cost match of the entire project.


To view more about the RFSI program, including criteria for each grant, visit the link below.

RFSI Program Scope and Requirements


For questions on this program, contact Jason Fearneyhough


Please submit completed applications to the Wyoming Department of Agriculture at wda1@wyo.gov


When the grant is open and applications are being received, the WDA will review the application and if it is a project that fits the criteria listed in the scope and requirements, it will be submitted to USDA for final approval.