Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS TM RFSP G 24 0027
The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) designed to help communities plan, build, and strengthen local or regional food systems through structured partnerships. The core idea is to bring public and private resources together so partners can coordinate around shared priorities, connect people to services and funding, and track measurable progress toward agreed-upon goals. A major emphasis is improving the viability and resilience of local and regional food economies, and the program explicitly includes work tied to pandemic response and recovery as part of that resilience focus.
Under RFSP, applicants are expected to work alongside a defined partnership to catalyze food-system development in a specific geography or region. The partnership has flexibility to determine the appropriate size and scope of the local or regional food system where the project will operate, which means it can be tailored to a city, multi-county area, region, or other logical market shed depending on goals and community needs. The partnership is also expected to coordinate with AMS to receive technical assistance, and to run outreach and education efforts that encourage participation in the partnership agreement and in any eligible activities that flow from it. In practice, this means the project is not just about planning in isolation; it is about organizing a working network, aligning efforts, and creating clear pathways for producers and other eligible participants to engage.
Competitive applications will show that the partnership brings a mix of financial and technical capabilities and can work effectively across sectors. The program is looking for evidence of experience or readiness to collaborate among public agencies, private businesses, nonprofits, and other stakeholders involved in the regional food economy. Proposals also need to present approaches that are innovative, sustainable over time, and measurable, meaning applicants should be prepared to define outcomes, track progress, and demonstrate real movement toward the project goals rather than only producing reports or convenings without follow-through.
A notable feature of RFSP is that award recipients may be able to apply for other programs under the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) on behalf of producers or other eligible entities that want to participate in activities covered by the partnership agreement. This positions RFSP as a kind of organizing and coordination backbone that can help a region line up additional resources and complementary funding opportunities, rather than treating the grant as a standalone effort. Specific eligibility details are referenced in the Request for Applications (RFA), particularly Section 3.0.
Key administrative details from the posting include the opportunity title Regional Food System Partnerships, funding opportunity number USDA AMS TM RFSP G 24 0027, and CFDA number 10.177. It is a grant (funding instrument type: Grant) within the agriculture activity category. The agency is USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. The original application closing date listed is 2024-05-14. The award ceiling is up to $1,000,000 per award, with an estimated 75 awards expected. The eligible applicants category is listed broadly as "Others," which typically indicates that eligibility may include a range of entity types as defined in the RFA rather than only a single narrow applicant class.Apply for USDA AMS TM RFSP G 24 0027
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional Food System Partnerships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.177.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 75 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) Grant FAQs
1) What is the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant?
The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It is designed to help communities plan, build, and strengthen local or regional food systems through structured partnerships that coordinate around shared priorities, connect people to services and funding, and track measurable progress toward agreed-upon goals.
2) What is the main purpose of RFSP?
The main purpose is to improve the viability and resilience of local and regional food economies by organizing a partnership-driven approach to food-system development. The program emphasizes bringing public and private resources together so partners can align efforts and demonstrate measurable progress.
3) Does RFSP support work related to pandemic response or recovery?
Yes. The program explicitly includes work tied to pandemic response and recovery as part of its resilience focus.
4) Who administers the RFSP grant?
The grant is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
5) What type of funding opportunity is RFSP?
RFSP is a grant program (funding instrument type: Grant) in the agriculture activity category.
6) What is the official funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA AMS TM RFSP G 24 0027, and the CFDA number is 10.177.
7) When was the application closing date listed in the posting?
The original application closing date listed is 2024-05-14.
8) How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is up to $1,000,000 per award.
9) How many awards are expected?
The posting estimates that approximately 75 awards are expected.
10) What geography can an RFSP project cover?
The partnership can define the appropriate size and scope of the local or regional food system where the project will operate. This can be tailored to a city, a multi-county area, a region, or another logical market shed depending on the project goals and community needs.
11) What is meant by a "structured partnership" in RFSP?
RFSP is built around applicants working alongside a defined partnership to catalyze food-system development in a specific geography. The partnership structure is intended to coordinate shared priorities, align public and private resources, and create clear pathways for participation in partnership activities.
12) Is RFSP mainly a planning grant, or does it require implementation and follow-through?
Based on the program description, RFSP is not intended to be planning in isolation. Competitive proposals are expected to demonstrate measurable progress toward goals and real movement beyond only producing reports or holding meetings without follow-through.
13) What kinds of partners does RFSP expect to be involved?
Competitive applications will show the partnership can work effectively across sectors and has a mix of financial and technical capabilities. Examples of sectors specifically referenced include public agencies, private businesses, nonprofits, and other stakeholders involved in the regional food economy.
14) What makes an RFSP application competitive?
Competitive applications will typically demonstrate:
- A partnership with cross-sector collaboration capacity (public, private, nonprofit, and other stakeholders)
- A mix of financial and technical capabilities within the partnership
- Innovative approaches
- Sustainability over time
- Measurable outcomes, including the ability to define outcomes, track progress, and demonstrate progress toward goals
15) What are applicants expected to do with AMS during the project?
The partnership is expected to coordinate with AMS to receive technical assistance.
16) Are outreach and education activities part of RFSP?
Yes. RFSP expects outreach and education efforts that encourage participation in the partnership agreement and in eligible activities that flow from it.
17) What does RFSP mean by "connecting people to services and funding"?
RFSP is described as a way to coordinate resources and create clear pathways for producers and other eligible participants to engage, including connections to services and funding aligned with the partnership agreement and project priorities.
18) Is RFSP connected to other USDA programs?
Yes. A notable feature is that award recipients may be able to apply for other programs under the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) on behalf of producers or other eligible entities that want to participate in activities covered by the partnership agreement. This positions RFSP as an organizing and coordination backbone that can help align additional resources.
19) Does RFSP function like a "backbone" or coordination hub?
Yes. The description frames RFSP as an organizing and coordination backbone for a region, helping partners line up resources and complementary funding opportunities rather than treating RFSP as a standalone effort.
20) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicants category is listed as "Others," which generally indicates eligibility may include a range of entity types as defined in the Request for Applications (RFA) rather than a single narrow applicant category.
21) Where are the specific eligibility requirements defined?
Specific eligibility details are referenced in the Request for Applications (RFA), particularly Section 3.0.
22) What outcomes does RFSP expect applicants to track?
Applicants are expected to define outcomes, track progress, and demonstrate measurable progress toward agreed-upon goals. The program emphasizes measurement and follow-through rather than outputs that do not translate into progress.
23) What does RFSP aim to strengthen within local or regional food systems?
RFSP aims to strengthen local and regional food systems by improving the viability and resilience of local and regional food economies and by enabling coordination among partners around shared priorities.
24) Can the partnership tailor the project to local community needs?
Yes. The partnership has flexibility to define the appropriate size and scope of the food system geography and tailor the project to community needs and goals.
25) What is the official opportunity title?
The official opportunity title is Regional Food System Partnerships.
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