RFSI

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award Infrastructure Grants and Simplified Equipment-Only grants to expand capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Idaho food products.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Market Service (AMS) has allocated these funds to the states and ISDA will be passing through funds as competitive grants to support infrastructure in the middle-of-the-supply chain for Idaho food and farm businesses to improve the resilience of Idaho’s supply chain.

The spending authority for this program requires legislative approval. In order to meet USDA deadlines, ISDA will be accepting applications in advance.
Grants will only be awarded if approved in ISDA’s FY25 budget.

There are two grants opportunities. 

• Simplified Equipment-Only Projects. These projects offer a simplified application to fund smaller grants between $10,000 and $100,000 for equipment purchases. The Simplified Equipment-Only option is a Fixed Price Grant, meaning it will fund only equipment purchases (and not associated facility upgrades, staffing, or other costs), and the amount awarded will be equal to the cost of the equipment up to $100,000.
• Infrastructure Grant – the minimum award amount is $100,000 and the maximum award amount of $3,000,000.

The application deadline is Friday, March 15, 2024. 

RFSI Fact Sheet

Grant Application Webinar and Q&A Sessions

No need to register. Simply click on the link to join

• Application Webinar
  • January 31, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Mountain Time (recording)
• Question and Answer Sessions
  • February 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Mountain Time (recording)
  • February 21, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Mountain Time (recording)
  • March 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Mountain Time (recording)

Application Materials

• RFSI Application Guidelines

• NEW RFSI Program Updates 3/11/24

• NEW RFSI Program Updates
• Application – Infrastructure Grants (Adobe Reader required)
• Application – Simplified Equipment-Only Grants (Adobe Reader required)
  • If you have trouble viewing the application, please refer to this troubleshooting document
• Match Verification Letter template 
• RFSI Budget-Match Worksheet
• Critical Resources and Infrastructure Letter template
• SBA Small business eligibility requirements – North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes
• Size Standards Tool
• List of NAICS codes
  • NAICS codes are six-digit codes
• Table of size standards
• Distressed Communities Index
• Register with SAM.gov
• NEW Applicant Environmental Questionnaire – Due in May (date TBD) for successful applicants only

Program Guidance Documents

• RFSI Fact Sheet
• RFSI Program Specific Terms and Conditions
• AMS General Terms and Conditions
• Build America, Buy America Act (BABA)
• RFSI and RFBC Program Comparison
• State of Idaho Travel Policy
• USDA Logos for mandatory acknowledgment

Grant Resources

• Grant Writer Resources
• Grant Administrators
• Application Webinar Presentation Slides
• Application Webinar Video
• 2024 RFSI Q&A Session 1
• 2024 RFSI Q&A Session 2
• 2024 RFSI Q&A Session 3

2024 RFSI Grant Timeline

For more information, contact:

RFSI@isda.idaho.gov

or call 208-332-8533