Regional Food System Partnerships

Program Purpose

The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) program supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The program focuses on building and strengthening the viability and resilience of local or regional food economies through collaboration and coordination. RFSP supports public-private partnerships that plan and develop relationships between local and regional producers, processors, intermediaries, and institutional markets or institutional food service operations through local and regional producers and local and regional food systems. RFSP is part of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP).

The FY 2024 grant application period is open through May 14, 2024.

Project Types

RFSP offers two types of projects, 24-month Planning and Design and 36-month Implementation and Expansion Projects. Planning and Design projects range from $100,000 to $250,000, while Implementation and Expansion projects range from $250,000 to $1,000,000.

Eligibility

Eligible entities include producers, farmer or rancher cooperatives, producer networks or associations, majority-controlled producer-based business venture, community supported agriculture networks or associations, food councils, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities, and tribal governments.

Eligible partners include state agencies or regional authorities, philanthropic corporations, institutions of higher education, private corporations, and commercial, federal or farm credit system lending institutions.

Cost Sharing or Matching

The program requires cash-only matching fund contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the total Federal portion of the grant.

Funded Projects

For more information, go to the RFSP Awarded Grants webpage

Additional Information