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Transportation and Marketing

Grant Opportunities

Regional Food System Partnerships Program

The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) Program is implemented under the Local Agriculture 

Market Program (LAMP), a program authorized by subtitle A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 

U.S.C. § 1627c), as amended. RFSP supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan 

and develop local or regional food systems. The program focuses on strengthening the viability and 

resilience of regional food economies. 

RFSP funds two project types: 1) Planning and Design and 2) Implementation and Expansion. Planning and 

design projects support partnerships in the early stages of convening, envisioning, and planning. 

Implementation and expansion projects support partnerships building on prior or ongoing efforts within 

local and regional food systems. 

Approximately $5 million will be available to fund RFSP projects in FY 2024.

Important Dates:

Application Opens: Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Program Webinar: Wednesday, March 27, 2024, from 1 – 3 p.m. Eastern Time

https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/webinars

Application Closes: Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Who Is Eligible?

Partnerships are eligible to apply to RFSP. A partnership is an agreement between one or more eligible 

entities and one or more eligible partners. Eligible entities include producers, farmer or rancher 

cooperatives, producer networks or associations, majority-controlled producer-based business venture, 
Agricultural Marketing Service

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

February 2024 / www.ams.usda.gov

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations, food councils, local governments, 

nonprofit and public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers’ market 

authorities, and tribal governments. Eligible partners include state agencies or regional authorities, 

philanthropic corporations, private corporations, institutions of higher education, and commercial, federal, 

or Farm Credit System Lending Institutions. 

An application may be submitted either by an eligible entity or an eligible partner on behalf of the 

partnership. The partnership must specify in its application which organization(s) in the partnership are 

responsible for receiving and managing the award.

What is the Maximum Grant Amount?

For Planning and Design projects, applicants may request $100,000 to $250,000 for 24 months. 

Implementation and Expansion projects may request $250,000 to $1,000,000 for 36 months. 

Is there a Cost Share or Match required? 

RFSP requires matching funds from non-Federal sources in the form of cash in an amount equal to or 

greater than 25% of the amount of Federal funds being requested.

What Can I Use the Funding For?

RFSP projects may fund Planning and Design and Implementation and Expansion projects. Planning and 

Design activities may include activities like convening partners, creating, and conducting feasibility studies, 

implementation plans, and assessments, conducting market or financing research. Implementation and 

Expansion project activities may involve the development of value chains and community engagement 

processes or identifying and applying for resources. 

More Information

Visit the RFSP web site for the application and more information: 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/rfsp. For questions about RFSP, please see the program’s FAQs.

Contact Us

For questions about RFSP after closely reviewing the RFA and FAQs, please email IPPGrants@usda.gov.