Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program

To make the most efficient use of applicants’ time and resources, the first phase of the application was simplified. In this phase, applicants  answered eligibility questions and described their proposed projects. A panel reviewed the applications to determine if projects  were eligible and the degree to which they aligned with program goals. Projects that met the initial criteria  were provided feedback and invited to submit a full USDA application.

Phase II applications are in a USDA-provided dynamic PDF form. All applications must be submitted using this form. Adobe Reader is required to complete the form. Please see “Applications”’ above for detailed instructions on installing Adobe Reader.

You must also have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov before submitting your application. If you do not already have an UEI, you can register for one on the homepage of the SAM.gov website.

Once your application is complete, you can email it as an attachment to us here at the CDA. Address your email to both brian.coppom@state.co.us AND jodi.walder@state.co.us. 

Include the language “RFSI PHASE II GRANT APPLICATION - <Company Name>” in your subject line.

Yes, the RFSI grant is a competitive grant opportunity. Early indications suggest the program will be oversubscribed by at least 12x and we expect awards to be highly competitive

A grain milling facility that allows farmers to mill their grain to specification and package it under their brand for distribution. A facility that aggregates and processes seconds to be sold to institutional buyers. Collectively owned cold and dry storage that can be rented by the square foot.

The program seeks to strengthen Colorado’s food system by increasing the number of middle-of-the-supply-chain opportunities for Colorado farmers and processors. Middle of the supply chain includes aggregation, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, distribution and processing. Stated program outcomes include:

Increasing capacity in the middle of the supply chain for local/regional food products. Indicators of this outcome include:

• Number of new facilities constructed:
• Number of existing facilities improved or expanded:
• Number of processing equipment units purchased and installed:
• Number of processing equipment units modernized through
  upgrades, repairs, or retooling:
• Number of aggregation, storage, distribution equipment units purchased and installed:
• Number of aggregation, storage, distribution equipment units modernized through upgrades, repairs, or retooling:
• Number of employees trained on new equipment and processes:
• Number of employees that received food safety training:
• Number of employees that received worker safety training:
• Number of new or improved wastewater management systems:
• Number of new or improved information technology systems:

Increasing economic viability of local/regional producers and processors. Indicators of this outcome include:

• Number of new jobs created:
• Number of local/regional agricultural producers who benefited from the new or improved processing/aggregation/storage or distribution capacity:
• Number of new local/regional products processed, aggregated, stored or distributed:
• Number of new value-added products developed:
• Number of new market-outlets established:

Yes, Phase II requires a detailed budget broken down by expense categories provided in the application.

Yes. Per USDA AMS requirements states will prioritize Infrastructure Grant applications that benefit the following:

• Underserved farmers and ranchers;
• New and beginning farmers or ranchers;
• Veteran producers;
• Processors and other middle-of-the-supply businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals, as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

States will also focus funding to projects that:

• Offer family-supporting job quality and treatment/safety of workers;
• Focus on small and medium-sized enterprises that add options and choices for consumers and producers (emphasis on value-added);
• Demonstrate local support for the project;
• Support underserved communities; 
• and Are submitted by cooperatives, farmer- and worker-owned enterprises.

Equipment only grants may be offered, depending on available funds. If funds are remaining after infrastructure grants awards, those funds will be made available for equipment only grants. Given the level of interest in the infrastructure grants, however, we expect that it is unlikely that funds will be left unawarded.

In-kind contributions are defined, when used as a cost share or match for a grant, as the value of goods or services provided for the benefit of the grant program, where no funds transferred hands.

You can qualify for a reduced match if you meet any of the criteria below. Per USDA language, the 25% match is: "For historically underserved farmers and ranchers, or for other businesses that qualify under SBA categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, or veteran-owned small business, the required match funding contribution or cost share is reduced to 25% of the project cost. States must require that applicants self-certify in their Infrastructure Grant applications to being eligible for this reduced match."

• Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher. The term “Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher” means a participant: 
  • With direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than the current indexed value in each of the previous two years, and
  • Who has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years.
  • A Self-Determination Tool is available to the public and may be completed on-line or printed and completed hardcopy at: https://lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/.
• Beginning Farmer or Rancher. The term “Beginning Farmer or Rancher” means a participant who:
  • Has not operated a farm or ranch, or who has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years, and who
  • Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch.
  • In the case of a contract with an individual, individually or with the immediate family, material and substantial participation requires that the individual provide substantial day-to-day labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located.
  • In the case of a contract made with a legal entity, all members must meet these requirements.
• Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher. The term “Socially Disadvantaged” means an individual or entity who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. A socially disadvantaged group is a group whose members have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Socially disadvantaged groups consist of the following:
  • American Indians or Alaskan Natives
  • Asians
  • Blacks or African Americans
  • Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders
  • Hispanics
  • For an entity, at least 50 percent ownership in the farm business must be held by socially disadvantaged individuals
  • Note: Gender alone is not a covered group for the purposes of NRCS conservation program authorities. The term entities reflect a broad interpretation to include partnerships, couples, legal entities, etc. 
• Veteran Farmer or Rancher. The term "Veteran Farmer or Rancher" means a producer who served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including the reserve component thereof; was released from service under conditions other than dishonorable; and: 
  • Has not operated a farm or ranch, or has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years; or
  • Who first obtained status as a veteran during the most recent 10-year period.
  • A legal entity or joint operation can be a Veteran Farmer or Rancher only if all individual members independently qualify.
• Small Disadvantaged, Small Disadvantaged Business is defined by the following criteria set by the Code of Federal Regulations:
  • The firm must be 51% or more owned and controlled by one or more disadvantaged persons.
  • The disadvantaged person or persons must be socially disadvantaged and economically disadvantaged.
  • There is a rebuttable presumption that the following individuals are socially disadvantaged: Black Americans; Hispanic Americans; Native Americans (Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, or enrolled members of a Federally or State recognized Indian Tribe); Asian Pacific Americans (persons with origins from Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, China (including Hong Kong), Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia (Kampuchea), Vietnam, Korea, The Philippines, U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Republic of Palau), Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Samoa, Macao, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, or Nauru); Subcontinent Asian Americans (persons with origins from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands or Nepal); and members of other groups designated from time to time by SBA according to procedures set forth at paragraph (d) of this section. Being born in a country does not, by itself, suffice to make the birth country an individual's country of origin for purposes of being included within a designated group.
  • The firm must be small, according to SBA’s size standards
• Women Owned Small Business
  • Be a small business according to SBA size standards
  • Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens
  • Have women manage day-to-day operations who also make long-term decisions
• Veteran Owned Small Business
  • Be considered a small business, as defined by the size standard corresponding to any NAICS code listed in the business’s SAM profile.
  • Have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans.
  • For certification as a SDVOSB, have no less than 51% of the business owned and controlled by one or more veterans rated as service-disabled by the VA.
  • For those veterans who are permanently and totally disabled and unable to manage the daily business operations of their business, their business may still qualify if their spouse or appointed, permanent caregiver is assisting in that management.

Reasonable grant-related cost undertaken in good faith by an applicant planning for RFSI and trying to create the best project possible that can be realistically completed in the time available.

Pre-award costs are costs incurred prior to the effective date of the Federal award directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the Federal award where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. If charged to the award, these costs must be charged to the initial budget period of the award, unless otherwise specified by AMS. A recipient may incur pre-award costs 90 calendar days before the award.

The applicant will need to explain why the pre-award purchase was necessary within the justification and the state needs to ensure it aligns with RFSI and the scope of work is middle of the supply chain.  If the application is selected by the state and approved by AMS, the state can use RFSI funds to reimburse the applicant for these pre-award costs.

Yes, space cost is an allowable expense under RFSI, so the cost to rent/lease the building that is directly related to the scope of work for the proposed project can be used as match.