The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce a competitive application process for the Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program (HRGP).
Donor Name: California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/06/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $9 million
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
CDFA will fund energy-efficient and climate-friendly refrigeration and freezer equipment in corner stores, small businesses, and food donation programs in low-income or low food access areas throughout the state. New units are to stock California-grown fresh produce, nuts, eggs, meat, dairy, minimally processed, and culturally appropriate foods.
The purpose of the program is to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities, while promoting CA-grown agriculture.
Funding Information
- Available Funding: Up to $9 million is available in grants.
- CDFA will consider one year and multi-year grants, with a target start in fall 2023 and that end by December 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants are:
- Corner stores, which include small-scale or grocery stores, either independent or chain, that sell a limited selection of foods and other products, that are located in a low-income or low-food access area in a rural, urban, or suburban region.
- Corner stores do not need to be located on street corners. Corner stores applying directly will apply only for equipment costs (no TA).
- Small businesses including but not limited to small farm operations with farm stands or stores that sell or donate food to low-income or low-food access clientele.
- Nonprofits that will either:
- Apply for equipment and provide TA to corner stores, small businesses, and/or food donation programs; or
- Apply for equipment in order to sell allowable food items directly to low-income or low-food access clientele, in which case only equipment costs are allowable; or
- Apply for equipment in order to donate food directly to low-income or low food access clientele, in which case only equipment costs are allowable.
- Cities, counties, or Tribal governments that will apply for equipment and provide TA to corner stores, small businesses, and/or food donation programs.
- Partnership applications may be submitted, with one lead grantee for administrative purposes.
- Joint Power Authorities are eligible applicants.
- Sites without electricity are eligible and may apply for solar or other energy solutions to power the equipment.
Eligible Expenses
For all applicants:
- Refrigeration and freezer equipment that meets equipment guidelines. Written justification may be requested if the price of the unit exceeds the average cost of similar units.
- Installation costs for equipment.
- Applicants should get a quote for installation for remote condensing units and include with the application.
- Applicants are recommended to use turnkey solutions that include costs of unloading, placement, and any removal/recycling of refrigerants and materials being upgraded and include this estimate in the application
- Although a turnkey solution that is all inclusive is recommended; unloading and placement fees for units can be included in the budget if needed. During the pilot phase of the program, these fees tended to fall in the $300-$500 range. CDFA recommends obtaining an estimate and including these costs in the application budget in order to have them covered by the grant.
- If old equipment is being replaced by new, grant-funded equipment, include the cost of removing and recycling equipment and reclaiming refrigerants in the application budget.
- Utility incentive programs for recycling old equipment may be utilized in conjunction with this grant.
- Utilities may also offer incentives for installing energy-efficient equipment, which may be utilized in conjunction with this grant. CDFA would like to know about any complementary programs applicants are using.
- Applicants planning to leverage multiple funding sources should be aware that not all state incentive programs allow use of other state grants for the same project. Applicants must verify the rules of each program.
- Any removal of equipment not being directly replaced through the grant is the responsibility of the site.
- Minor electrical work such as installing outlets to accommodate new equipment.
- CDFA recommends determining whether this will be necessary and obtaining an estimate to include in the application budget. Costs of over $500 will require justification. Wholesale electrical and infrastructure updates cannot be covered by this grant and will be the sites’ responsibility. Costs of over $1000 are unlikely to be approved and would be considered to be the responsibility of the site.
- Temperature monitoring systems as part of the selected unit or an add-on.
- To account for external quote increases between the time of application submission and contract execution, CDFA will allow applicants to include an additional 10% of their total quoted costs for refrigeration and freezer equipment, installation, unloading and placement, removal and recycling, and electrical work.
- Documentation of all final costs incurred will need to be submitted.
For more information, visit CDFA.
