The Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund Infrastructure Grant Program (AFID Infrastructure Program) provides grants of up to $50,000 per grant to political subdivisions for community infrastructure development projects that support local food production and sustainable agriculture.
Donor Name: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
State: Virginia
County: Selected Counties
City: Selected Cities
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/15/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $50,000
Details:
The AFID Infrastructure Program is focused on awarding reimbursable grants primarily for capital projects at new and existing food hubs, farmers’ markets, commercial kitchens and other value-added facilities such as those used for processing and packaging meats, dairy products, produce, or other Virginia-grown products. Small farmers, food producers, local food systems advocates and others interested in building their community’s local food and farming infrastructure are encouraged to learn more about the program and work with their localities to identify and develop suitable projects.
Types of Projects
- Projects receiving funding through the AFID Infrastructure Program must be infrastructure development projects that directly support local food production and sustainable agriculture and demonstrate a broad community benefit. Grant funds should be used primarily for capital expenditures.
- Consideration will be given to the following projects types:
- Processing facilities that are primarily locally owned, including commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, animal slaughtering facilities, or other facilities, and that are mainly utilized for processing meats, dairy products, or produce
- Farmers markets
- Food hubs and other agricultural aggregation facilities
- Additional consideration will be given to projects that benefit multiple small-scale agricultural producers and to projects located in economically distressed communities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications must be made by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, typically Counties and Cities, but also Towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions
- Applications may be made on behalf of more than one locality, provided that each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator
- Applicants are permitted to have multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but will only be eligible for one grant award per grant round. Applicants must be in good standing in regards to any other awards from the AFID program.
For more information, visit VDACS.
