The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Food Assistance (FA) is excited to announce the opening of applications for the third round of Resiliency Grants.
Donor Name: Washington State Department of Agriculture
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $5,000 – $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
To help address critical needs of hunger relief organizations across Washington, WSDA FA is offering the Resiliency Grants Program with approximately $5 million in federal funding to eligible hunger relief organizations, including those not currently participating in FA core programs.
The Resiliency Grants Program is funded by Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery fund as part of the American Rescue Plan Act and in response to COVID-19 and its long-lasting impacts. This program contributes to WSDA’s ongoing Focus on Food Initiative, which aims to ensure access to a safe and nutritious supply of food to support a healthy and thriving Washington population. The Resiliency Grants and Initiatives Committee, a diverse advisory group, helps inform the design of this program.
Funding Objectives
Through this program, WSDA will support the work of eligible hunger relief organizations (meal programs, food banks, food pantries, delivery programs, and more) in response to COVID-19, and fund projects that target the following funding objectives:
- Collaborations – To implement and/or strengthen regional systems; may include new county partnerships, interregional collaboration, and food hubs
- Local purchasing – To strengthen local systems, invest in local businesses and local agriculture
- Service operation efficiencies and expanded capacity – To support staffing, equipment, capital improvement projects, and other vital resources needed to continue and expand services as needed
- Client experience enhancement – To support equity, client choice models, home and expanded delivery options, increased client access, culturally relevant foods, as well as software, translation, and other concepts or innovations that improve the client experience.
Funding Priorities
This funding will prioritize:
- Statewide representation to meet critical organizational and community needs
- Underserved communities including rural or less densely populated regions, tribes, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- Projects that can be accomplished within the agreement period considering current supply chain challenges
- Representation across funding categories
- Impacts of COVID-19 and its long-lasting impacts on organizations and their service communities.
Funding Categories
Funds will be awarded under the following categories:
- Equipment and installation costs up to $4,999.99 – through their valued partnership with Harvest Against Hunger, up to $400,000 worth of eligible equipment and installation projects will be funded
- Contracted hunger relief organizations – at least 30% of awarded projects will be to organizations who participate in WSDA Food Assistance programs
- Regional Distribution Organizations – at least 20% of awarded projects will be to contracted organizations supporting multiple regions
- Hunger relief organizations not currently contracted with WSDA FA – at least 30% of awarded projects will be to organizations who do not currently participate in WSDA Food Assistance programs.
Funding Information
- Awards may range from under $5,000 (up to $4,999.99 for equipment and installation costs only) to over $100,000. For $5,000 and over projects, there is not a maximum project size allowed
- Contract Period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
- Is a Tribe; tribal organization; 501(c) non-profit organization; public agency; or public corporation, commission
- If a nonprofit organization, has been in operation for 12 or more consecutive months and is registered with the Washington State Secretary of State as a corporation
- May have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status and demonstrated capacity to ensure adequate administrative and accounting procedures to safeguard funds awarded under this grant
- Must be located in Washington State and supporting hunger relief in Washington State
- Currently active in System for Award Management (SAM) and has a Unique Entity ID
- The applicant’s status as a legal entity must be in good standing and must not have been revoked in the previous calendar year
- Is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded in any Federal or State department or agency from participating in transactions
- Will direct the benefits of all awarded funds to people who live in Washington State.
For more information, visit WSDA.
