The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), under the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP), is soliciting applications from eligible entities to host the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants pilot project.
Donor Name: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
State: All States
County: All Counties
U.S. Territories: Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/27/2023
Size of the Grant: $350,000
Grant Duration: 12 to 36 months
Details:
The primary goal of the UAIP pilot project is to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production. The two types of UAIP grants being made available for application under this NFO are Planning Projects and Implementation Projects. Planning Projects are projects that will initiate, develop, or support the efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, government officials, schools, members of tribal communities, and other stakeholders in areas where access to fresh foods are limited or unavailable. Implementation Projects are for accelerating existing and emerging models of urban and/or innovative agricultural practices that serve multiple farmers or gardeners. Innovation may include new and emerging, as well as traditional or indigenous, agricultural practices.
Purpose
UAIP grants support projects designed to improve access to local foods in areas where access to fresh, healthy food is limited or unavailable through urban and/or innovative agricultural of 43 practices, including, but not limited to, community gardens, urban farms, rooftop farms, urban agroforest, food forests, orchards, outdoor vertical production, green walls, indoor farms, greenhouses, high-tech vertical technology farms, and hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities.
Funding Information
The federal funding agency expects to award approximately $7,500,000 through this opportunity. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount.
Performance Period
All projects are expected to be completed within 12 to 36 months (1 to 3 years)
UAIP Projects or Activities
Planning Projects support one or more of the following:
- Project phase: Funds are used as an early-stage investment in new, startup projects
- Funding range available: $50,000 (floor) to $250,000 (ceiling)
Activities may include:
- Surveys
- Assessments
- Technology development
- Design and planning
- Developing recommendations and strategies
- Creating business plans
- Feasibility studies
- Municipal planning regarding policies and zoning
- Producing educational material
Implementation Projects
- Project phase: Funds are used to accelerate or expand the work of an existing project
- Funding range available: $75,000 (floor) to $350,000 (ceiling)
Activities may include:
- Job training
- Mentoring
- Business development assistance
- Increasing food production
- Training students for careers in agriculture
- Expanding operations of community gardens or nonprofit farms
Eligible Applicants
Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to the following entity types:
- A nonprofit organization:
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education)
- A unit of local government, including:
- City, township, county, or regional governments
- School districts
- Soil and Water Conservation districts (regional organization)
- A Tribal Government, including
- Native American Tribal Governments (federally recognized)
- Native American Tribal organizations (including organizations that are not federally recognized Tribal Governments)
- Note: State-designated Indian tribes should select “Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)” when completing the SF-424, block 9.
- Any school serving grades Kindergarten through grade 12
Note: Applicants located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) are eligible.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
