Please review each grant’s Request for Proposals (RFP) before applying to understand all program details and what is required of the applicant. Contact Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator, with any questions at azh6192@psu.edu or by calling 716-640-2656. If you know of a grant that wasn’t listed and would benefit the industry, please contact Andrew.

Grant info was compiled in July of 2025 and is subject to change.

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program - Equipment-Only Grant

Funder: New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, USDA

Details: This competitive opportunity is focused on funding equipment for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products).

Applications open: July 7, 2025
Applications Close: July 23, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET
Open Virtual Business Hours: July 14, 2024, 12:00 p.m. ET

Amount: Approximately $1,000,000 will be available to eligible applicants.

These awards will be $30,000 - $100,000. Equipment must be used for post-harvest aggregation, processing, packing, or distribution of eligible agricultural products.

There will be no Match Requirement. Please note that grant funds may go towards pieces of equipment that are more than $100,000; however, the applicant must demonstrate the capacity to pay for the remainder of the equipment cost. For example, if a piece of equipment is $140,000, the applicant can ask for $100,000 in grant funds but must demonstrate that the additional $40,000 is committed or secured at the time the application is submitted.

For: Growers, Wineries

Interested in Applying? Take these Steps:

1. Obtain a federal Unique Entity ID

Sub-awardees are required to obtain a UEI in SAM.gov prior to being issued a subaward.  This process can take multiple weeks in some instances, so it is important to start the process now. For information on how to register with SAM.gov and get a UEI number, visit https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration. It is free to register in SAM.gov.

2. Get your project ready!

RFSI Equipment-Only applicants will need to have purchase-ready project due to the relatively short timeline of the grant. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025. Gather your equipment estimates and make sure you know if you will need any local permits for your project. Some of the documentation that will be required includes:

  • A letter of support

  • A letter of commitment

  • NEPA questionnaire

  • Budget quotes for each requested equipment

  • Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure

  • Evidence of permitting requirements

  • Any site plans/drawings

Review the full pre-application checklist

In the application, potential projects will be required to submit details of the project, including:

  • All contact information

  • An executive summary of the purpose, objectives, deliverables and expectations

  • A statement outlining the specific issue, problem or need that the project addresses

  • A summary budget

  • Performance measurements

  • Names of personnel and consultants to be involved with the project with references and demonstration of expertise and experience

  • Any equipment and supplies to be purchased with estimates and/or project quotes

  • Any construction included in the proposal with necessary permits, pre-approval, and certification as applicable.

To Apply:

  • Review the RFP for RFSI Equipment-Only Grants.

  • Review the pre-application checklist.

  • All applications must be submitted via the SMA system at http://ffgf.smapply.us/. No paper applications will be accepted. 

  • Applicants who have not previously registered in the FFGF SMA Grant Portal will need to register for an account using a verifiable email address.

Business Management Contact:

Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator

Mobile (call or text): (716) 640-2656

Office: (716) 792-2800

Email: AZH6192@psu.edu