Micro-Grants for Food Security Program

Background
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), is requesting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP). The MGFSP will award grants to eligible agencies or departments of agriculture for the competitive distribution of subawards that increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations in areas of the United States that have significant levels of food insecurity and import a significant quantity of food. Approximately $7.6 million will be available to fund applications under this solicitation.

Grant Details
The Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP) assists agricultural agencies or departments in eligible states and territories to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food insecure communities through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations by competitively distributing subawards to eligible entities. AMS encourages applications that benefit smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, historically underserved producers, veteran producers, and/or underserved communities. The USDA promotes climate-resilient landscapes and rural economic systems, including tools to support agriculture, forests, grazing lands, and rural communities.
AMS encourages applicants to consider including goals and activities related to mitigating or adapting to climate change in their project’s design and implementation.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are state or territory departments, division, or agencies of agriculture in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin Islands. Eligible entities must be physically located in an eligible state or territory listed above.

Period of Performance
The grant period of performance for agreements between AMS and the eligible applicant is 4 years. The grant period must begin no later than September 30, 2023 and end no later than September 29, 2027.

Grant Value
$7.6 million will be available to fund applications under this solicitation.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic locations where the grant will be performed include Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin Islands.