Deadline: 27-Mar-23
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), under the OUAIP, is soliciting applications from eligible entities to host the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants pilot project.
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 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
- Planning Projects (PP): The funding floor for PP is $50,000 and the funding ceiling is $250,000.
- Implementation Projects (IP): The funding floor for IP is $75,000 and the funding ceiling is $350,000.
- Estimated Funding: The federal funding agency expects to award approximately $7,500,000 through this opportunity.
- Start Dates and Performance Periods: Applicants should plan their projects based on an estimated project start date of September 30, 2023. 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:
- Assessments of historically underserved community needs within the local food system to identify how food is grown, distributed, or marketed and what existing needs related to food access, nutrition education, conservation, and economic development can be addressed by urban and/or innovative agriculture.
- Planning activities and community partnerships to improve how food is grown, distributed, or marketed in the target area using urban and/or innovative agriculture.
- Business planning, feasibility studies, and other strategies, such as community resource development, that support new and beginning farmers. USDA defines beginning farmers and ranchers as those who have operated a farm or ranch for 10 years or less either as a sole operator or with others who have operated a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
- Policy development to make municipal policies and zoning laws in the target area more supportive of the needs of urban and/or innovative agriculture.
- Creating educational materials and programs that will increase knowledge about food and agriculture and encourage careers in agriculture and innovative production in the target community; example topics include nutrition, crop and biology science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
- Implementation Projects support one or more of the following:
- Increasing food production in small, urban, and indoor spaces which may include emerging or innovative technology such as hydroponics, vertical farming, environmental controls, etc.
- Promoting agricultural businesses through job training and providing resources to help historically underserved communities access land and equipment, mentoring, and other assistance to new and beginning farmers in the local community.
- Implementation of best practices to address food access, zoning, compost, land access, soil health, emerging technologies, infrastructure needs (such as access to water and utilities) at the State, local, municipal, or school level to meet the needs of target community and local agricultural producers.
- Educating the impacted community about food systems, nutrition, agricultural production, and environmental impacts by:
- Operating community gardens or nonprofit farms that offer hands-on training in farming or gardening through virtual or web-based formats
- Providing K-12 schools with educational resources or programs that increase student knowledge of and access to locally grown foods, emphasize the importance of consuming nutritious and locally grown foods, and train students for careers in agriculture or innovative production.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants:
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- County governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
For more information, visit Grants.gov.