Grants Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Veteran Farmers and Ranchers – US

Deadline: 25-Jul-2023

The Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), USDA announces the availability of funds for fiscal year (FY) 2023 and solicits applications from community-based and non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and Tribal entities to compete for financial assistance through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program.

The overall goal of the 2501 Program is to encourage and assist underserved farmers and ranchers, military veteran farmers and ranchers, and beginning farmers and ranchers with owning and operating farms and ranches and in participating equitably in the full range of agricultural, forestry, and related programs offered by USDA. It also includes projects that develop underserved youths' interest in agriculture. In partnership with the OPPE, eligible entities may compete for funding on projects that provide education and training in agriculture, agribusiness, forestry, agricultural-related services, and USDA programs, and to conduct outreach initiatives designed to accomplish those goals. This partnership includes working closely with OPPE, attend OPPE-led events in your proposed service territory, and collaborate with USDA Service Centers located in your state (Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development).

Scope of Work

• The 2501 Program provides funding to eligible organizations with at least 3 years of documented experience, preceding the submission of an application, in working with underserved farmers and ranchers or military veteran farmers and ranchers to improve their ability to start and maintain successful forestry and/or agricultural-related operations. Under this statute, the outreach and technical assistance program funds shall be used exclusively:
  • To enhance coordination of the outreach, technical assistance, education, and training efforts authorized under USDA agriculture programs;
  • To assist the Secretary of Agriculture in:
    • reaching current and prospective underserved farmers or ranchers, military veteran farmers or ranchers, or beginning farmers and ranchers in a linguistically appropriate manner; and
    • improving the participation of those farmers and ranchers in USDA programs.
• There are five programmatic mission areas that support the goals of the 2501 Program. Proposals from eligible entities must address at least two of the five following programmatic mission areas as they develop their goals:
  • Assist underserved, military veteran farmers and ranchers, including beginning farmers and ranchers in owning and operating successful farms and ranches;
  • Improve participation among underserved or military veteran farmers and ranchers in USDA programs;
  • Build relationships between current and prospective farmers and ranchers who are underserved or military veterans and USDA’s local, state, regional, and National offices;
  • Assist in reaching current and prospective underserved farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners in a linguistically appropriate manner; and
  • Assist with identifying problems and barriers underserved farmers experience and working towards minimizing or alleviating those issues to enable their equitable participation in USDA programs.

Funding Information

• The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is approximately $45 million. The maximum amount of requested federal funding shall not exceed $750,000.
• Project Period: The project period must be three (3) years.

Outputs and Outcomes

• Outputs
  • Conduct 12 workshops annually, either virtually or in-person, on how to write a business plan;
  • Assist 100 new farmers/ranchers annually on what is required to be able to process and accept SNAP payments;
  • Within the 3-year period of award, create 10 step-by-step videos in 3 languages on implementing new irrigation techniques.
• Outcomes
  • Documenting the actual number of new farmers/ranchers as a result of your project and the type of assistance (i.e., number of new farms or ranches started) documenting higher profitability or economic stability of existing underserved or veteran farmers/ranchers; documenting increased access to marketing and sales opportunities for their products;
  • Documenting race, sex, national origin, disability (if provided) and number of underserved and/or military veteran farmers or ranchers with an increase in awareness in and applying for USDA programs;
  • Documenting race, sex, national origin, disability (if provided) and number of underserved or military veteran farmers/ranchers that have better access to USDA programs and have applications approved for funding.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals may be submitted by any of the following:
  • Any community-based organization, network, or coalition of community-based organizations that:
    • Has demonstrated experience in providing agricultural education or other agriculturally related services to underserved or military veteran farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners;
    • has provided to the Secretary documentary evidence of work with, and on behalf of underserved or military veteran farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners during the three-year period preceding the submission of a proposal for assistance under this program; and;
• An American Indian Tribal community college or an Alaska Native cooperative college.
• A Hispanic-Serving Institution of higher education
• Any other institution of higher education that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally related services to underserved or military veteran farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in a region.
• Eligible tribal entities or a national tribal organization that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally related service to underserved or military veteran farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in a region.
• Other organizations or institutions that received funding under this program before January 1, 1996, but only with respect to projects that the Secretary considers similar to projects previously carried out by the entity under this program.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.