Americans’ interest in knowing more about where, how, and by whom their food is produced has been growing for many years and the coronavirus pandemic has shown new light on the serious shortcomings in our highly concentrated food production system. Along with the rise of the local food movement there has also been a building interest in urban agriculture. Urban agriculture gives city residents a chance to purchase healthy foods from farmers not just in their state, but sometimes right in their very own neighborhoods. Urban farms can also be a place of education, an opportunity to connect to the realities of farm production, an economic engine for food companies, and a bridge between rural and urban communities.

In early May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the inaugural round of the Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program. This program makes $3 million in competitive grant funding available for projects that support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production activities. In addition, the USDA also announced the availability of  $900,000 for local governments to host a Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2020.

The deadline to apply for the UAIP grants is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 06, 2020. The deadline to apply for a CCFWR pilot is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 26, 2020.

The UAIP grant program and CCFWR pilot project cooperative agreements are being administered by the newly created USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Forms of Production (Office of Urban Agriculture). Championed by Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the Office of Urban Agriculture and its associated programming was authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the 2018 Farm Bill did not provide any mandatory funding for the program so urban agriculture advocates, including NSAC, have had to turn to the annual appropriations process to secure funding for the program.

Thankfully, due in part to the advocacy of NSAC and our members and partners, the Fiscal Year 2020 spending package included $5 million to begin implementing the new Office of Urban Agriculture and its associated programing.

USDA is hosting webinars for prospective applicants to each program at separate times, more information about those webinars can be found below.

More information about USDA’s programing and initiatives related to urban agriculture including the new Office of Urban Agriculture, the UAIP grant program, and the CCFWRD pilot programs visit: https://www.farmers.gov/manage/urban/opportunities

Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production Competitive Grants

The Office of Urban Agriculture is making $3 million available for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Competitive Grants. There is approximately $1 million available for Planning Projects and $2 million for Implementation Projects.

How is Urban Defined?

“Urban” and “suburban” is currently undefined as part of the program in order to provide flexibility for the inaugural fiscal year round of grants. It is expected that “urban” and other key terms will be further defined in the future when the official stakeholder advisory committee for the Office of Urban Agriculture is formed later this year.  While urban is not defined projects targeted to rural areas are not eligible for grant funding. Rural is defined as open countryside and settlements with fewer than 2,500 residents.

Eligibility Requirements

Nonprofit organizations (including but not limited to 501(c)3s), local or Tribal governments, and schools that serve any of the grades K-12 in any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) are eligible to apply for either a Planning Project grant or Implementation Project grant. Institutions of higher education are not eligible.

To be eligible to receive either a Planning or Implementation grant the applicant must collaborate with one or more partner organization(s) in the project area.

There are no requirements for matching funds or resources to be eligible for funding through the program.

Project Types

The UAIP grant program is offering Planning Projects and Implementation Projects grants, approximately $1 million total for Planning Projects and $2 million total for Implementation Projects.

• Planning Projects are those that support the development of projects that will either initiate, build upon, or expand the efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, government officials, schools, and other stakeholders in urban areas and suburbs. Planning projects may be between 12 and 36 months long with an awards maximum of $200,000 for a single year or $500,000 over three years.
• Implementation Projects are expected to be those that accelerate existing and emerging models of urban, indoor, and other agricultural practices that serve multiple farmers or gardeners. Implementation projects may be between 12 and 36 months long with an awards maximum of $100,000 for a single year or $300,000 over three years.

Application Webinar

A webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 2:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time to provide an overview of the UAIP program purpose, project types, eligibility, and basic requirements for the submission of an application. To register for the UAIP webinar, visit the registration webpage.

DUNS Number and SAM Registration

In order to apply for a UAIP grant the applicant must be properly registered with grants.gov. That means the applicant must first register and obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, which is a nine-digit number required to compete for federal grants or contracts. In addition, the organization must also register in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a SAM number.

Registration for both a DUNS and SAM numbers are both free (note do not pay someone to register you in SAM the technical assistance centers below can help you for free), however they can take up to two weeks to obtain so do not wait until the last minute to do this if you plan to apply. For those who are having trouble navigating the process there are free technical assistance centers across the country. More information can be found here.

The deadline to apply for the UAIP grants is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 06, 2020. More information about the program and how to apply can be found here.

Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Pilot Project

The Office of Urban Agriculture is making $900,000 available for cooperative agreements with local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The cooperative agreements will support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.

Eligibility Requirements

Municipalities, counties, local governments, or city planners are the only eligible entities for these pilots. State government, Tribal government, for-profit entities, non-profit entities, and institutes of higher education are not eligible. In addition, applicants must partner with other entities and priority will be given to an applicant that collaborates with multiple partners (2 or more) on their CCFWR pilot project.

Priority will also be given to projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits; incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners; and integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts.

Applicants must also provide a 25 percent non-federal match of total project costs. Federal funds may constitute no more than 75 percent of the total project budget. Matching may be achieved with contributions of cash, supplies, services, third party in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.

Additional Program Details

USDA intends to fund pilot projects through cooperative agreements in no fewer than 10 states to assist local and municipal governments with related projects. Cooperative agreements support projects led by local governments that:

• generate compost;
• increase access to compost for agricultural producers;
• reduce reliance on, and limit the use of, fertilizer;
• improve soil quality;
• encourage waste management and permaculture business development
• increase rainwater absorption;
• reduce municipal food waste; and
• divert food waste from landfills.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide assistance for conservation related activities.

Applicant Webinar

In order to provide an overview of the cooperative agreements’ purpose, project types, eligibility and basic requirements for submitting an application, a webinar, which will be held on June 4, 2020, from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Click here to register and watch the live or recorded webinar.

DUNS Number and SAM Registration

In order to apply for a CCFWR pilot project cooperative agreement the applicant must be properly registered with grants.gov. That means the applicant must first register and obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, which is a nine-digit number required to compete for federal grants or contracts. In addition, the organization must also register in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a SAM number.

Registration for both a DUNS and SAM numbers are both free (note do not pay someone to register you in SAM the technical assistance centers below can help you for free), however they can take up to two weeks to obtain so do not wait until the last minute to do this if you plan to apply. For those who are having trouble navigating the process there are free technical assistance centers across the country. More information can be found here.

The deadline to apply for a CCFWR pilot is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 26, 2020. More information about the program and how to apply can be found here.