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U.S. Virgin Islands, November 5, 2024 — The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) announced that it has entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and CFVI are working together to offer over $1.5 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. CFVI is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through Dec. 5, 2024.
In May 2023, USDA announced the availability of up to $420 million through RFSI to strengthen local and regional food systems. Through this program, AMS has entered into cooperative agreements with state agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture, commercial food processing, seafood, or food system and distribution activities or commerce activities in states or U.S. territories. RFSI is authorized by the American Rescue Plan. Updates for each state’s Request for Applications for the RFSI program are available on the AMS website.
“This partnership between USDA and the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency.”
Using RFSI funding, CFVI will fund projects that improve food safety, provide training opportunities, and modernize processing and manufacturing equipment. The territory’s priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.
“This is absolutely fantastic news," said Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. "Bringing our farmers and food nearer to our community is a key part of our mission in Vision 2040. The ability to facilitate storage and processing will greatly contribute to a more sustainable agricultural future in the territory.”
"We are thrilled about this incredible opportunity for the territory," said CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown. "We are grateful for the governor's continued support and leadership, which is pivotal in helping us maximize the impact of these funds. We look forward to working together to make the most of this initiative for the Virgin Islands."
The program offers two types of grants: Infrastructure Grants, which can range from $100,000 to $500,000, and Equipment-Only Grants, which are smaller, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. The RFSI program emphasizes support for underserved communities, such as new and beginning farmers, limited-resource farmers, and veteran producers.
Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands by emailing a completed application to rfsi@cfvi.net by 5 p.m. AST on Dec. 5, 2024. For more information on grant requirements, eligibility, evaluation criteria, or to download an application, visit https://cfvi.co/RFSI.
Applicants with additional questions are encouraged to email rfsi@cfvi.net.
AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.
For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage.
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