MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is now accepting applications for a second round of grants under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program.
According to a press release from KDA, nearly $6.46 million was awarded to the agency in 2023 through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service for this program, and 49 grants were awarded in 2024 during the initial round.
The purpose of the RFSI program is to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain by awarding competitive grants for projects to expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural products. This program is intended to support food system crops and products meant for human consumption, excluding meat and poultry products, which are funded through other USDA programs.
A second round of Simplified Equipment-Only Grants is now available, and awards will range in value from a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $50,000 and do not require cost sharing or matching.
The Simplified Equipment-Only Grant is a fixed price grant, meaning it will fund only equipment purchases, and the amount awarded will be equal to the cost of the equipment up to $50,000. The Simplified Equipment-Only Grant will operate on an accelerated timeline, and all equipment purchases must be made by December 31, 2025.
Grants will be awarded to Kansas food and farm businesses and other eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, local government entities, Tribal governments, and institutions such as schools and hospitals. Organizations that received a grant in the first round of RFSI awards are not eligible in the second round.
Applications are due to KDA no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 18, 2025. For more information, download and read the Request for Applications from the KDA website.
Applications will be evaluated through a competitive review process in cooperation with the USDA–AMS. Applications will be ranked based on their project’s need, proposed outcomes, and feasibility, as well as the impact they will have on the local food supply chain and their communities.
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