Regional Food Business Centers

Objective

This program supports regional food supply chains by creating Regional Food Business Centers (RFBC) to support coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building. The ultimate goals of the RFBCs are to: Expand and strengthen regional food systems networks and partnerships in response to hardships and vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Increase food and farm business and financial acumen, particularly among small and mid-size operators, Create more, new, and better markets, and increase market awareness and access for small and mid-size producers and processors, Increase the number of local producers that distributors, retailers and foodservice buyers source from, either directly or through intermediaries. Increase the number of new food and farm businesses and improve the viability of existing businesses, and Increase the revenue of food and farm businesses served.

Who Can Apply

• Other

Eligible entities include producer networks, food councils, state agencies, regional authorities, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and economic development corporations.

Who Benefits

• Federal
• Interstate
• Intrastate
• State
• Local
• Public nonprofit institution/organization
• Other public institution/organization
• Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments
• U.S. Territories
• Minority group
• Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans)
• Profit organization
• Private nonprofit institution/organization
• Other private institution/organization
• Native American Organizations
• Farmer/Rancher/Agriculture Producer
• Industrialist/ Business person
• Small Business Person
• Consumer
• Black
• American Indian
• Refugee/Alien
• Veteran/Service person/Reservist (including dependents
• Women
• Low Income
• Major Metropolis (over 250,000)
• Suburban
• Rural

Eligible entities are described in the program’s request for applications. Eligible entities must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the geographic area of the United States, including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible entities include producer networks, food councils, state agencies, regional authorities, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and economic development corporations.

Assistance Types

• Cooperative Agreement

Program Contact

Tricia.Kovacs@usda.gov
202-690-1300