DOVER, Del. (April 28, 2022) — The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced beginning on April 29, 2022, the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy (Council) will be accepting grant applications for projects to enable local entities to address challenges, stabilize, strengthen, and build resilience in our food system. A well-functioning food supply chain moves Delaware grown food products from farmland, and indoor grow sites to market outlets, households, and consumers.

The First State Food System Program provides grant funding to entities that grow, process, store, transport, distribute, or sell food in the State of Delaware. During the pandemic, households across the State were challenged more than ever to afford food. In addition, local food retail businesses struggled to keep doors open and provide for their communities, and Delaware farmers experienced severe disruptions in getting their products to market outlets.

The Council will provide funding to a diverse range of entities operating at various points in the food supply chain, including small to mid-sized producers and supply chain entities.

To be considered for funding as a producer, the farm operation must have an annual value of sales between $20,000 and $300,000, and the farm must actively be producing no more than 300 acres of fruits, vegetables, other specialty crops, or other products for human consumption.

The following are eligible supply chain operations, and this list is not all-inclusive; some examples include:
• Storage: food hubs
• Transportation: fleet coordinators, logistics
• Processing: incubator facilities, commercial kitchens
• Distribution: retail outlets, pantries, food trucks, single or multi-site grocery stores, cooperative grocers, corner stores, mobile markets, restaurants, farmers markets, on-farm stores

The First State Food System Program offers two grant categories, with two funding levels $2,500 to $49,999 and $50,000 to $150,000. Single-use projects will be completed in 12 months or less, and funds will be used to make specific, one-time purchases for equipment or other capital expenses. Multi-use projects will last for more than a year, and funds will be expended to cover various operational, administrative, and capital expenses.

Applicants who seek funding of $50,000 or more must complete registration through SAM.gov and provide a Unique Entity ID (UEI). The UEI is assigned to an entity by SAM.gov. Applicants must meet these requirements before applying for the grant.

The Council is working with the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) to facilitate the First State Food System Program through its grant application portal. This allows applicants to apply to this grant program easily and learn more about additional opportunities available through DCF. While DCF is facilitating the grant application process, this is not a grant program of the DCF.

The online application is available at https://delcf.org/grants. Click on “Apply Now” anywhere on the page to log in or create a new profile. Once logged in, click “Apply” at the top of the page. Select “Delaware’s First State Food System Program” from the list of open opportunities to complete and submit an application, including uploaded documents. For

The funding for this program is provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden and championed by members of Delaware’s congressional delegation – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester.

The Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy strives to facilitate and support a local food system where:
• Farmers can access viable markets;
• Delaware households can access nutritious and wholesome food options within their communities; and
• Where the impacts of supply chain disruptions can be diminished.

Contact Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy for grant program questions at DDA_farmandfoodpolicy@delaware.gov. Complete program information can be found at https://farm-and-food-delaware.hub.arcgis.com/. For technical assistance using the DCF grant portal, applicants can contact Kelly Sheridan at ksheridan@delcf.org.

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