Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) opportunity

All letters must be received no later than 8:00 AM on Thursday, January 27, 2022, to be considered.  

 

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) intends to apply for a funding opportunity through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).  This opportunity will be approximately $6,600,000 and is through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) (authorized and funded under Section 1001(b)(4) of the American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2).  MDE is interested in partnering with 2-3 regional or statewide organizations to assist in achieving the purposes of the grant: 

·        Strengthen the local and regional food system 

·        Support local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through building and expanding economic opportunities 

·        Establish, strengthen, and broaden partnerships with producers and the food distribution community, local food networks, and non-profits by distributing fresh and nutritious foods in rural, remote, or underserved communities 

 

The expectation of this 2-year program is for recipients to spend the majority of awarded funds on food purchases. This opportunity will allow for entities to procure local, domestic foods that are unique to their geographic area and meet the needs of the populations. Organizations can also request direct and indirect costs associated with developing and administering the program. Funds may also be used to cover the activities associated with program development, administration, food storage, and food distribution.  

 

MDE is requesting that organizations interested in partnering on this opportunity submit a 1–2-page Letter of Grant Interest on organization letterhead.  All letters must be received no later than 8:00 AM on Thursday, January 27, 2022, to be considered.  

 

In your letter, please include the following: 

1. Contact person and appropriate details (name, title, full address, email, phone number).  This is the person that will assist MDE with the grant writing process.  Please note, due to internal MDE deadlines, the grant writing process  must be complete by March 10, 2022. 
2. A brief, high-level explanation of project(s) your organization would implement to reach regional or statewide areas, how each project will help to meet the purposes of the grant noted above, and how your project(s) might be sustainable beyond the grant funding.  Letters should include the steps the partner will take to target local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers. MDE is specifically interested in ideas that promote sustainable changes in food systems. 
3. Potential grant amount needed to meet the project(s) proposed by your organization.  The intent of this partnership request is to solicit potential partners that will use a significant portion of the funds available to achieve the project goals.  As a result, it is unlikely that partnerships with a scope less than $1,000,000.00 will be included. 

 

Please note, if your organization is chosen to partner on this grant opportunity, further details and a more detailed budget will be requested during the grant writing process.  Providing high-level details now will assist MDE in the selection of grant partners.  More detailed project and partner listing, budget details, etc. will be done as a grant writing team. Partnering organizations will be required to attend planning sessions.   

 

Partners chosen will be notified by Monday, January 31, 2022. 

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Email Letters of Grant Interest to MDE-FMFD@michigan.gov.  

All letters must be received no later than 8:00 AM on Thursday, January 27, 2022, to be considered.  

 

 

 

 

Wendy K. Crowley

Farm to Program Consultant

Child Nutrition Programs

Michigan Department of Education

crowleyw@michigan.gov