Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002
The Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant opportunity is a discretionary grant program from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) designed to help communities and regions plan, coordinate, and grow stronger local or regional food systems. The core idea is to fund partnerships that deliberately connect public and private resources so that food and farm stakeholders are not working in isolation. Instead of supporting a single organization acting alone, RFSP emphasizes structured collaboration where partners jointly set priorities, align services and investments, and track progress toward shared, measurable goals that improve the viability and resilience of a local or regional food economy.
At the center of RFSP is the expectation that applicants will build or formalize a partnership capable of catalyzing food system development across a defined geography. Partnerships are allowed to determine the size and scope of the food system they will serve, meaning the project can be tailored to what makes sense locally (for example, a multi-county region, a metropolitan foodshed, or another clearly defined regional market area). Within that chosen scope, the partnership is expected to coordinate efforts among members, identify gaps and opportunities, connect participants to relevant resources and services, and develop a practical strategy for moving the regional food system forward. The program also anticipates that partnerships will actively engage in outreach and education to bring in potential participants and expand involvement in the partnership agreement and eligible activities.
Another notable feature is the built-in connection to AMS technical assistance. RFSP partnerships are authorized to coordinate with AMS to receive guidance, which signals that USDA expects grantees to work closely with the agency while implementing the project. This is meant to strengthen execution and help partnerships adopt approaches that are both feasible and accountable. Overall, RFSP places a premium on partnerships that combine a range of financial and technical capabilities, show real experience or clear readiness to collaborate across sectors, and propose approaches that are innovative, sustainable over time, and measurable in terms of outcomes and progress.
RFSP also sits within the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) ecosystem, and the opportunity description highlights an important practical advantage: RFSP grant recipients may apply for other LAMP programs on behalf of producers or other eligible entities who want to participate in activities covered under the partnership agreement. In other words, RFSP can function as a coordinating backbone that not only plans and organizes regional food system work, but also helps channel additional LAMP resources to producers and local partners who are positioned to carry out specific eligible projects.
From an administrative standpoint, this funding opportunity is listed as "Regional Food System Partnerships" (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002) under CFDA 10.177, categorized under Agriculture. The agency is USDA AMS, the instrument type is a grant, and the opportunity category is discretionary. The application closing date is 2025-06-27. Awards can be as large as $1,000,000, with approximately 10 awards expected. Eligibility is summarized broadly as "Others," with applicants directed to the official Request for Applications (RFA), specifically the Eligibility section (Section 2.0), for the precise definitions and requirements.Apply for USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional Food System Partnerships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.177.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-05-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-27. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture
Next opportunity: Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI)
Previous opportunity: Natural Resources Training and Education at Dworshak Project
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Local Food Promotion Program Fiscal Year 2025 Apply for USDA AMS TM LFPP G 25 0004 Funding Number: USDA AMS TM LFPP G 25 0004 Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Food for Progress Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Fiscal Year 2025 Apply for USDA FAS 10606 0700 25 Funding Number: USDA FAS 10606 0700 25 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $35,000,000 |
| Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program (DBI) Fiscal Year 2025 Apply for USDA AMS TM DBI G 25 0008 Funding Number: USDA AMS TM DBI G 25 0008 Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $3,450,000 |
| Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 011120 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SBIR 011120 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $650,000 |
| Open Data Framework Apply for USDA NIFA OTHER 011476 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OTHER 011476 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $958,410 |
| 2026 Quality Samples Program Apply for USDA FAS QSP 2026 Funding Number: USDA FAS QSP 2026 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Special Research Grants Program Potato Breeding Research Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 011275 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 011275 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 011134 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 011134 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| MPPEP Phase 3 Invasive Wild-Caught Catfish Apply for RD RBS 25 03 MPPEP Funding Number: RD RBS 25 03 MPPEP Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Rural Cooperative Development Grants Apply for USDA NIFA OP 011616 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 011616 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Plant Protection Act Section 7721 National Clean Plant Network Program Apply for USDA APHIS 10025 PPQ NCPN 2026 Funding Number: USDA APHIS 10025 PPQ NCPN 2026 Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $3,500,000 |
| Coordinating Agricultural Development & Innovation (CADI) Georgia: U.S. Poultry Meat Marketing Promotion Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 25 0008 Funding Number: USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 25 0008 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $112,500 |
| 2026 America First Trade Promotion Program Apply for USDA FAS AFTPP 2026 Funding Number: USDA FAS AFTPP 2026 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Value-Added Producer Grant Apply for RDBCP VAPG 2026 Funding Number: RDBCP VAPG 2026 Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Veterinary Services Grant Program Apply for USDA NIFA VSGP 011778 Funding Number: USDA NIFA VSGP 011778 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 011596 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 011596 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $650,000 |
| New World Screwworm Grand Challenge Apply for USDA APHIS 10025 OA000000 26 0001 Funding Number: USDA APHIS 10025 OA000000 26 0001 Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Strengthening Agricultural Systems Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 011677 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 011677 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA AMS TM RFSP G 25 0002", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.