Con Alma: Vaccine Rollout & Community Rebuild (VR-CR)

Con Alma seeks to advance health equity for vulnerable populations (e.g., children and families, BIPOC, rural, low-income, people with disabilities, immigrants, elderly, etc.) which have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19, due largely to structural inequities. These efforts will include engaging New Mexico’s community/nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in a Vaccine Rollout in New Mexico.

This first of two grant opportunities makes available funding to nonprofit organizations whose efforts have a focus on vulnerable children, families, and communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in New Mexico and that have a vision and/or are engaged in:

COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout & Vaccine Promotion including:

* the equitable allocation, distribution, delivery, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine in New Mexico
* collaborative, multi-sector/field efforts
* educational & promotional communications/messaging
* outreach/other community engagement efforts
Priority will be given to applications that:
* Engage in or support the allocation, distribution, and/or delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in New Mexico including identifying and alleviating gaps in vaccine roll-out efforts.
* Address barriers and/or vaccine hesitancy (inclusive of culturally and linguistically appropriate efforts), assist in vaccine promotion through coordinated and aligned social media, radio, print messaging, and engagement of trusted messengers.
* Involve coordination and alignment among and across sectors (government, nonprofit, private/business sector) and/or work within and/or across geographic areas (neighborhoods, sovereign nations, municipalities, counties, regions).
* Engage beneficiaries as leaders in the proposed work.
* Increase capacity of stakeholders to mobilize/leverage resources to address vaccine rollout.
* Prioritize underserved areas of New Mexico (e.g., rural/frontier, tribal, border, underserved metro/ neighborhoods), and vulnerable populations (e.g., children and families, BIPOC, rural, low-income, people with disabilities, immigrants, elderly, etc.).
* Consider the complexity and challenges that are still unfolding related to COVID-19 including racial disparities, vaccine equity, fears of COVID-19 surges as pandemic fatigue, information overload or travel, and challenges of people not fully recovered from COVID-19 that are experiencing relapses with old or new symptoms, and new variants of the virus.
* Provide a clear relation between the request to be funded and COVID-19 and show association between proposed expenses/costs and the desired outcomes.
The grant implementation start date will be retroactive to June 1, 2021.

Note: As part of this project, Con Alma will release a second phase of funding focused on Community Rebuild in November of 2021.

Amount: Applicants may select either $10,000 or $25,000 (whichever amount best fits capacity, meets the projected project needs, and can be expended within the six-month implementation period).

Eligibility: Organizations serving New Mexico with 501(c)(3) public charity status or that have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. This grant opportunity is open to eligible applicants (per guidelines), including current and past grant recipients.

Note: The Foundation will generally not consider projects with activities replacing public sector health-related services. However, services that supplement or expand health-related services of the public sector are accepted.

Deadline: June 15, 2021

Link: https://conalma.org/grantmaking/for-grant-seekers/ ... See more

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Local Food Promotion Program

Deadline: June 21, 2021

The Local Food Promotion Program funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:

* Supporting and promoting local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing
* Supporting the processing, aggregation, distribution, and storage of local and regional food products that are marketed locally or regionally, including value-added agricultural products
* Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products;
* Assisting with business development plans and feasibility studies
* Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food products and value-added agricultural products in new and existing markets
* Facilitating regional food chain coordination and mid-tier value chain development
* Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste
* Responding to changing technology needs in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing
* Covering expenses to cost incurred in obtaining food safety certification related and improvements to food safety practices and equipment

There are two different project types: Planning and Implementation.

Planning projects are used in the planning stages of developing, coordinating, or expanding a food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure. Activities include developing, coordinating, and expanding such businesses. Projects may include, but are not limited to:

* Completing a feasibility study for a new intermediary food channel (i.e., food hub), to analyze market potential, capacity, and potential competitors, and partners in the region.
* Hiring experts for technical assistance to implement a local/regional food transportation system to assist in COVID response and recovery efforts.
* Hiring experts for training on managing a local/regional food storage or processing facility.
* Devising a business development plan associated with the processing/marketing of local/regional agricultural products, including value-added agricultural products.
* Development of strategies and/or above practices to support and partner with other organizations affected by the pandemic. This could allow larger, more experienced entities to support smaller organizations who could also benefit from a federal grant.
* Developing tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets, including those that provide direct financial support to a network of markets to assist in COVID response and recovery efforts.

Implementation projects are used to establish a new food business or to improve or expand an existing food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure. Activities include developing, coordinating, or expanding such businesses. Projects may include, but are not limited to:

* Developing or expanding food incubator programs or mid-tier value chains to assist in COVID response and recovery efforts.
* Instituting group-based Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification for sellers of food into institutional or wholesale marketing channels, including providing financial support for making changes and upgrades to practices and equipment to improve food safety.
* Cultivating new wholesale market channels through an online portal or virtual marketplace potentially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Investigating and implementing more cost-effective means of transportation for food supply chains through backhaul, route optimization, and/or other operational efficiencies.
* Developing strategies and/or above practices to support and partner with other organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This could allow larger, more experienced entities to support smaller organizations who could also benefit from a federal grant.
* Developing tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets, including those that provide direct financial support to a network of markets to assist in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

Amount:
* Planning grants: $25,000-$200,000
* Implementation grants: $100,000-$750,000

A match of 10% or 25% is required depending on the funding source legislation.

Eligibility: Agricultural Businesses or Cooperatives, Producer Networks or Associations, CSA Networks or Associations, Food Councils, Local Governments, Nonprofit Corporations, Public Benefit Corporations, Economic Development Corporations, Regional Farmers Market Authorities, Tribal Governments.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333340
__________ ... See more

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Farmers Market Promotion Program

Deadline: June 21, 2021

The Farmers Market Promotion Program funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:

* Supporting and promoting domestic direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to- retail, direct producer-to-restaurant and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) marketing such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, or online sales
* Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products
* Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food and value-added products
* Facilitating regional food chain coordination and mid-tier value chain development
* Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste
* Responding to changing technology needs in direct producer-to-consumer marketing
* Covering expenses related to costs incurred in obtaining food safety certification and improvements to food safety practices and equipment

Projects that aim to address COVID-19 impacts through these activities are welcome. There are two project types: Capacity Building and Community Development Training/Technical Assistance.

Capacity Building (CB) projects are intended to assist applicants’ efforts to achieve their mission and build long-term organizational capacity in the development, coordination, and expansion of domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, CSA programs, agritourism activities, online sales, or other direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) market opportunities. CB projects should demonstrate a direct benefit to farm and ranch operations serving local markets (including new, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran producers and/or underserved communities) and maximize the involvement of farmers and ranchers and community organizations. Projects can include, but are not limited to:

* Developing tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets, including those that provide direct financial support to a network of markets, or other relevant organizations, to assist in COVID response and recovery efforts.
* Market analysis and strategic planning for a direct producer-to-consumer market opportunity.
* Local farmer, rancher, or market manager startup training and education.
* Farmers market, roadside stand, CSA, agritourism or online sales activity startup, operation and/or expansion.
* Recruitment, outreach and retention of new, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as to consumers in support of direct producer-to-consumer markets.
* Development of strategies and/or above practices to support and partner with other organizations affected by the pandemic. This could allow larger, more experienced entities to support smaller organizations who could also benefit from a federal grant.

Community Development Training/Technical Assistance (CTA) projects are intended to assist applicants’ efforts to provide outreach, training, and technical assistance to farm and ranch operations serving local markets, and to other interested parties for developing, coordinating, and expanding domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, CSA programs, agritourism activities, online sales, or other direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) market opportunities. CTA projects should engage a diverse set of local and regional food stakeholders, including new, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, to illustrate a substantive effect on the local and regional food system. Projects can include, but are not limited to:

* Developing and disseminating tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets, including those that provide direct financial support to a network of organizations to assist in COVID response and recovery efforts.
* Conducting statewide or regional training for farmers, ranchers, or managers (i.e., farmers market managers) to help them develop or maintain their own direct producer-to-consumer enterprise.
* Assisting farmers and ranchers in advertising and promoting their locally and regionally produced agricultural products, including value-added products, through training and technical assistance.
* Establishing or expanding producer-to-consumer networks and organizations on a state, regional, and national level, which includes efforts to develop sourcing channels using direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities with corporate, non-profit, and institutional buyers.
* Providing technical support for small- and mid-sized producers to become compliant with regulatory and buyer specifications and standards to increase their direct market opportunities.
* Development of strategies and/or above practices to support and partner with other organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This could allow larger, more experienced entities to support smaller organizations who could also benefit from a federal grant.

Amount:
* Capacity Building: $50,000-$500,000.
* Community Development Training/TA: $100,000-$750,000.

A match of 10% or 25% is required depending on the funding source legislation.

Eligibility: Agricultural Businesses or Cooperatives, Producer Networks or Associations, CSA Networks or Associations, Food Councils, Local Governments, Nonprofit Corporations, Public Benefit Corporations, Economic Development Corporations, Regional Farmers Market Authorities, Tribal Governments.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333341 ... See more