Technical Assistance Provider Sub-Awards
The Northeast Regional Food Business Center has now CLOSED applications for technical assistance providers to offer guidance and training to local producers and food and farm businesses, or to create or expand regional or sub-regional networks of technical assistance providers. Future funding rounds will be announced in the coming months.
Funding Tracks
Track A: Direct Business Technical Assistance Sub-Awards
Track B: Technical Assistance Provider Network Development Sub-Awards
Track A will fund technical assistance providers who offer direct, 1:1 guidance, business technical assistance and training to local producers and food and farm businesses, with an emphasis on tailoring support to individual needs and to the unique northeast regional food systems. The minimum award value is $50,000 and the maximum award is $100,000.
Track B will fund awardees who create and coordinate sub-regional or northeast regional networks of technical assistance providers. Awardees are expected to create or expand regional and sub-regional networks of technical assistance providers. Networks may be organized by industry, market, geographic area, etc. The minimum award value is $100,000, and the maximum award is $200,000.
How it Works
We provide sub-awards that support technical assistance providers who serve small- and mid-sized farms and food businesses.
Envisioning a Northeast food system that strengthens communities and economies.
Applications for the first round of funding opened on July 22, 2024, and closed on August 23, 2024. Allowable award activities include:
- Business technical assistance
- Value chain & supply chain coordination
- Production expansion & new product development
- Market development
- Financial resource navigation assistance
- Professional development and training
- Coordination of technical assistance services
CENTER PRIORITIES
Coordinating a Regional Network
Coordinate a regional network of Northeast food system partners and connect with other Regional Food Business Centers nationwide.
Building Capacity
Increase the amount and variety of regionally grown products and food businesses through technical assistance and capacity building.
Strengthening Regional Supply Chains
Increase the capacity of regional supply chains to identify, procure, aggregate, market and distribute products to major Northeast markets.
Supporting Long-Term Sustainability
Build sustainability into Regional Food Business Center activities to ensure continued growth and resiliency.
Integrating DEI Leadership
Meaningfully integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout all Northeast Regional Food Business Center programs and activities.
FAQ
No. An organization cannot be a lead applicant on both Track A and Track B. However, an organization can submit an application for Track A and also serve as a partner and receive funding via Track B. Applicants to Track B should primarily focus project scope toward network development activities.
‘Minor business development’ is direct language from the USDA Terms & Conditions – in practice, it refers to supporting activities like financial literacy, legal and regulatory awareness, succession planning and record keeping.
Yes, technical assistance provider funding may support services to farm and food businesses outside of the “middle-of-the-supply-chain” so long as the funding supports allowable activities. For example, funding may not be used to draft blueprints for a barn; however, funds may be used to refer a farmer to a construction company.
Yes, technical assistance provider funding may be used to connect clients to opportunities for land access. However, technical assistance provider funding may not be used to directly purchase land or facilities.
There is no requirement that the business itself is registered in the Northeast or that staff is physically located in the region. However, there should be ample evidence in your application that your organization has supported Northeast producers or food businesses in the past and that your team has a strong knowledge-base of the unique characteristics of the region.
Per AMS Terms & Conditions: Participant Support Costs are allowable when provided in the approved budget or with prior written approval for such items as stipends or subsistence allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with approved conferences, training projects, surveys, and focus groups.
Yes.
Yes, restaurants are eligible to receive technical assistance. Applications should include proposed project activities and objectives that demonstrate alignment with Center goals.
No, Track A applicants may include a description of the target client group if applicable. Applicants should reference the program outcomes and recipient data profile to ensure the proposed project aligns with program goals.
Yes, technical assistance provider awards may be used to support services for businesses that sell wild caught seafood products.
$2M in funding is available for this funding round, including $1.2M for Track A (up to 24 awards) and $800K for Track B (up to 8 awards). The Center reserves the right to reallocate funding to different tracks and funding rounds depending on the volume and strength of applications.
Eligible technical assistance provider sub-award awardees must:
- Be an established business and expect to maintain a physical presence within the Northeast Regional Food Business Center’s defined geographic area for the duration of the award;
- Have direct experience helping small, middle-of-the-supply-chain food and agricultural businesses to identify and navigate third party financial assistance, particularly from federal, state, tribal, and other sources;
- Have direct experience in food and agriculture business development services and/or training, including but not limited to planning, financial literacy, legal and regulatory awareness, succession planning, record keeping, and creating value-added non-food items and activities to generate additional revenue;
- Provide training and guidance to:
- Producers focused on local and regional intermediate markets (e.g., locally focused distributors, aggregators, and food hubs);
- Small- and mid-sized food processors, distributors, aggregators, and food hubs;
- USDA subaward applicants and recipients, prioritizing small, middle-of-the-supply-chain food and agricultural businesses; and
- Other entities as determined by the Regional Business Food Center and USDA; and
- Demonstrate an understanding of unique regional needs and the capacity to meet the needs of small and mid-sized food businesses in the region.
Priority will be given to technical assistance providers that are led by or serve underserved or underinvested communities.
No, applicant organizations will not receive a higher or lower score based upon the number of counties or states that they serve.
Technical assistance provider award funding may be used for projects or programming as outlined in the application. Staff time that is unallocated to a specific project is an allowable activity, provided this staff time is used to support the goals of the Center.
Yes, technical assistance provider award funding may be used to support sub-contractors. Applicants should include this information in the budget section of the application.
Applicants will begin the process by visiting nerfbc.fluxx.io, and new users will select ‘Create an Account Now.’ Applicants will then be guided through a short eligibility quiz, and if they meet the requirements, will automatically be prompted to complete a registration questionnaire.
Their preliminary information will be sent to Center staff, and it will take up to two business days for applicants to have their registration confirmed and be able to start on their application. As a reminder, technical assistance providers have until 7:59 p.m. ET on August 23, 2024, to submit their applications, and they are able to save their progress and return to the application as needed. Once an applicant has successfully submitted their application, they will receive a confirmation email.
The funding timeline for the first round of funding for technical assistance providers is:
- Applications Open: July 22, 2024
- Informational Webinars: July 30, August 7 & August 15, 2024
- Deadline for Applications: August 23, 2024 at 7:59 PM ET
- Announcement of Sub-Awards: Estimated September 30, 2024
Subsequent rounds for technical assistance providers and business builder awards will be announced in the coming months.
If you have general questions about the Center, the technical assistance sub-award program, or you would like to provide feedback, please contact NortheastRFBC@nasda.org.
If you have questions specific to the Fluxx software and require assistance in completing your application online, please contact NortheastRFBC@nasda.org.
No, the Center does not require cost sharing or matching funds in any of its funding programs.
The review process for all applications will involve assessing the proposed project and assigning weight through a combination of the following priorities:
- The project’s alignment with NERFBC Goals
- The project’s viability and potential for positive impact
- The project’s value and uniqueness within the Northeast region
- The lead organization’s or business’ potential capacity to lead the project
- The reasonableness of the proposed budget; and,
- The project’s ability to create opportunities for historically underinvested individuals and/or their communities.
- Business Technical Assistance, including one-on-one or cohort-based business planning, financial literacy, legal and regulatory awareness, succession planning, and record keeping;
- Business technical assistance must prioritize training and guidance to:
- Producers with a focus on direct marketing or accessing local and regional intermediate markets, such as locally-focused distributers, food hubs, institutions, restaurants, and retailers;
- Small- and mid-size farmers, producers, processors distributors, aggregators, and food hubs
- Other entities as determined by the Center and USDA
- Value Chain & Supply Chain Coordination, including networking and peer-to-peer sharing;
- Market Development, including market research, access, and general marketing support; and
- Financial Resource Navigation Assistance, including aggregating opportunities from third parties (federal, state, tribal, and other sources);
- Professional Development and Training, including workshops and networking events focused on developing skills and abilities of technical assistance professionals
- Coordination of Technical Assistance Services, such as region-wide or sub-regional technical assistance referral systems
Resources
USDA AMS Regional Food Business Centers
Technical Assistance Directory
The Northeast Regional Food Business Center operates through a cooperative agreement with USDA. As part of this agreement, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is substantially involved in the development and progress of project activities. To learn more about the Regional Food Business Center program, in general, please visit: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/rfbcp.
Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement has launched a directory for producers and food business owners to find and connect with technical assistance providers across the Northeast region. If you represent a technical assistance providing organization and have not registered for the directory, please visit the sign-up form.
Obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI)
Webinar Recordings
Sub-awardees are required to obtain a UEI in SAM.gov prior to being issued a subaward. This process can take multiple weeks in some instances, so it is important to start the process now. Visit this SAM.gov guide on how to obtain a UEI number. It is free to register in SAM.gov.
The Regional Food Business Center has hosted a number of outreach and informational sessions in coordination with its technical assistance sub-award program and related Center activities. To view past recordings of these webinar sessions, please visit our past webinars page.
Information Sessions
Monday, July 22 (10:00 a.m. ET): Link to Watch the July 22 Webinar Recording
Tuesday, July 30 (9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. ET): Link to Watch the July 30 Information Session Recording
Wednesday, August 7 (12 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET): Link to Watch the August 7 Information Session Recording
Thursday, August 15 (2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET): Link to Watch the August 15 Information Session Recording