PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The Developing a Cooperative Ecosystem activity under the American Rescue Plan Technical Investment Program will deliver technical assistance and other programs to ensure improved understanding of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services by tribal governments, communities and individuals. As part of a team of interrelated USDA cooperators, the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA) will provide an array of technical assistance specialized services, including outreach, technical assistance, cooperative development training and support, financial training, capacity building training and rural development to underserved farmers, ranchers and/or forest landowners. 

This Request for Applications is soliciting proposals for a small grants program under the ARPA-funded project Developing a Cooperative Ecosystem, as outlined below. NCBA CLUSA expects to release this small grant program annually, under the ARPA-funded project, which expires in 2027. 

Organizations should propose activities that work directly with historically underserved producers, assisting with cooperative development training, financial literacy training, business planning and preparation and tax planning. The USDA defines historically underserved producers as groups that have not participated in or that in the past have received limited benefits from USDA programs. 

These are:

• Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: a participant who has not operated a farm or ranch, or who has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years, and who will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch. In the case of a contract with an individual, individually or with the immediate family, material and substantial participation requires that the individual provide substantial day-to-day labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located.
• Limited Resource Farmers or Ranchers: a person with direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than the current indexed value in each of the previous two years, and who has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years.
• Veteran Farmers: a producer who served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including the reserve component thereof; was released from service under conditions other than dishonorable; and has not operated a farm or ranch, or has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years; or who first obtained status as a veteran during the most recent 10-year period.
• Ranchers and Socially Disadvantaged Producers: Individual or entity who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. A socially disadvantaged group is a group whose members have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. For an entity, at least 50 percent ownership in the farm business must be held by socially disadvantaged individuals

The intended outcomes of the small grants program are to: 

1. In-person trainings to assist members in understanding basic accounting and business plan development.
2. Create webinars to assist members in understanding basic accounting and business plan development.
3. Provide cooperative development training and assistance to newly emerging and existing cooperatives, through board governance, marketing, and other business- related activities.
4. Provide training for farmers to develop bank-ready business plans for their farms and ranches prior to submitting applications for capital funding.
5. Provide capacity-building support for new and emerging agricultural cooperatives to strengthen their foundations and operations. 

ELIGIBILITY 

Eligibility for this program is limited to not-for-profit institutions of higher education, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS including foundations and community development financial institutions, Native American Tribal organizations, and Cooperatives. 

Any award made pursuant to this NFO will be made to a single entity. Applicants that apply as “partnerships” or other similar groupings must clearly describe the relationship between the applicant and the “partner” parties. In all but exceptional cases, it must be reflected in the award as an awardee/sub-awardee relationship. Duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. Only one submission is allowed per eligible entity  

NCBA CLUSA will also accept project applications that extend or expand existing projects that are distinct and complementary to existing programs. 

Questions and comments related to this RFA must be in writing only and submitted electronically no later than December 10, 2024, by 5:00 pm EST to ARPA@ncba.coop. No questions will be accepted after the date. Questions and their responses are now available for all to access. 

 VIEW THE Q&A 

AVAILABLE FUNDING AND AWARD TYPE 

NCBA CLUSA plans to award grants (e.g., simplified, in-kind and fixed amount). The type of grant instrument will depend on the proposed activity. The maximum amount that can be awarded to an eligible organization is $20,000. An application under this RFA does not guarantee an award. 

NCBA CLUSA reserves the right to make multiple or no awards associated with this RFA.

APPLICATION DEADLINE 

Applicants must submit their applications by 11:59 pm EST on December 15, 2024.  NCBA CLUSA anticipates making selections by January 2025.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT 

The ultimate beneficiaries of grants funded through this opportunity are underserved farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners who are members of cooperatives or interested in forming cooperatives lack access to the land, capital, and markets needed to support resiliency in their agricultural operations and strengthen their agricultural communities. 

This program is seeking applications for funding that will focus on the provision of training and the proper tools for cooperative development and their ability to access USDA services. When delivering programs meant to develop and strengthen cooperatives, capital access or market access, technical assistance is quite often embedded in the program design and approach. 

For the purposes of this program, technical assistance is defined as targeted services and support collectively designed to improve understanding of and equitable participation in the full range of USDA programs and services among underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners and operators through a range of activities, including but not limited to:  strategies to identify unique needs and gaps in access, knowledge, and services, specialized consultation, training, coaching, capacity building, and mentoring focused on relevant topics that will improve cooperatives and their performance. 

GRANT APPLICATIONS 

NCBA CLUSA will work cooperatively with successful awardees to develop and implement projects during the proposed project period. Interested parties that meet the eligibility requirements need to submit a three (3) page concept paper outlining the project they wish to implement. 

The main body of the concept note must not exceed three (3) pages single-spaced and must use 12- point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins on the electronic equivalent of 8.5 x 11-inch paper, with page numbers in the footer. The concept note can be written in English or Spanish. Any concept notes that do not follow the instructions will be disqualified and not be reviewed. The concept note must be submitted to ARPA@ncba.coop with a copy to Bernardo Penaherrera (bpenaherrera@ncba.coop) by no later than 11:59 pm EST on December 15, 2024. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.