Request For Application

Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-

Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 10.181

A: What is the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program?

The Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants to food processors, distributors, farmers markets, and producers to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID–19). This program is authorized and funded under section 751 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 116—260). USDA developed the PRS Grant Program in response to extensive stakeholder feedback during listening sessions in March 2021, and written comments provided through March 30, 2021. Information from the listening sessions is available online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/ams-covid-stimulus.

B: How much funding is available and what can it be used for?

Approximately $650 million is available to fund applications through the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program (PRS). Funds will be used to issue grants for costs incurred between January 27, 2020, the date upon which the public health emergency was declared by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, and December 31, 2021. Grants will cover the activities associated with:

Workplace Safety Measures: Workplace safety measures, including, but not limited to, personal protective equipment, sanitizer, hand washing stations, air filters, thermometers, cleaning supplies, or similar items.

Market Pivots: Market pivots such as transition to virtual/online sales costs (online platform development and fees, online marketing, credit card processing fees), supplies, new signage.

Retrofitting Facilities: Retrofitting facilities for worker and consumer safety (plexiglass, walk up windows, heat lamps, fans, tents, propane, weights, tables, chairs).

Transportation: Additional transportation costs incurred to maintain social distancing.

Worker Housing: Additional worker housing costs incurred to maintain social distancing or to allow for quarantining of new or exposed employees.

Medical: Unreimbursed costs associated with providing or enabling vaccinations, testing, or healthcare treatment of infected employees, including any paid leave. 

The minimum funding request amount is $1,500. The maximum funding request amount is $20,000. Funding requests may range from $1,500 to $20,000.

C: Who is eligible to apply for funds?

In this first round of PRS funding, USDA is targeting support to small businesses in certain commodity areas and farmers markets. According to stakeholder feedback, small scale specialty crop producers and processors, meat processors, and distributors, and farmers markets were both significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and received insufficient federal support to address the costs they incurred to keep workers safe and help keep the U.S. food supply intact during the crisis. To target this support, producers, food processors/manufacturers, and wholesalers/distributors denoted in Appendix A, and farmers markets are eligible to apply for funding. Appendix A details the different U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) small business qualifications for each eligible industry. The eligible entity types include:

• Small Businesses

• Nonprofits with 501C3 IRS Status

All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

While USDA is focusing this first round of funding to small businesses, USDA may expand eligibility in future rounds of funding to include mid-sized businesses not covered by the first round. Future rounds are dependent upon availability of funds. USDA is also focusing this first round of funding on certain commodities due to the unique impacts of the pandemic on their businesses, USDA may expand eligibility in future rounds of funding to include commodities not covered by the first round.

No cost sharing or matching funds are required. All PRS awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the PRS General Terms and Conditions.

Helpful Tip: See Appendix A for eligible industry descriptions and SBA small business qualifications.

D: How and when are applications submitted?

PRS applications are submitted online through the PRS Grant Program application website (WEBSITE URL). All applicants must obtain a DUNS number before applying. Information on how to obtain a DUNS number can be found on the application website. Applicants must submit online a complete application package, which consists of the following forms:

• PRS Activity Checklist (Appendix B).

• Application for Federal Assistance: SF-424 (See application website)

Due to the expected high volume of applications and to help ensure they are processed a timely manner, applications will be submitted through a website dedicated to the PRS program (WEBSITE URL).

All applications must be received by USDA no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on MONTH, DAY 2021.

E: What happens after an application is submitted?

Once all applications are received, USDA will conduct the eligibility review process. Each application is reviewed using the following criteria:

• The application was submitted and received by USDA before the application deadline.

• The applicant is an eligible entity that meets the SBA small business standards listed in Appendix A.

• The application includes the required forms noted in Section D.

• The required forms are complete and accurate.

Applications that meet the abovementioned criteria will be deemed eligible for funding consideration. If an application does not meet these requirements, it will be removed from consideration.

Funding will be awarded after the close of the application and review periods. USDA reserves the right to prorate individual award amounts if the cumulative amount of funds requested is greater than the funds available. USDA also may target funding for different sectors depending upon the total need requested in each sector. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the PRS General Terms and Conditions.

F: How are funds administered?

If an application is approved for funding, USDA will send a Notice of Award to the application point of contact, using a secure link sent via email. The Notice of Awards will include instructions for accepting funds.

Note: To complete the award process and receive PRS funds, awardees must successfully register in the System for Award Management (SAM).

G: Is there a contact for answering questions or helping with the application?

Yes, if you have questions about applying or obtaining a DUNS number, visit the PRS application website (WEBSITE URL) or contact the Application Helpdesk by phone at (XXX) XXX-XXXX or by emailing PRS EMAIL ADDRESS. The helpdesk hours of operation are Monday – Friday, HOURS.