Grants to USA Tribal Governments to Improve Meat Processing Capacity

Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program (IAG)

Agency

Federal

GrantWatch ID#

209208

Funding Source

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

CFDA Number: 10.384

Funding or PIN Number: USDA-TM-IAHMP-G-23-0018

Geographic Focus

All USA

Important Dates

Deadline: 07/19/23 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Grant Description

Grants to USA Indian Tribal governments to enhance and expand capacity to process meat. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take up to four weeks to complete. Eligible uses of funds include renovation, construction, project-specific staff expenses, working capital, and equipment. Funding for this program will address needs for local animal protein processing capacity in tribal communities and tribal food supply chains.

The Indigenous Animals Grant (IAG) supports traditional harvesting methods, and community animal protein processing operations. IAG will support projects that construct or improve facilities, purchase and install equipment, address food insecurity or commercial market gaps, and otherwise support tribal food harvesting and value- added infrastructure for animal protein processing activities including through indigenous informed design principles. The goal is to enhance or expand animal protein processing capacity in Indian Country. Eligible activities will demonstrate the ability to improve harvesting, processing, and packaging to create more resilient, diverse, and secure indigenous food systems.

Indigenous species such as bison, reindeer, game meat, or seafood are eligible. Applicants also can propose activities relating to meat, poultry, or fish regulated by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Additional information is available in Section 1.6 of the RFA at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/iag-rfa.pdf#page=9.

Activities must demonstrate the ability to improve harvesting, processing, and packaging to create more diverse, resilient, and secure indigenous food systems. Applications can include activities such as manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling, community accessibility, or animal protein distribution. Examples of fundable activities include:

Building, expanding, or upgrading fixed or mobile indigenous meat, food-sovereignty harvesting or processing facilities.
Buying and modernizing an inoperable or outdated processing facility.
Enhancing infrastructure to improve humane handling and slaughter.

Section 1.8 of the RFA offers additional examples of eligible activities. See https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/iag-rfa.pdf#page=9.

Recipient

Eligibility

Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants for the Indigenous Animals Grants must be the tribal governments of an Indian tribe as defined by the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act (List Act) of 1994 (Pub. L. No. 103-454), their wholly owned arms and instrumentalities, or joint or multi-tribal government entities.

Ineligible

Processing businesses owned by non-tribal-governmental entities, including individual tribal members, are not eligible for funding under this program.

Land purchases, technical assistance, and planning grants are not eligible for funding.

Grant recipients may not use funds to:
• Purchase or lease land;
• Purchase personal or other vehicles that are not integral to the indigenous meat processing operation;
• Pay for technical assistance;
• Cover project planning or feasibility study expenses;
• Duplicate activities of a project that has received an award from another Federal award program; or
• Claim expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any federal, state, or local government funding.

For Funding Restrictions, see https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/iag-rfa.pdf#page=17.

Pre-Application Information

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM Eastern Time on July 19, 2023

To do business with the Federal Government and to submit your application electronically using Grants.gov, you must—
o Have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
o Be registered in SAM.gov (System for Award Management), the Government's primary registrant database;
o Provide your UEI number and TIN on your application; and
o Maintain an active SAM registration with current information throughout the application review period and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.
• Register and submit applications early. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE APPLICATION DEADLINE.

Technical Assistance: USDA AMS offers no-cost technical assistance to applicants to help prepare grant applications through its Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity - Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA). Applicants are encouraged to contact the MPPTA network of providers for broad-scope technical support from preapplication to post-award grant management, business planning and processing operational resources, and supply chain development expertise, and resources specific to historically underserved USDA stakeholders. Visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/mppta to connect with these services.

There is no cost-share match requirement for applications submitted to this program.

How to Apply: https://www.usda.gov/iag/apply

View this opportunity on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=347621

Additional Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding:

$50,000,000

Number of Grants

Estimated Size of Grant

There is no minimum or maximum funding level for grant applications.

Term of Contract

The maximum period of performance for this grant is 36 months.

Contact Information

For any questions related to the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program (IAG), contact iag@usda.gov.