RFI0431-AD_Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmer Round 3_FINAL.pdf

NEW YORK STATE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

for

Program Administrator for the

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Competitive Grant Program

Round 3

RFI0431

RFI Issued: September 11, 2026 Letters of Interest Due: October 8, 2026

RFI0431 – Program Administrator for Socially and Economically Disadvantage Farmer Program

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets seeks information from organizations with experience working with or representing socially and economically disadvantaged farmers. The Department’s objective in issuing this Request for Information (RFI) is to identify qualified entities that would be interested in administering the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Competitive Grant Program (Program) and receive feedback regarding the Program scope of services including challenges to administering the Program.

This RFI is not a solicitation of actual proposals to administer this program. A Request for Proposals (RFP) will be published on a later date. All respondents to this RFI will be notified when the RFP becomes available.

Your response to this RFI may be as short as a request to be included on the bidders list if you believe you can provide the desired services, or you may answer one or all of the questions listed under the “Submitting a Letter of Interest” section.

*Responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite to submitting a proposal in response to any future RFP and will not result in a contract.

Background of the Program

The New York State Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Enacted Budgets collectively allocated a total of $2,000,000 to the Department for grants to socially and economically disadvantaged farmers.

For the purposes of this Program, "socially disadvantaged" shall mean individuals who have been subject to discrimination by virtue of their membership of a particular group which may include, but not be limited to Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian or Pacific Islander; "economically disadvantaged" shall mean socially disadvantaged individuals whose ability to enter into farming or whose farm enterprise has been impaired due to diminished capital, credit opportunities or access to land, among other things, as compared to other similarly situated individuals who are not socially disadvantaged.

Pursuant to the enacting legislation, grants must be awarded on a competitive basis to socially and economically disadvantaged farmers who will materially and substantially participate in operating a farm within the state and may include urban farmers. Grants shall not be less than $5,000 and may not exceed $250,000 for any single awardee and shall be issued with a required match from the recipient of no more than twenty percent of the grant amount.

Grants may be awarded to socially and economically disadvantaged farmers for purposes including, but not limited to:

• the start-up, improvement or expansion of a farm operation;

• worker or apprenticeship training;

• marketing activities;

• the purchase of agricultural land and physical structures;

• the purchase of machinery, equipment or livestock; and

• the construction or improvement of physical structures, including semi-permanent structures.

Entities Eligible to Administer Program

The Department is authorized to enter into agreements with the following entities for the administration of the Program:

• municipalities,

• public benefit corporations,

• local development corporations, or

• not-for-profit organizations.

The Department is seeking organizations that can provide financial assistance, including capital assistance to grant awardees to ensure the effective distribution of grant funds.

Eligible entities who do not directly provide financial and/or capital assistance are encouraged to partner with such organizations to administer the Program.

Available Funding

A total of $2,000,000 is available for the Program, of which a maximum of 15% ($300,000) may be used by the Program Administrator, or split among more than one Administrator, for services and expenses directly related to the administration of the Program. A minimum of 85% ($1,700,000) must be made available for the award of grants to eligible socially and economically disadvantaged farmers.

Program Administrator Scope of Services

The Program Administrator will be expected to provide the following services:

1. Develop a Request for Proposals to solicit applications from eligible applicants through a competitive award process. The RFP will be developed in consultation with the Department.

2. Conduct educational/promotional activities related to the grant opportunity and ensure equitable access to interested applicants.

3. Receive proposals, conduct evaluations and make grant awards.

4. Draft, execute and administer grant award agreements with successful applicants.

Grant award agreements must include performance and expenditure reporting requirements that will ensure the appropriate and effective use of Program funds.

5. Monitor the performance of awardees and facilitate technical assistance to awardees as deemed necessary to ensure the successful completion of projects.

6. Disburse grant funds to awardees upon receipt of regular progress reports and proof of payment for eligible project costs. NOTE: Grant funds can only be paid to awardees on a reimbursement basis.

7. Provide periodic progress reports to the Department that will include, but not be limited to, the total amount of funds committed to each awardee, the location of each awardee, and the status of each project.

Submitting a Letter of Interest

Eligible entities interested in administering the Program are encouraged to submit a letter of interest. A letter of interest should include the following:

1. Organization, Qualifications & Experience – describe your organization and its experience or qualifications to administer a grant program targeting socially and economically disadvantaged farmers. Please include the following information:

• Your organization’s mission and scope of services.

• Your organization’s experience in providing financial assistance in the form of loans or grants.

• Your organization’s ability to help applicants secure bridge loans and match funding.

• Your organization’s demonstrated ability to work with local producers, organizations, and/or community groups.

• Your organization’s experience working with the target population.

• The amount of grant funds your organization would request to administer the

Program, either statewide or regionally.

2. Geographic Area of Service – describe your interest in administering the Program either statewide, or in one or more of the geographic regions listed below.

Identify the geographic region(s) that your organization would administer, if not statewide.

3. Other Considerations – provide general comments or suggestions related to the administration of the Program. Comments may address challenges that your organization anticipates in administering this type of grant program.

Geographic Regions by County

Western New York: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara.

Finger Lakes: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates.

Southern Tier: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins.

Central New York: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego.

Mohawk Valley: Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego and Schoharie.

North Country: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence.

Capital Region: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Warren and Washington.

Mid-Hudson: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

New York City: Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond and Queens.

Long Island: Nassau and Suffolk.

The letter of interest must be submitted via email by October 8, 2026 to: Mary Clark- Smith at mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov. Please use the subject line "RFI0431:

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmers Competitive Grant Program 2025- 27.”

An informational webinar will be held September 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Attendees may register for the information webinar using the following link: https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r53352a93b80ab666c23183ffdd9b9ebb.

Questions about this RFI may be submitted to mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov.

mailto:mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r53352a93b80ab666c23183ffdd9b9ebb https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r53352a93b80ab666c23183ffdd9b9ebb mailto:mary.clark-smith@agriculture.ny.gov