Farm Fresh Rhode Island

FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND AND ITS PARTNERS PROPOSE A LARGE-SCALE FINI PROJECT TO EXPAND USE OF NUTRITION INCENTIVES ACROSS NEW ENGLAND IN CONNECTICUT, MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND AND VERMONT, TO CREATE THE NEW ENGLAND NUTRITION INCENTIVE COLLABORATIVE (NENIC). NENIC WILL REACH UPWARDS OF 20,000+ CONSUMERS, AT 250+ OUTLETS FOR LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (F&V) AND SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE EVIDENCE BASE ON THE IMPACT OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ON THE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BY SNAP RECIPIENTS. THE PROJECT WILL DISTRIBUTE NEARLY $2.8M IN INCENTIVES OVER FOUR YEARS.GOAL: THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE CONSUMPTION OF F&V BY SNAP CONSUMERS IN DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIES; CREATE AND IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKETING TECHNIQUES; AND RIGOROUSLY RESEARCH REGIONAL DATA ON THE AFFECT OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES ON CONSUMPTION OF F&V BY RECIPIENTS.ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PROVIDING INCENTIVES AT OF FNS-APPROVED RETAILERS; ON-BOARDING NEW MARKET OUTLETS; IMPLEMENTING INNOVTION OUTREACH TECHNIQUES; WORKING WITH WHOLESOME WAVE AND THE RUDD CENTER FOR FOOD POLICY & OBESITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT ON PROGRAM IMPACT EVALUATION; AND FULL COOPERATION WITH WESTAT'S EVALUATION PROGRAM.THE PROJECT WILL CREATE EXPANDED ACCESS AND MARKETING EFFORTS TO REACH TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF F&V AMONG LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS PARTICIPATING IN SNAP BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE; TESTING STRATEGIES THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BEST TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF F&V BY SNAP PARTICIPANTS

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CULTIVATING REGIONAL GROWTH: EXPANDING THE NEW ENGLAND NUTRITION INCENTIVE SYSTEM

FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND WILL BE THE LEAD APPLICANT FOR EBT INTEGRATION IN NEW ENGLAND: IMPROVING PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEMS THROUGH REGIONAL COLLABORATION, A LARGE-SCALE GUSNIP PROJECT, ON BEHALF OF FARM FRESH RI AND FOUR REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: THE NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOD BANK, NOFA VERMONT, MAINE FEDERATION OF FARMERS MARKETS AND GOOD SHEPHERD FOOD BANK, WHICH SUPPORTS OVER 200 FARM-DIRECT AND RETAIL OUTLETS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT SNAP AND PARTICIPATING IN NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROJECTS IN THE STATES OF RHODE ISLAND, MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT.NEW ENGLAND IS A COHESIVE REGION: A GROUP OF STATES THAT IS SMALLER AS A WHOLE THAN MANY OTHER STATES IN THE COUNTRY ARE THEMSELVES. WHILE THE STATES OF NEW ENGLAND HAVE PROUD INDIVIDUAL IDENTITIES, THEY ARE MORE SIMILAR THAN THEY DIFFER, AND IN THE AREA OF FOOD INSECURITY, ALL THE STATES HAVE SIMILAR ASSETS AND CHALLENGES. FARMS IN NEW ENGLAND ARE SOME OF THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY AND HAVE HISTORICALLY RELIED ON DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER AND SMALL GROCERY RETAIL SALES CHANNELS AS THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SAME CAPACITY OF SCALE IN OTHER REGIONS. THE PRICE OF NEW ENGLAND FARMLAND IS SOME OF THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT FARMERS MAXIMIZE THE SALES BY SELLING DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER OR TO SMALLER RETAILERS THAT FIT THE SCALE THEY ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE. THIS POSITIONS THESE OUTLETS TO REACH SNAP CONSUMERS WITH NUTRITIOUS, LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WHICH BENEFIT THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY PUTTING FEDERAL FOOD DOLLARS DIRECTLY IN THE POCKETS OF LOCAL FARMERS AND PRODUCERS.SNAP NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN NEW ENGLAND SINCE THE EARLY 2000'S. SINCE THEN, STATEWIDE PROGRAMS HAVE EXPANDED AND SCALED TO BE WELL UNDERSTOOD AND ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS BY SNAP CLIENTS, FARMERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ALIKE. MEANWHILE, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, STATES ARE BEGINNING TO MODERNIZE HOW SNAP INCENTIVES ARE DELIVERED THROUGH WHAT IS KNOWN AS EBT-INTEGRATED SYSTEMS THAT MAKE PARTICIPATION EASIER FOR SHOPPERS, VENDORS AND PROGRAM OPERATORS. AN EBT-INTEGRATED INCENTIVE IS ONE THAT IS TRACKED AND FACILITATED DIRECTLY VIA A SNAP PARTICIPANT'S ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) CARD AND THE STATE'S SNAP PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM. THIS MEANS THAT INCENTIVES COULD BE TRACKED DIRECTLY WITH EACH STATE'S SNAP AGENCY, THEREBY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL PROGRAM OPERATORS TO OPERATE, TRACK AND REPORT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND REDEMPTION OF BENEFITS VIA THEIR CURRENT EXTERNAL SYSTEMS.WHILE ALL PARTNERS IN THE NENIC RECOGNIZE THAT MODERNIZING SYSTEMS THROUGH EBT-INTEGRATION MAY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR EXTERNAL NGOS TO OPERATE SNAP INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, ADVOCATING FOR THE FUNDING REQUIRED TO INVEST IN THE NEW PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, DATA SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, RE-TRAINING FOR FIRMS, AND MARKETING TO PROMOTE THE NEW CHANGES HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE WITHOUT FULLY UNDERSTANDING COST AND ROLLOUT IMPLICATIONS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL WORK WITH EACH OF THE NENIC,STATE SNAP AGENCIES AND AN EXTERNAL EVALUATION PARTNER TO CREATE AN INFORMED PROJECTION OF STATE-SPECIFIC COSTS AND ACTION PLANS TO MODERNIZE CURRENTLY OPERATING SNAP INCENTIVE PROGRAMS INTO EBT-INTEGRATED MODELS. WE WILL USE AN EXPLORATION, PREPARATION, IMPLEMENTATION, SUSTAINMENT (EPIS) FRAMEWORK TO HELP STATES AND PROGRAM PARTNERS ADVOCATE AND DRIVE FORWARD THIS MODERNIZATION TO BENEFIT NEW ENGLAND FARMERS AND SNAP PARTICIPANTS. AS SYSTEMS ARE STREAMLINED AND INTEGRATED INTO STATE SNAP AGENCY PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEMS, THEY WILL BE EASIER FOR SHOPPERS TO ACCESS RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN INCENTIVE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, INCREASES IN CONSUMPTION OF NUTRITIOUS LOCALLY GROWN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND REDUCTION OF EXTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN FOR PROGRAM PARTNERS IN IMPLEMENTATION.,

FY23 CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND

SEE ATTACHMENTS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

COVID-19 AND ITS ASSOCIATED FOOD SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS QUICKLY ILLUMINATED THE NEED TO SUPPORT DIRECT TO CONSUMER SALES STRATEGIES FOR RHODE ISLAND FARMERS AND FISHERMAN. ALTHOUGH RHODE ISLAND IS THE OCEAN STATE AND PRODUCES OVER SIX TIMES THE AMOUNT OF SEAFOOD TO MEET LOCAL DEMAND, ONLY 5% OF SEAFOOD LANDED AT RHODE ISLAND PORTS IS CONSUMED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS. IN 2020 STATE AGENCY PARTNERS AMENDED REGULATIONS TO ALLOW FISHERMEN TO SELL DOCKSIDE AND BYPASS TRADITIONAL SEAFOOD DISTRIBUTORS. THE PERMITTING CHANGES WERE SUPPORTED BY LOCAL SEAFOOD ADVOCATES BUT THERE IS NOW A NEED TO 1) DEPLOY TOOLS, TRAINING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL FISHERMEN TO GAIN ACCESS TO RETAIL OUTLETS, 2) PROVIDE TRAININGS TO LOCAL FARMERS MARKET MANAGERS ON FOOD SAFETY TO GUARANTEE THEIR ABILITY TO HOST SEAFOOD VENDORS AND INCREASE ACCESS TO LOCAL SEAFOOD AND 3) ENSURE THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY CAN BE ACCESSING SEAFOOD AND FARM PRODUCTS. THIS PROJECT WILL LAUNCH A STATEWIDE MARKETING AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE LOCAL SEAFOOD AND FARM PRODUCERS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND WHILE ALSO PROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS AND FISHERMEN TO EXPAND THEIR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO MAKE SALES AT FARMERS MARKETS, COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURES AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTED FISHERIES (CSA/CSFS) AND DOCKSIDE OUTLETS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROPOSAL WILL BE AN INCREASE IN FARM AND SEAFOOD SALES BY FISHERMEN AND COMMUNITY GROWERS VENDING AT DIRECT TO CONSUMER OUTLETS, AS WELL AS A GROWTH IN THE CONSUMER BASE FOR LOCALLY GROWN AND HARVESTED FARM AND SEAFOOD PRODUCTS.

CN FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG E REA

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

MEETING INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS WITH RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE: MAPPING THE WAY, FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND WILL CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY PLAN FOR THE GROWTH O

RBDG E REA

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND'S MISSION IS THE CREATION OF A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM THAT VALUES THE HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF RHODE ISLAND FARMERS AND EATERS. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH VISTA'S HEALTHY FUTURES PRIORITY AREA. THE MAIN ACTIVITIES IN THIS PROPOSAL ARE INCREASING CAPACITY FOR FARM FRESH'S NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMMING BY DEVELOPING VOLUNTEER RESOURCES, ANALYZING AND ENHANCING THE PROGRAM'S CURRICULUM FOR MULTIPLE AUDIENCES AND DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM'S ABILITY TO MONITOR ITS EFFICACY, WITH A GOAL OF PROVIDING LIFE-SKILLS EDUCATION TO 5,000 LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS AT RISK OF DIET-RELATED AILMENTS. WE REQUEST THREE FULL YEAR VISTA MEMBERS TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND WILL HOST THREE SUMMER VISTA ASSOCIATES WHO WILL BE PLACED IN THREE SEPARATE FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND PROGRAMS. ONE VISTA POSITION WILL BE PLACED WITH OUR NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH OFFERS FOOD LITERACY, COOKING ON A BUDGET, AND NUTRITION EDUCATION CLASSES AT FARMERS MARKETS, LIBRARY AND SENIOR CENTERS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND. THIS POSITION WILL ASSIST WITH PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION. THE SECOND VISTA POSITION WILL BE PLACED WITH OUR FARMERS MARKET PROGRAM. FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND MANAGES 6 OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKETS WHICH ARE PLACED IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. THIS VISTA WILL SUPPORT FARM FRESH RI PROGRAM STAFF IN FACILITATING USDA FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ON-SITE AT FARMERS MARKETS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CUSTOMERS ON HOW TO USE USDA FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. OUR THIRD SUMMER VISTA POSITION WILL BE PLACED WITH OUR HOPES HARVEST PROGRAM, WHICH IS A FOOD RESCUE GLEANING PROGRAM. THIS VISTA WILL SUPPORT HOPE'S HARVEST STAFF IN COORDINATING GLEANING VOLUNTEERS FOR GLEANING TRIPS AND OUTREACH FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND.