NEW Request for Proposals Released
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature provided funding to the MDA for grants to organizations in Minnesota to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous-living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stages of commercial development. For the purposes of this grant “continuous living cover crops and cropping systems” refer to agroforestry, perennial biomass, perennial forarge, perennial grains, and winter-annual cereal grains and oilseeds that have market value as harvested or grazed commodities.
The first of two Requests for Proposals (RFP) for this competitive grant opened Monday, September 11, 2023 and will close October 2, 2023. The second RFP will be announced in 2024.
Applicants are required to:
- Be an organization in Minnesota (including a company, government, tribe, urban American Indian Community, partnership, and any type of civil or political association of people, an individual is not considered an organization)
- Focus on continuous living cover crops and cropping systems
- Be located in Minnesota
The MDA anticipates awarding approximately $250,000 using a competitive review process. The minimum award is $10,000 and the maximum award is $50,000.
Timeline:
- Questions due no later than 4:30 pm Central Time September 25, 2023
- Applications due no later than 4:30 pm Central Time October 2, 2023
- Committee begins review of applications October 4, 2023
- Committee recommendations submitted to commissioner for review October 9, 2023
- Selected grantees announced; grant agreement negotiations begin October 16, 2023
Purpose
CLC crops have been shown to enhance water and soil quality, sequester carbon, build soil health, and provide greater biodiversity and pollinator habitat. Significant environmental benefits of these crops will result from widespread production, which requires robust value chains and markets.
The goal is to provide grants to CLC crops and cropping systems value chain enterprises for equipment infrastructure and business and market development. For example, this could include customized equipment to harvest the crop, clean and store seeds, and process crops for food products. The intended outcome is supply chain and market development that can increase CLC crops and cropping systems on agricultural lands in Minnesota.
In 2022, the Minnesota Legislature provided funding to the MDA through the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for grants to organizations in Minnesota to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous living cover (CLC) crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development. This includes, but not limited to, regenerative poultry silvopasture systems, Kernza® perennial grain, winter camelina, and elderberry.
The Request for Proposals for this one-time competitive grant opportunity opened Monday, March 13, 2023 and closed April 23, 2023. Due to a variety of circumstances the final awards have been delayed. Once the final agreements with grantees are in place a list of funded projects will be posted.
If any unused funds remain, a second RFP will be posted in the spring of 2024.
LCCMR Approved Project Work Plan
Funding for the program was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
For the purposes of this grant “continuous living cover crops and cropping systems” refer to agroforestry, perennial biomass, perennial forarge, perennial grains, and winter-annual cereal grains and oilseeds that have market value as harvested or grazed commodities.
