We Feed Washington Grant 2023-2025
Applications are now closed as of July 17, 2023 at 8am (PST)
Grant Purpose
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature appropriated $35 million in state funding for the Department of Agriculture to issue grants to support organizations and businesses in their mission to feed hungry Washingtonians across the state with high quality, culturally responsive food.
WSDA aims to support diverse hunger relief projects that increase access to emergency food for any Washingtonian in need while also improving the economic viability of Washington's farm and food businesses.
WSDA aims to support diverse hunger relief projects that increase access to emergency food for any Washingtonian in need while also improving the economic viability of Washington's farm and food businesses.
Grant Overview
The grant has three categories based on the size of the project and need:
The minimum grant award is $100,000. WSDA anticipates awarding approximately $35 million in grants divided into $18 million for the first year and $17 million for the second year. Successful applicants will be awarded a two (2) year grant and the period of performance ends June 30, 2025.
WSDA reserves the right to increase or decrease award amounts at the Director's discretion based on assessment of applications received and availability of funds.
WSDA anticipates that the Large Project category will be more competitive than the Small and Medium Projects categories. Applicants are encouraged to apply for the funding amount that best aligns with the purpose of the grant program, achieves their stated goals, and is achievable by June 30, 2025. Reasonableness and achievability of the proposal will be an element of the application review.
This is a reimbursement style grant. This means that grantees will not receive up front payment. Grantees will incur allowable expenses to acheive the proposed project, will pay their vendors, and then will submit a monthly reimbursement request for those expenses to WSDA. WSDA then reimburses approved expenses.
There is no requirement for matching funds.
| Grant Amount | Grant Project Timeline | Deadline to Apply | |
| Small Projects | $100,000 to $250,000 | July 2023 - June 30, 2025 | July 17, 2023 8:00AM PST |
| Medium Projects | $250,001 to $500,000 | July 2023 to June 30. 2025 | July 17, 2023 8:00AM PST |
| Large Projects | $501,000 to $1,000,000 | July 2023 to June 30, 2025 | July 17, 2023 8:00AM PST |
The minimum grant award is $100,000. WSDA anticipates awarding approximately $35 million in grants divided into $18 million for the first year and $17 million for the second year. Successful applicants will be awarded a two (2) year grant and the period of performance ends June 30, 2025.
WSDA reserves the right to increase or decrease award amounts at the Director's discretion based on assessment of applications received and availability of funds.
WSDA anticipates that the Large Project category will be more competitive than the Small and Medium Projects categories. Applicants are encouraged to apply for the funding amount that best aligns with the purpose of the grant program, achieves their stated goals, and is achievable by June 30, 2025. Reasonableness and achievability of the proposal will be an element of the application review.
This is a reimbursement style grant. This means that grantees will not receive up front payment. Grantees will incur allowable expenses to acheive the proposed project, will pay their vendors, and then will submit a monthly reimbursement request for those expenses to WSDA. WSDA then reimburses approved expenses.
There is no requirement for matching funds.
Eligible Applicants
Applicants are eligible for this grant opportunity by meeting the following criteria:
- Up-to-date registration with the Secretary of State of Washington and the Washington State Department of Revenue
- Businesses/Organizations with one (1) or more years of experience procuring and/or distributing emergency food in Washington State within the past three (3) years
- Businesses/Organizations that have facilitated a minimum of twelve (12) emergency food distributions between July 2022 to June 2023
- Businesses/Organizations that have distributed emergency food to a minimum of 1,000 households between July 2022 to June 2023
Evaluation Criteria
There are a total of 100 points possible to be scored for consideration of this grant. Applications will be reviewed and scored by twelve (12) proposal reviewers who are state employees with Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Office of the Superintendent of Instruction (OSPI), Washington State University Extension (WSU-E), Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
The overall application points are broken down by section below:
The overall application points are broken down by section below:
- Project Description section is worth a total of 30 points
- Partnership & Procurement is worth a total of 16 points
- Project Outcomes & Performance Measurement is worth a total of 38 points
- Administrative Capacity is worth a total of 16 points
- The evaluation scoring criteria highlight WSDA’s objectives to strengthen and improve utilization of Washington grown and produced products while feeding hungry Washingtonians and supporting the organizations and businesses doing this vital work across our state.
Expenses Eligible for Reimbursement
Expenses in the following budget categories are examples of allowable expenses, but are not limited to:
- Food purchases
- Staffing or personnel costs
- Contracted services
- Pass-through funds
- Operations
- Fuel, freight, and logistics services
- Indirect administrative costs
- Unallowable expenses include all equipment valued at $5,000 or greater.
- Unallowable expenses include tobacco, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, etc.
- Unallowable expenses include purchases of land, buildings, and gift cards.
- Gratuity or tip for prepared foods or other services
- Salaries and benefits of staff and/or positions not named in the application (exclusions may apply)
- Gas expenses for vehicles not owned by the organization or business, including personal vehicles of staff and volunteers used for organization services
- Maintenance or repair expenses of vehicles not owned by the organization
- Stipends
- Volunteer and staff meals
- Lobbying
- Personal loans
- Rental or lease-to-own costs paid for profit, management fees, and taxes that would not have been incurred had the non-federal entity purchased the property.
- Financing costs other than to acquire, construct, or replace capital assets
- Medicine and other non-allowable household items
- Purchase of land or buildings, or construction of new buildings
- Indirect administrative costs must not exceed the de minimis rate of ten (10) percent of modified total direct cost, except when the applicant has negotiated a different indirect cost rate with the federal government
- *Applicants are responsible for conducting due diligence to ensure that expenses being requested for reimbursement are allowable.
- Allowable expenses must be reasonable, in-line with the application, and demonstrate good stewardship of state funds.
- Awards are in the form of reimbursement, therefore, it is required that all services and goods be paid for and received by the organization or business prior to submission of invoices to WSDA We Feed WA program.
- All procurement transactions will be conducted in a manner to provide, to the extent practical, open and free competition. Subrecipient must make positive efforts to support small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses whenever possible, and to purchase Washington grown and American made products whenever possible.
Grant Application and Award Process
1. Applications: Applicants must submit a completed application form, including required supporting documents by July 17, 2023 by 8:00 AM PST.
2. Grant Application Support:
WSDA will provide Grant Information Webinars and Application Technical Assistance "Office Hours". Office Hours will be held weekly on Tuesdays at 10am throughout the application period. To participate in Office Hours, you may join by web here or by calling in to (833) 322-1218,,451125109# United States (Toll-free).
WSDA can provide general application support to applicants, including understanding of the grant selection process and requirements; however, to ensure that all applicants receive equal treatment, WSDA staff cannot provide assistance with individual proposals.
For grant and eligibility questions, contact Jessica Hernandez at jessica.a.hernandez@agr.wa.gov or 564-999-3799.
3. Review: WSDA will review applications for eligibility of Applicant costs, and a grant review team will evaluate applications based on the evaluation criteria and funding priorities outlined above. In awarding funds under this program, WSDA may coordinate with other agencies or entities that WSDA deems necessary.
WSDA reserves the right to determine the number of awards and modify or increase awards at the Director's discretion. WSDA also reserves the right to cancel the grant program and the award at any time for any reason, but this may occur due to a withdrawal or suspension of funds by the funding source, a state of emergency, or other occurrence that impacts WSDA's ability to continue with the program or awards.
4. Grant Awards and Agreements: WSDA will notify Applicants of award/no award decision by August 31, 2023.
Grant beneficiaries will receive a grant agreement that they must sign and return to WSDA within seven (7) business days after receiving.
Grant awards are taxable and will be reported by WSDA to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Grant recipients MUST become registered as a Statewide Vendor with Washington State before any payment can be made. https://ofm.wa.gov/it-systems/accounting-systems/statewide-vendorpayee-services/vendor-payee-registration
5. Reimbursement: Grant funds will be paid to the Grant Beneficiary (Grantee) on a reimbursement only basis. Grantees will not receive advance "up-front" payments. Goods and services must be paid for and received to be reimbursed, and the Grantee must provide the following documentation:
Expenses incurred prior to the date the grant contract is executed cannot be reimbursed.
6. Reporting: Small Projects Grant Recipients must provide a final report documenting completion of activities and describing the impact of improvements made with grant funds using provided forms. Medium and Large Project Grant Recipients must provide quarterly status reports and a final report, using provided forms. WSDA may conduct a site visit any time during the grant agreement period and up to one year after the end of the grant will provide a three (3) day notice. To the extent possible, all site visits will be scheduled on mutually acceptable dates.
7. Record keeping: Grant Recipient must retain records relating to the grant for a period of at least five (5) years and must make records available to WSDA upon request, or upon audit of the completed project by WSDA or other authorized state or federal authorities. WSDA reserves the right to inspect and audit the project site for as long as one year following the final payment received by the grantee. Grant awards are taxable and will be reported by WSDA to the IRS.
For grant and eligibility questions, contact Jessica Hernandez at jessica.a.hernandez@agr.wa.gov or 564-999-3799.
WSDA reserves the right to make changes to, and final determination of, eligible expenses. Please contact WSDA directly with any questions about eligibility criteria.
2. Grant Application Support:
WSDA will provide Grant Information Webinars and Application Technical Assistance "Office Hours". Office Hours will be held weekly on Tuesdays at 10am throughout the application period. To participate in Office Hours, you may join by web here or by calling in to (833) 322-1218,,451125109# United States (Toll-free).
WSDA can provide general application support to applicants, including understanding of the grant selection process and requirements; however, to ensure that all applicants receive equal treatment, WSDA staff cannot provide assistance with individual proposals.
For grant and eligibility questions, contact Jessica Hernandez at jessica.a.hernandez@agr.wa.gov or 564-999-3799.
3. Review: WSDA will review applications for eligibility of Applicant costs, and a grant review team will evaluate applications based on the evaluation criteria and funding priorities outlined above. In awarding funds under this program, WSDA may coordinate with other agencies or entities that WSDA deems necessary.
WSDA reserves the right to determine the number of awards and modify or increase awards at the Director's discretion. WSDA also reserves the right to cancel the grant program and the award at any time for any reason, but this may occur due to a withdrawal or suspension of funds by the funding source, a state of emergency, or other occurrence that impacts WSDA's ability to continue with the program or awards.
4. Grant Awards and Agreements: WSDA will notify Applicants of award/no award decision by August 31, 2023.
Grant beneficiaries will receive a grant agreement that they must sign and return to WSDA within seven (7) business days after receiving.
Grant awards are taxable and will be reported by WSDA to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Grant recipients MUST become registered as a Statewide Vendor with Washington State before any payment can be made. https://ofm.wa.gov/it-systems/accounting-systems/statewide-vendorpayee-services/vendor-payee-registration
5. Reimbursement: Grant funds will be paid to the Grant Beneficiary (Grantee) on a reimbursement only basis. Grantees will not receive advance "up-front" payments. Goods and services must be paid for and received to be reimbursed, and the Grantee must provide the following documentation:
- What was purchased
- For example and itemized receipt or invoice
- Proof of payment
- a payment receipt or "paid" invoice for the seller, OR
- an "order" invoice plus a copy of the cashed/cleared check, OR
- a bill of sale including a description of the items sold, date, name/address/phone of seller and buyer, and signed by the seller verifying payment was received PLUS a copy of the cashed/cleared check.
Expenses incurred prior to the date the grant contract is executed cannot be reimbursed.
6. Reporting: Small Projects Grant Recipients must provide a final report documenting completion of activities and describing the impact of improvements made with grant funds using provided forms. Medium and Large Project Grant Recipients must provide quarterly status reports and a final report, using provided forms. WSDA may conduct a site visit any time during the grant agreement period and up to one year after the end of the grant will provide a three (3) day notice. To the extent possible, all site visits will be scheduled on mutually acceptable dates.
7. Record keeping: Grant Recipient must retain records relating to the grant for a period of at least five (5) years and must make records available to WSDA upon request, or upon audit of the completed project by WSDA or other authorized state or federal authorities. WSDA reserves the right to inspect and audit the project site for as long as one year following the final payment received by the grantee. Grant awards are taxable and will be reported by WSDA to the IRS.
For grant and eligibility questions, contact Jessica Hernandez at jessica.a.hernandez@agr.wa.gov or 564-999-3799.
WSDA reserves the right to make changes to, and final determination of, eligible expenses. Please contact WSDA directly with any questions about eligibility criteria.
FAQ's
Please view our FAQ document detailing the questions from the Office Hours sessions.
Definitions
Agency: The Washington State Department of Agriculture, any division, section, office, unit or other entity of the Agency, or any of the officers or other officials lawfully representing that Agency.
Agreement: This grant agreement.
Authorized Representative: For WSDA WFW means the WSDA WFW designee authorized in writing to act on the director’s behalf; for the Grantee means the Authorized Signer.
Authorized Signature: The signature of the board president, tribal chairperson, agency director, or other official authorized to sign on behalf of the Grantee.
Capital Expenditures: Expenditures to acquire capital assets or expenditures to make additions, improvements, modifications, replacements, rearrangements, reinstallations, renovations, or alterations to capital assets that materially increase their value or useful life. These expenditures are not allowed with this grant.
Competitive Solicitation: A documented formal process providing an equal and open opportunity to bidders and culminating in a selection based on predetermined criteria.
Confidential Information: The information identified as confidential or exempt from public disclosure. The term includes “Personal Information" regardless of whether such information has been identified as confidential or exempt from disclosure.
Contract Employee: Contract employees, also called independent contractors, contract workers, freelancers, or work-for-hire staffers, are individuals hired for a specific project or a certain timeframe for a set fee.
Contract Services: Approved third-party services acquired to perform specific activities under this Agreement.
Debarment: The act of being suspended or being declared ineligible by any state or federal agency from participating in any transactions with them.
Direct Service Provider: An organization or entity that provides food directly to food insecure people. It does not include an organization or entity that provides food or coordinates resources and facilitates the distribution of emergency food directly to food banks or pantries.
Equipment: Equipment means tangible personal property (including information technology systems) that has a useful life of more than one year, is movable, and has a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $5,000. Equipment expenditures are disallowed.
Grantee: The agency, firm, provider, organization, individual or other entity performing the services under this Agreement, who is a party to this Agreement, identified as the Grantee on the Agreement Face Sheet. “Grantee” includes all employees and agents of the Grantee.
Indirect Administrative Costs (“Indirect”): Indirect costs are the portion of the general overhead costs of an organization allocated to Agreement performance and allowable under this Agreement.
Local or Regional Food Producer: Farmers, ranchers, producers, processors, or distributors and other businesses involved in food production or distribution that are located in the state of Washington, tribal region, or within 400 miles of the delivery destination.
Parties or Party: Means both or either WSDA WFW and Grantee.
Pass-through: An arrangement approved by WSDA WFW wherein funds are sent from the Grantee to Subgrantees to perform specific activities approved under this Agreement.
Personal Information: Information identifiable to any person, including, but not limited to, information that relates to a person’s name, health, finances, education, business, use or receipt of governmental services or other activities, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, driver license numbers, other identifying numbers or Protected Health Information as defined by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Pub. L. No. 104-191, § 264, 110 Stat. 1936, any financial identifiers, and other information that may be exempt from public disclosure or other unauthorized persons under state and federal statutes.
RCW: Revised Code of Washington.
Staff/Personnel: The cost of staff and personnel directly involved in relevant activities during the period of performance.
State: The State of Washington.
Subgrantee: An entity with a written agreement with the Grantee that is receiving funds from or performing all or part of the services for the Grantee under the Grantee’s Agreement with WSDA WFW. The term does not include the Grantee’s employees. Also see Subgranting section in General Terms and Conditions, as applicable.
Unique Business Identifier (UBI): a 9-digit number issued to individuals and companies doing business in the State of Washington.
Vendor (Contractor): The business(es), organization(s), or other entity(ies) from which the Grantee will procure food, supplies, freight, or any other necessary goods or services to fulfill the Grantee’s scope of work. All vendors must comply with all applicable food safety rules and laws within the State of Washington, as regulated and enforced by WSDA.
WAC: Washington Administrative Code.
We Feed Washington (WFW): Washington State Department of Agriculture We Feed Washington (WFW) Grant Program; a state alternative to the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program.
WSDA WFW: The Washington Department of Agriculture or its successor agency, if any.
Agreement: This grant agreement.
Authorized Representative: For WSDA WFW means the WSDA WFW designee authorized in writing to act on the director’s behalf; for the Grantee means the Authorized Signer.
Authorized Signature: The signature of the board president, tribal chairperson, agency director, or other official authorized to sign on behalf of the Grantee.
Capital Expenditures: Expenditures to acquire capital assets or expenditures to make additions, improvements, modifications, replacements, rearrangements, reinstallations, renovations, or alterations to capital assets that materially increase their value or useful life. These expenditures are not allowed with this grant.
Competitive Solicitation: A documented formal process providing an equal and open opportunity to bidders and culminating in a selection based on predetermined criteria.
Confidential Information: The information identified as confidential or exempt from public disclosure. The term includes “Personal Information" regardless of whether such information has been identified as confidential or exempt from disclosure.
Contract Employee: Contract employees, also called independent contractors, contract workers, freelancers, or work-for-hire staffers, are individuals hired for a specific project or a certain timeframe for a set fee.
Contract Services: Approved third-party services acquired to perform specific activities under this Agreement.
Debarment: The act of being suspended or being declared ineligible by any state or federal agency from participating in any transactions with them.
Direct Service Provider: An organization or entity that provides food directly to food insecure people. It does not include an organization or entity that provides food or coordinates resources and facilitates the distribution of emergency food directly to food banks or pantries.
Equipment: Equipment means tangible personal property (including information technology systems) that has a useful life of more than one year, is movable, and has a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the non-federal entity for financial statement purposes, or $5,000. Equipment expenditures are disallowed.
Grantee: The agency, firm, provider, organization, individual or other entity performing the services under this Agreement, who is a party to this Agreement, identified as the Grantee on the Agreement Face Sheet. “Grantee” includes all employees and agents of the Grantee.
Indirect Administrative Costs (“Indirect”): Indirect costs are the portion of the general overhead costs of an organization allocated to Agreement performance and allowable under this Agreement.
Local or Regional Food Producer: Farmers, ranchers, producers, processors, or distributors and other businesses involved in food production or distribution that are located in the state of Washington, tribal region, or within 400 miles of the delivery destination.
Parties or Party: Means both or either WSDA WFW and Grantee.
Pass-through: An arrangement approved by WSDA WFW wherein funds are sent from the Grantee to Subgrantees to perform specific activities approved under this Agreement.
Personal Information: Information identifiable to any person, including, but not limited to, information that relates to a person’s name, health, finances, education, business, use or receipt of governmental services or other activities, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, driver license numbers, other identifying numbers or Protected Health Information as defined by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Pub. L. No. 104-191, § 264, 110 Stat. 1936, any financial identifiers, and other information that may be exempt from public disclosure or other unauthorized persons under state and federal statutes.
RCW: Revised Code of Washington.
Staff/Personnel: The cost of staff and personnel directly involved in relevant activities during the period of performance.
State: The State of Washington.
Subgrantee: An entity with a written agreement with the Grantee that is receiving funds from or performing all or part of the services for the Grantee under the Grantee’s Agreement with WSDA WFW. The term does not include the Grantee’s employees. Also see Subgranting section in General Terms and Conditions, as applicable.
Unique Business Identifier (UBI): a 9-digit number issued to individuals and companies doing business in the State of Washington.
Vendor (Contractor): The business(es), organization(s), or other entity(ies) from which the Grantee will procure food, supplies, freight, or any other necessary goods or services to fulfill the Grantee’s scope of work. All vendors must comply with all applicable food safety rules and laws within the State of Washington, as regulated and enforced by WSDA.
WAC: Washington Administrative Code.
We Feed Washington (WFW): Washington State Department of Agriculture We Feed Washington (WFW) Grant Program; a state alternative to the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program.
WSDA WFW: The Washington Department of Agriculture or its successor agency, if any.