The Shadow
Richmond, Va. (VR) – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is accepting proposals from charitable food assistance organizations for the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program (VAFAP). The state program provides grants to charitable food assistance organizations to purchase Virginia Grown agricultural products that must be distributed to food insecure Virginia residents in accordance with the food distribution guidelines for each charitable food assistance organization.
Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021, VAFAP compensates farmers for food products that are donated or sold to charitable food assistance organizations. A total of $1.1 million in reimbursable grant funding is available for this program.
Interested charitable food assistance organizations must submit VAFAP applications by 5 p.m. on May 9, 2025. Applications should detail the plan to engage local farmers to purchase locally grown agricultural products and how the food will be distributed to persons in need.
“This type of partnership is a win-win, as it helps to address food insecurity and support local agriculture,” said VDACS Commissioner Joseph Guthrie. “Producers are compensated for their crop, nutritious food is not wasted, and additional food resources are available to charitable organizations throughout the Commonwealth.”
VDACS will use a competitive review process to ensure maximum input and benefit. The review panel may also provide a recommended award amount for project proposals. VDACS will notify successful and unsuccessful grant applicants about the outcome of the competitive process as it relates to the applicant’s proposal.
For more information and to apply, please visit www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/rsfi-vafap-guidelines-Instructions.pdf.
