Pandemic Response and Safety
Grant Program

The Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants to specialty crop producers and processors, other select producers, meat and other processors, distributors, and farmers markets to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID–19).

Funds will be used to issue grants for costs incurred between January 27, 2020, the date upon which the public health emergency was declared by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, and December 31, 2021. Grants will cover the activities associated with:

• Workplace Safety: Implementing workplace safety measures to protect workers against COVID-19
  • Provide personal protective equipment, thermometers, cleaning supplies, sanitizer, or hand washing stations
  • Installation and purchase of air filters or new signage
• Market Pivots: Implementing market pivots to protect workers against COVID–19
  • Develop and implement online platforms
  • Utilize online or print materials to communicate market pivots
• Retrofitting Facilities: Retrofitting Facilities for Worker and Consumer Safety to protect against COVID–19
  • Installation and purchase of protective barriers made of plexiglass or plastic sheeting, walk up windows, heat lamps/heaters, fans, tents, propane, weights, tables, chairs and lighting
• Transportation: Providing additional transportation options to maintain social distancing and worker and consumer safety to protect against COVID-19
  • Secure additional transportation services for workers
  • Offer new delivery routes or distribution services
• Worker Housing: Providing worker housing that protects workers against COVID-19
  • Secure additional housing resources/services to maintain social distancing or to allow for quarantining of new or exposed employees

• Medical: Providing health services to protect workers against COVID-19
  • Offer or enable vaccinations, testing, or healthcare treatment of infected employees, including any paid leave due to COVID-19 infection

The minimum funding request amount is $1,500. The maximum funding request amount is $20,000. Funding requests may range from $1,500 to $20,000.

Eligibility:

Producers, food processors/manufacturers, and wholesale/distributors denoted in the Eligible Industry Table, and farmers markets are eligible to apply for funding. The Eligible Industry Table details the different business size standards for each eligible industry. The eligible entity types include:

• Small Businesses
• Nonprofits

See the Eligible Industry Table for eligible industry descriptions and business size standards.

Important Dates:
Application Period Opens: Coming in early October 2021
Application Period Closes: 45 Days from Application Period Open Date

All applications submitted before the deadline will be considered for funding. Applications will not be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and to apply, visit https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/usda