Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS TM PRS G 21 0011
The Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), focused on reimbursing or supporting COVID-19-related costs that organizations and businesses incurred during a defined pandemic period. The program is designed to help applicants cover expenses tied to protecting workers and customers, adapting business operations, and maintaining continuity during COVID-19 disruptions. Eligible costs must have been incurred between January 27, 2020 (the date HHS declared the public health emergency under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act) and December 31, 2021, which effectively frames the grant as support for past pandemic-response expenditures rather than future project expansion.
Funding is intended to cover several broad categories of pandemic-response activities. One major area is workplace safety measures, which includes purchases and supplies that reduce transmission risk in work settings, such as personal protective equipment, sanitizer, hand-washing stations, air filtration devices, thermometers, cleaning products, and similar health and safety items. Another eligible area is market pivots, meaning costs tied to shifting sales or customer engagement to safer or more viable methods during the pandemic. This can include expenses associated with building or improving online or virtual sales options, paying platform and service fees, online marketing, credit card processing fees, operational supplies needed to support the pivot, and new signage to communicate changes. The program also supports retrofitting facilities to improve worker and consumer safety, such as installing plexiglass barriers, creating walk-up service windows, or acquiring equipment and materials used for outdoor or distanced operations like heat lamps, fans, tents, propane, weights, tables, and chairs. In addition, applicants can seek coverage for added transportation costs incurred specifically to maintain social distancing, as well as increased worker housing costs needed to spread out living arrangements or to quarantine new or exposed employees. A final major category is medical-related costs that were not reimbursed elsewhere, including expenses associated with providing or enabling vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, or treatment for infected employees, and it may include paid leave connected to those circumstances.
In terms of who can apply, the opportunity is open to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits that do not hold 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). The grant is listed under CFDA 10.181 and is categorized under the agriculture funding activity area, reflecting USDA AMS involvement and the program’s general connection to agricultural and market operations. The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $20,000 per award, and the program anticipated a large volume of awards (an expected 200,000 awards is stated in the source data), indicating an intent to distribute relatively small grants broadly to many recipients.
The application process is handled through a dedicated application portal rather than through standard federal submission pathways alone. Applicants are directed to the program website at https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/ to review program rules, eligibility details, and submission instructions, and all applications are submitted through that site. A key administrative requirement is obtaining a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet prior to applying; the program notes that Dun and Bradstreet provided a custom landing page to streamline that step, accessible via the application website. One unusual instruction is that applicants should not register in SAM (System for Award Management) before submitting an application. Instead, USDA planned to contact applicants after the application period closes if they are being considered for funding, at which point the agency would provide next steps for potential award processing. The posting also notes that dates were forecasted and that official materials would appear once finalized, with the synopsis posted to Grants.gov and the application package posted to the program website. The application window was expected to last about 45 calendar days; source data for this specific posting shows an original closing date of November 22, 2021, with a creation date of October 6, 2021.Apply for USDA AMS TM PRS G 21 0011
- The Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.181.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 06, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 22, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $20,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 200,000 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program?
The Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It is designed to reimburse or support COVID-19-related costs that organizations and businesses incurred during a defined pandemic period, especially costs tied to protecting workers and customers, adapting operations, and maintaining continuity during COVID-19 disruptions.
Is this grant meant for past expenses or future projects?
Based on the opportunity description, it is structured as support for past pandemic-response expenditures. Eligible costs must have been incurred within a specific date range tied to the COVID-19 public health emergency period rather than being aimed at future expansion projects.
What is the eligible cost period for reimbursement or support?
Eligible costs must have been incurred between January 27, 2020 (the date HHS declared the public health emergency under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act) and December 31, 2021.
What types of workplace safety expenses are eligible?
The program includes workplace safety measures such as purchases and supplies that reduce COVID-19 transmission risk in work settings. Examples listed include personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizer, hand-washing stations, air filtration devices, thermometers, cleaning products, and similar health and safety items.
What does "market pivots" mean under this program, and what costs can be covered?
"Market pivots" refers to costs tied to shifting sales or customer engagement to safer or more viable methods during the pandemic. Eligible examples include expenses related to building or improving online or virtual sales options, paying platform and service fees, online marketing, credit card processing fees, operational supplies needed to support the pivot, and new signage to communicate changes.
Are facility retrofits eligible, and what are examples?
Yes. The program supports retrofitting facilities to improve worker and consumer safety. Examples include installing plexiglass barriers, creating walk-up service windows, or acquiring equipment and materials used for outdoor or distanced operations such as heat lamps, fans, tents, propane, weights, tables, and chairs.
Can added transportation costs be covered?
Yes. Applicants can seek coverage for added transportation costs incurred specifically to maintain social distancing.
Are increased worker housing costs eligible?
Yes. The program allows for increased worker housing costs needed to spread out living arrangements or to quarantine new or exposed employees.
What medical-related costs may be eligible?
The program includes medical-related costs that were not reimbursed elsewhere. Examples listed include expenses associated with providing or enabling vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, or treatment for infected employees, and it may include paid leave connected to those circumstances.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is open to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits that do not hold 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Are institutions of higher education eligible to apply?
No. The description indicates that nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status may apply as long as they are not institutions of higher education, and institutions of higher education are excluded in the eligibility description provided.
Which USDA agency is responsible for this program?
The program is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
What is the CFDA number for this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.181.
What is the funding activity area for this opportunity?
It is categorized under the agriculture funding activity area, reflecting USDA AMS involvement and the program's connection to agricultural and market operations.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $20,000 per award.
How many awards were anticipated?
The source data for the opportunity states an expected 200,000 awards, indicating the intent to distribute relatively small grants broadly to many recipients.
Where do applicants apply for this grant?
Applications are submitted through the dedicated program application portal at https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/. Applicants are directed there to review program rules, eligibility details, and submission instructions.
Is the application submitted through Grants.gov?
The synopsis was posted to Grants.gov, but the application package and submission are handled through the program website. The description emphasizes that all applications are submitted through the dedicated portal.
Do applicants need a DUNS number to apply?
Yes. A key administrative requirement is obtaining a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet prior to applying. The program notes there is a custom landing page to streamline obtaining a DUNS number, accessible via the application website.
Should applicants register in SAM before applying?
No. The opportunity includes an unusual instruction that applicants should not register in SAM (System for Award Management) before submitting an application. Instead, USDA planned to contact applicants after the application period closes if they are being considered for funding and then provide next steps.
When would SAM-related steps happen, if at all?
According to the description, USDA planned to contact applicants after the application period closes if they are being considered for funding, and only then provide next steps for potential award processing.
How long was the application window expected to be?
The application window was expected to last about 45 calendar days, based on the posting information provided.
What were the key dates listed in the posting information?
The source data shows a creation date of October 6, 2021, and an original closing date of November 22, 2021. The description also notes that some dates were forecasted and official materials would appear once finalized.
What should applicants do to confirm the most current program rules and instructions?
Applicants are directed to the program website (https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/) to review program rules, eligibility details, and submission instructions, and to access the application materials posted there once finalized.
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