Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Fertilizer Product Expansion Program (10.383)

Also known as Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-term Domestic Supply Program (FIELDS)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$748 million
• Grant awards106
• Typical award$3.4 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$444 million
• Size rank295 of 1824
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• It is the 295th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 66% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 37 states and territories.

What the program funds

The purpose of FPEP is to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer and nutrient management sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities. To meet its purpose, FPEP will support the production of agricultural commodities through the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives that are: Independent and outside the dominant fertilizer suppliers. The goal is to increase competition. Consequently, entities that hold a market share (in either manufacturing, processing, or distribution) that is greater than or equal to the entity that holds the fourth largest share of the market for nitrogen, phosphate, or potash, as applicable, will not be considered for funding; Made in America - Produced in the U.S. by companies located in the U.S. and territories, creating good-paying jobs at home, and reducing the reliance on potentially unstable or inconsistent foreign supplies; Innovative – To improve upon fertilizer production methods and efficient-use technologies to jump start the next generation of fertilizers and nutrient alternatives; Sustainable - Reduces the greenhouse gas impact of transportation, production, and use through renewable energy sources, feedstocks, formulations, and incentivizing greater precision in fertilizer use; and Farmer-focused - a driving factor will be making sure the additional capacity supported by USDA is dedicated to U.S. agricultural commodity production.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Entities are eligible regardless of legal structure and may include Tribes, Tribal Entities, Alaska Native Corporations, for-profit entities, corporations, non-profit entities, producer-owned cooperatives and corporations, certified benefit corporations, and state or local government entities. Private entities must be independently owned and operated.

What the money can and cannot pay for

An applicant selected for this grant must use funds for the purpose of increasing or otherwise expanding the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives and their availability in the United States. Additionally, the fertilizer and nutrient alternatives addressed in the application must be for agricultural use. Within such a project, eligible uses of grant funds would include, but are not limited to: • Construction of a new facility or purchase of an existing facility for purposes of expanding capacity or increasing output, including the purchase of land; • Pre-development costs including, but not limited to, engineering and other professional fees; • Working capital to support expanded capacity or increased outputs; • Modernizing or expanding an existing facility, including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and construction of new buildings at existing facilities; • Purchasing new, or modernizing existing processing and manufacturing equipment; • Developing, customizing, and installing equipment, devices, and technology that improves processing functions, worker conditions, or safety; • Modernizing, developing, customizing, and installing climate?smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases fertilizer use efficiency, improves air and water quality, or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals; • Ensuring compliance with packaging and labeling requirements under applicable law (including sealing, packaging,...

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. 50 percent matching fund required.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines This NOFO provides two application submission windows. Applicants must submit applications via Grants.gov. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on: 45 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute to the purpose of the program. Priority will be given to projects that increase the availability of fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphate or potash) and nutrient alternatives to agricultural producers for use in crop years 2023 and 2024; and 90 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute significantly to the purpose of the program.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

The minimum award amount is $1 million and the maximum award amount is $100 million.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

State and local governments received 1.6% of the money.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.