The 2023 CA Urban Agriculture Grant Program includes two funding tracks.

• Track 1: The Systems Builder Community-Based Block Grant
• Track 2: The Urban Agriculture Practitioner Grant

To check which funding track your grant award is under, please view the Award Recipients List.

Submit all invoices (aka reimbursement requests) to CDFA by the submission due dates below.

• Invoicing/Reimbursement Request Due Date: 10 calendar days after the end of the applicable month or quarter.
  • NOTE: You may submit reimbursement requests monthly or quarterly.
• Below see due dates for Invoicing/Reimbursement Requests:

This is a reimbursement grant program. Recipients will fund the project and submit monthly or quarterly invoices to the CDFA to be reimbursed. In the case that your organization or farm does not have adequate cashflow to cover costs, applicants may submit an Advanced Payment Request. More information on Advanced Payments in the Advanced Payment section of this webpage.

Timeline:

• Recipients may submit monthly or quarterly Reimbursement Requests to CDFA. The Reimbursement Request due date is 10 calendar days after the applicable month or quarter. Reimbursement occurs within 45 calendar days after your invoice is approved (aka Reimbursement Request) in most circumstances.

Reimbursement Request Process:

1. Email CDFA for Updated Expense Summary Template: When you are ready to prepare a new reimbursement request, email caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov for your updated CDFA Expense Summary Template.
2. Complete Expense Summary Template: Download and complete the Expense Summary Template.
3. Compile Proof of Payment: Compile all Proof of Payment documentation for your Reimbursement Request.
   1. IMPORTANT: Please see the “Proof of Payment Instructions and Templates” section below for details.
4. Email Reimbursement Request to CDFA: Email your completed Expense Summary Template and all accompanying Proof of Payment documentation to caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov
   1. NOTE: Please compile all of your Proof of Payment documentation into one file if possible or name each separate file in accordance with the Proof of Payment category (e.g., “Urban Ag: Equipment”).
5. CDFA will review and, at its discretion, may approve, disallow, or request additional information.
   1. NOTE: CDFA will review reimbursement requests on a “first come, first served” basis.
6. If approved, you may expect to receive a reimbursement check in the mail up to 45 calendar days after your Reimbursement Request is approved, in most circumstances.

• Recipients may be eligible to receive advance payments for project expenditures if they can justify why this is needed. Justifications can include statements such as: “Due to low cash flow the organization does not have the funds at this time to complete the required purchases for the following activities.” Something along those lines as relates to your situation will suffice. You may want to submit a copy of your bank statement as proof of lack of funds.

Timeline:

• Grant recipients may request Advance Payment once the grant term begins and upon receiving a fully executed grant agreem/ent. Advance Payments may take up to 45 calendar days to process.

Advance Payment Request Process:

1. Review Advance Payment Regulations: Advance Payment Regulations (#316.1)
2. Complete Advance Payment Request Form: Download and complete the Advance Payment Request Form
3. Complete Advanced Payment Request Supplement Form: Download and complete the Advance Payment Request Supplement Form
4. Compile Quotes: Compile quotes for any equipment/infrastructure items that you include in your Advance Payment Request. Quotes are required for large expenditures such as Equipment, Infrastructure, and Consultants.
   1. If submitting for Personnel, you must include a description in the Advanced Payment Supplement Form including the titles, wages (FTE or hourly rate), and number of hours expected to work. This information must line up with the numbers in the budget found in your finalized contract also referred to as the Executed Agreement.
5. Email Advance Payment Request to CDFA: Email your completed Advance Payment Request Form, Advance Payment Request Supplement Form, and all accompanying quotes to caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov.
6. CDFA will review and at its discretion, may approve, deny, or request additional information.
   1. NOTE: CDFA will review Advance Payment Requests on a “first come, first served” basis.
7. If approved, you may expect to receive an Advance Payment check in the mail up to 45 calendar days after submitting your Advance Payment Request in most circumstances.
8. Follow the Advance Payment Regulations: Advance Payment Regulations (#316.1)
9. Email the Advance Payment Request Liquidation: Shortly after spending the advance, download and complete the Advanced Payment Request Liquidation Form. Once completed, email the Advance Payment Request Liquidation Form along with expense documentation about how you spent the advance to caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov. Documentation should include:
   1. The Advanced Payment Request Liquidation Form. When filling this out, you should refer to the Advanced Payment Request Supplement Form that you had provided for the advance. The Liquidation Form and the Supplement Form should mirror each other as closely as possible.
   2. Accompanying Proof of Payment for every single item claimed.
   3. You will be unable to request another Advanced Payment until the liquidation of your previous advance has been approved.

When submitting invoices (aka Reimbursement Requests) or Advance Payment expense documentation, please include the following Proof of Payment based on the type of expense.

Please compile all of your Proof of Payment documentation into one file if possible or name each separate file in accordance with the Proof of Payment category (i.e., Equipment, Personnel, Supplies, etc.).

• Infrastructure/Equipment/Materials/Supplies
  • ALL TRACKS: Compile paid invoices or receipts from each vendor documenting each individual item purchased and the dollar amount for each.
  • For equipment purchases: In addition to compiling paid invoices or receipts, complete an Equipment Inventory Record.
    • Please see the “Equipment” section below for a definition of equipment, details about the Equipment Inventory Record, and further information about equipment purchases.
• Personnel
  • Awardees may use their own internal timekeeping records as long as the following information is provided:
    • Name of Employee or Recipient
    • Title (must match what is in your contract)
    • Rate of pay
    • Hours worked
    • Activities performed as relate to activities approved in your contract
  • Alternatively, you may download and complete the Personnel Time Report Template – Option 1 or Option 2
• Travel Costs
  • For mileage costs, download and complete the Mileage Reimbursement Report Template. For other travel costs, compile parking receipts, toll receipts, paid invoices or receipts for bus trips, etc.
• Contractual Costs
  • Compile paid invoices or receipts from the contractor documenting and itemizing the contractual labor costs, costs of contractual services, or other contractual costs.
• Other Costs
  • Compile paid invoices, receipts, or other applicable Proof of Payment to document each cost.
• Indirect Costs
  • No Proof of Payment is needed for indirect costs; however, please keep documentation on file supporting calculation or methodology for determining indirect costs.

The purpose of the Track 1 Systems Builder Community-Based Block Grant increases staff capacity for Community-Based Organizations (CBO’s) with grassroots involvement in urban and regional food systems planning to provide pass-through funding to priority population, urban agriculture stakeholders in their region. Pass through funding, referred to as subawards, can range from $5,000 to $60,000 per subaward. CBO’s may provide subawards to recipients as an Advance Payment or as a Reimbursement.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will request a completed Written Agreement. Written Agreements act as proof of payment and will be due upon submission of an Advanced Payment Liquidation or Reimbursement invoicing cycle where subaward funds are being claimed. If a Written Agreement along with required attachments, is not submitted by the awarded Track 1 CBO, funding in the form of reimbursement or the processing of additional Advanced Payment requests may be denied at the discretion of the CDFA.

Please read through the Subaward Written Agreement Reporting Guide in detail as it provides grantees with directions on requirements to operate the subaward program.

Below please find all documents and templates needed for Track 1 Grantees to successfully report subawards to CDFA.

• Subaward Written Agreement Reporting Guide
• Written Agreement Table 1 - fillable template
• Subaward Budget - fillable template

How to determine if a cost is allowable:

• Your Executed Agreement Budget: Outlines what the approved allowable costs are for your grant project.
• The Request for Applications (RFA): Provides general guidance about allowable costs on pages 13-16.
• Ask us! When in doubt, email the CDFA Urban Agriculture Program at caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov before making a purchase.

A few reminders:

• Equipment Costs: Review Regulations (#303(26), 324.1, 324.2)
• Personnel Costs: Review Regulations (#321)
  • NOTE: Please include sufficient detail about how staff worked on the project in time reports.
• Travel Costs: Review Regulations (#322, 322.1, 322.3) and Review CalHR Travel Page
• Contractual Costs: Review Regulations (#319, 320.1, 320.2, 320.3)
  • NOTE: If a person is working on multiple grant projects, make sure the hours billed to each grant project are distinct.
• Meals/Refreshments at Trainings/Workshops/Gatherings:
  • This may be an allowable cost if it:
    • is directly related to the purpose of the grant program,
    • is directly related to the goals of the applicable funding track,
    • is necessary to achieve the grant project objectives,
    • is necessary to maintain the continuity of a training/meeting, and
    • is reasonable.
  • For example: while it may be necessary to include food at a day-long training that is an important element of the project, or at a meeting held in a remote location lasting more than 3 hours, it may not be necessary to include food at a 2-hour meeting.
  • Reasonableness: Please note that grant recipients utilizing grant funds to purchase food for trainings and meetings must ensure that the food costs are in alignment with the California Department of Human Resources’ per diem meal reimbursement rates (i.e., no more than $13 per person per day for breakfast, no more than $15 per person per day for lunch, and no more than $26 per person per day for dinner).

• What is Equipment?
  • Definition of Equipment (#303(26) of the CDFA Grant Regulations): Tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost of $5,000 or more. The acquisition cost includes the cost of any necessary accessories and all incidental costs incurred to put the asset into place and ready for its intended use.
• What is the Equipment Inventory Record?
  • Recipients must complete and submit an Equipment Inventory Record for each piece of grant-funded equipment that they purchase.
  • Why? The Equipment Inventory Record is based on two sections of the CDFA Grant Regulations:
    • 324.1 Property Records: Recipients shall maintain property records for equipment. At a minimum, property records shall include:
      • A description of the equipment.
      • A serial number or other identification number.
      • Identification of the grant program and grant agreement number under which the equipment is acquired.
      • The acquisition date.
      • The acquisition cost of the equipment, including the cost of any necessary accessories and all incidental costs incurred to put the asset into place and ready for its intended use.
      • The location, use and condition of the equipment.
      • Any ultimate disposition information including date of disposal and sale price of the equipment.
    • 324.2 Disposition of Equipment:
      • If equipment purchased during the term of the grant has a fair market value of less than $5,000 at the close of a grant agreement, it is no longer considered equipment and is not subject to the requirements governing equipment.
      • If the fair market value is $5,000 or more at the close of the grant agreement, the use, management, and disposition of the equipment is subject to approval by the Department. These requirements apply until the fair market value of the equipment is $5,000 or less.
      • A request for disposition of equipment shall be submitted to the Department for approval. The request shall include:
        • The current fair market value of the equipment.
        • A description of the proposed disposition.
        • The signature of an authorized representative.
      • Requests shall be approved or denied, or an alternate disposition offered, by the Department no later than 30 business days from the date the request for disposition is received.
• How to complete and submit an Equipment Inventory Record:
  • Section 1: Complete Section 1 of the Equipment Inventory Record upon purchasing a piece of equipment with grant funds. Submit this form (Section 1 only) to the CDFA Urban Agriculture Program when you either: (a) submit a reimbursement request for the equipment, or (b) submit advance payment expense documentation for the equipment.
    • NOTE: Please also submit Proof of Payment for the equipment.
  • Section 2: Complete Section 2 of each Equipment Inventory Record at the end of the grant agreement term. Submit each Equipment Inventory Record (Sections 1 & 2) to the CDFA Urban Agriculture Program when you submit your final invoice.
  • Section 3: When disposing of equipment, complete Section 3 after contacting the CDFA Urban Agriculture Program for disposition of equipment.
• IMPORTANT NOTE about Equipment Costs:
  • Lease-to-own costs are unallowable (#22 of the CDFA List of Allowable and Unallowable Costs):
    • Recipients may not use grant funds to lease-to-own a piece of equipment.
    • Additionally, if a Recipient is using grant funds to cover the partial cost of a piece of equipment, then they may not finance or take out a loan for the remaining cost of that equipment.
      • However, it is allowable for a Recipient to cover the remaining cost of the equipment out of pocket.

If you need to make a change to your project, grant recipients may submit Scope of Work and/or Budget Revision Requests to CDFA.

• Scope of Work Revisions are for times when an activity described within the narrative sections or in the Appendix A Workplan in your contract have changed. For example, you may need to change the length of an internship program. This change will need to be reflected in a Scope of Work Revision Request Form.
• Budget Revisions are when you want to either move money from one funding category to another funding category, or if you want to change the way you spend funding within a category. Any changes that differ from the approved budget in your contract will require a completed Budget Revision Request Form.
• You will not be approved for requests that drastically change the nature of your project.
• You must get approval from CDFA prior to implementing any revised changes to your project. Unapproved changes may not be eligible for payment.

Revision Request Process:

• Timeline: The Revision Request due date is at least 30 calendar days before the requested implementation date.
• IMPORTANT: All revisions to the Scope of Work and Budget are subject to CDFA approval. Grant recipients may not implement proposed revisions until CDFA has approved the revisions.
• Scope of Work Revision Request Steps:
  1. Complete Revision Request Template: Download and complete the applicable template(s) below:
     • Track 1 Scope of Work Revision Request
     • Track 2 Scope of Work Revision Request
• Budget Revision Request Steps:
  1. For a Budget Revision Request, please email caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov for a Budget Revision Excel Form for you to complete and send back to CDFA for approval. Once completed and submitted, you will receive a Budget Revision Request Form that has been completed for you to sign off on all changes.
     • You will receive a Budget Revision Excel Form. The Budget Revision Excel Form will look exactly like the original budget that was approved and is available in your Executed Agreement. Every line item that has been approved for your project will be visible in this Budget Revision Excel Form. The Budget Revision Excel Form will have additional columns where you can detail specific changes to the existing line items in your budget. You may add new budget items or remove items as needed.
     • After submitting a completed Budget Revision Excel Form with all your changes documented, you will then receive a Budget Revision Request Form to sign. CDFA staff will prepare this document for you.
     • NOTE: This process is slightly different than the process described in the onboarding sessions. Changes were made to help simplify the process and to lessen the administrative burden on grantees.
  2. Email Revision Request to CDFA: Email your completed Revision Request Forms to caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov
  3. CDFA will review and, at its discretion, may approve, deny, or request additional information.
  4. CDFA will let you know the status – approved, denied, or additional information needed.
     • NOTE: If you haven’t received a notification about the status of your Revision Request 10 business days after you submitted your request, please email us at caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov

Below are the slide decks from the grantee onboarding calls. They are here for your reference. However, please view the other sections of this webpage for the most current information.

• Track 1: Systems Builder Community-Based Block Grant
  • Onboarding Slide Deck
  • Onboarding Recording:
    • View the recording
    • Passcode: F2Dbu%8t
• Tracks 2: Urban Agriculture Practitioner
  • Onboarding Slide Deck
  • Onboarding Recording
    • View the recording
    • Passcode: K8msXwg@

Please reach out to the CDFA Urban Agriculture Grant Program if you have any questions.

• Email: caurbanag@cdfa.ca.gov