Grants for Small businesses - Agriculture

The IDEA Fund program is a state-sponsored venture capital initiative that utilizes public funding (both state and federal) to drive economic development within the state. The primary focus of this program is to foster innovation and support technology-driven entrepreneurial endeavors that contribute to the state’s overall economic development growth. MTC’s Venture Capital Program was created to accelerate private venture capital investment in Missouri-based start-up companies and to increase the overall investment impact of third-party investments. The Venture Capital Program supports technology startups through matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $2,000,000 for the purpose of scaling the business to attract additional venture capital. Since 2010, MTC has invested over $49 million in more than 150 early-stage Missouri-based high-growth technology-focused companies. Since 2018, our portfolio companies have gone on to raise over $1.6 billion in additional private capital.

This program provides financial assistance to businesses and property owners in Portsmouth for improving and renovating commercial spaces to enhance the local streetscape and attract more interest in the area.

Roanoke County Economic Development Authority’s Business Equipment Acquisition Program (BEAP) Grant offers funding opportunities for eligible for-profit businesses that desire to bolster their operations through the acquisition of new capital. Donor Name: Roanoke County Economic Development Authority State: Virginia County: Roanoke County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding Information The Authority will award grants of up to 50% of capital acquisition costs in amounts up to $20,000 per award. Eligible Acquisitions Eligible capital acquisitions must be taxable, pursuant of the Roanoke County Code, as business personal property or business machinery or tools. Examples include: Tangible Personal Property such as furniture, fixtures, office and business machines, tools and equipment used in any business or profession. Computer Equipment Only. Does not include software. Includes computer equipment, printers, disk drives, mouse, modem, etc. Machinery & Tools used in manufacturing, mining, processing, broadcasting, dry cleaners, commercial laundry, and dairy businesses. Eligibility Criteria In order to qualify for an award, a business must:  Employ more than three (3) full-time employees (or FTEs) at a physical location in Roanoke County, Have operated as a for-profit business for at least one year in Roanoke County,  Have a current County or town business license and be in good standing with all applicable requirements, and Have been and continue to be in compliance and in good standing with all local ordinances, on the County tax rolls, current with Roanoke County taxes/fees or other assessments, and have a current business license as required. For more information, visit Roanoke County Economic Development Authority

The USDA SBIR/STTR programs focus on transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Unlike fundamental research, the USDA SBIR/STTR programs support small businesses in the creation of innovative, disruptive technologies and enable the application of research advancements from conception into the market. The STTR program aims to foster technology transfer through formal cooperative R between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions.

Grant funds for this program are for small agricultural businesses that have been financially impacted by severe drought and/or flooding in the State of California and will be disbursed in the following groups for awards of up to $100,000. Drought Groups: • Drought Group 3 funds will be allocated to qualified small agricultural businesses that do not file their 2022 tax returns until 2024 (application opens in 2024).     Previous funding groups (Drought Groups 1 and 2, and Flood Group 1) are closed and funds are no longer available. The current allocation of funds is only applicable for agricultural businesses that meet the definition above for Drought Group 3.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is offering grants through the relaunch of the Materials Management grants program, which has been renamed the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grants Program. Donor Name: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality State: Oregon County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/18/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The purpose of the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grants program is to support statewide efforts to reduce the environmental and human health impacts of materials at all stages of their life cycle. The goal of the program is to build local capacity and support community solutions that address the environmental, social and health impacts created by production, consumption, use and disposal of materials. The objectives of the program are to: Inspire promising solutions to reduce the impacts of materials by funding innovative projects and programs. Empower community action to reach environmental solutions. Create environmental and health benefits that result from more sustainable consumption and use of materials. Advance equity and environmental justice by providing resources to historically underserved and underrepresented communities across Oregon. Funding Area  In an effort to make the  application process more accessible and streamlined, the program will focus on one annual funding area each year. For the 2024 grant cycle, the annual funding area is waste prevention. Waste prevention is an environmentally centered approach to reduce the consumption of natural resources and generation of waste before something becomes trash or pollution. Waste prevention activities reduce waste by changing product design, by using less, by using something longer, or by repairing it. DEQ may award grants for activities that reduce the environmental and human health impacts of materials such as: A farmers market purchasing reusable dishes to eliminate single-use products Establishing or expanding services for community tool libraries or other share libraries. A small business buying a new technology to etch glass instead of applying plastic product labels. A store investing in bulk storage for resupplying low-waste products. Funding Information Up to $ 1,000,000 is available for the 2024 grant cycle. $ 25,000 is the minimum available for individual grant awards. $ 125,000 is the maximum available for individual grant awards. Grant Period DEQ anticipates that grant agreements will be drafted beginning in January 2025. The grant term begins the date that the grant agreement is signed. After signing the agreement, recipients must complete their projects within 24 months. Eligible Activities Education and outreach Training Research Program, project or policy development Workforce development Eligible Costs Administrative costs, such as travel, office expenses, and overhead Salaries and benefits for project personnel and payments to consultants or contractors Publications and other printed materials Machinery, vehicles, equipment, signs, containers and project-related supplies. Eligible Applicants Local governments, Nonprofit (501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status) or fiscally sponsored organizations, Organizations created by an Oregon public entity, Tribal nations, Public schools, Public universities, Community colleges, or Small businesses of 50 people or less. For more information, visit Oregon DEQ.

Applications are now open for the gBETA AgBioScience Accelerator for early-stage companies focusing on AgBioScience. Donor Name: Gener8tor State: Indiana County: All Counties Type of Grant: Program Deadline: 08/19/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: gBETA is a free, seven-week, pre-accelerator program for companies that are looking to achieve rapid growth and/or raise venture capital. gBETA runs multiple times every year in cities across the United States. Up to five companies from a range of verticals are selected from a competitive applicant pool to participate in the free seven-week program. Participating companies receive: Individualized coaching and mentorship from the team of nationally ranked accelerator gener8tor on company growth and investor readiness Weekly “Lunch & Learns” and “Mentor Swarms” Investor and accelerator pitches $1M+ in deals and perks from vendors like IBM Cloud, Rackspace, Amazon, Paypal, Zendesk, Hubspot and Microsoft Ongoing post-program support and gener8tor community involvement and offerings Eligibility Criteria National Based Program gBETA Agbioscience is a national-based accelerator for early-stage companies with a focus on agriculture innovations. It is hosted in Indianapolis with in-person and virtual components. You’re Committed While they don’t expect you to be full-time on your business yet, programming is about a five-hour commitment each week, and they expect that you will be spending additional time working on your business each week outside of the program. You’re Ready to Grow gBETA companies range from “I have an idea” to “I have significant revenue.” Although most gBETA companies are post-product, pre-scale, as long as you are ready to make use of coaching on customer growth and investor readiness, mentor meetings, and investor and accelerator pitches, they’re ready for you! For more information, visit Gener8tor.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Texas Rural Woman Grant. Donor Name: Texas Woman’s University State: Texas County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/05/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose is to create greater economic development activity in rural Texas by encouraging and enabling rural woman-owned, small businesses to undertake new and innovative projects. Funding Information A total of ten $5,000 grants for a total of $50,000 are available for this round of funding. What can the funds be used for? Purchase of machinery, equipment, or technology. Farm implements or machinery. Addition or acquisition of new inventory or raw materials. Purchase and installation of fixtures or display units. Property improvements that will result in increased sales and revenue. Marketing or advertising campaigns. Any other business-related activity that CWE deems is aligned with the stated purpose of this program. Who can apply? Eligible businesses must satisfy all of the following conditions: Existing rural, woman-owned businesses (at least 51% directly owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens). The business owner must reside in Texas. The business must currently be set up as a legal business entity. The business must be a for-profit corporation, partnership, LLP or LLC, or sole proprietorship. Not-for-profit corporations or similar nonprofit entities are not eligible. If the business or business owner owns the premises where the business operates, all property taxes must be current. All sales, payroll, and other taxes must be current. The business must be located and operated within an eligible Texas County. The business, business owner and the applicant must not be involved in any pending or current litigation. The business owner must not have any felonies or convictions for a crime of dishonesty or breach of trust. Previous grant winners cannot apply. The business must be in one of the eligible rural counties in Texas. The business, business owner and applicant are operating with all required permits and licenses and are conforming to all required laws. Grant Requirements  The successful applicant will receive two installments of the award: $2,500 after signing the grant agreement, a photo release and all required paperwork for payment. $2,500 following completion of a small business training course hosted by the Center for Women Entrepreneurs, 3 hours of small business advising/mentoring and submission and approval of a completed business plan with three years of financials. Additionally, itemized receipts or proof of purchases made with initial grant funds of $2,500 (costs must have been incurred after receiving grant funding) must be provided to CWE to receive the remaining $2,500. You need to meet with CWE staff to talk over the grant specifics and ask any questions you have. Use the spreadsheet that the CWE provides for documentation. The University will send winners a 1099 for the grant funds received. Ineligible applicants Any business that is not on the rural county list. TWU faculty/staff (or any immediate family member of the applicant’s family, including spouse, child, parent), trustee, and advisory committee member. TWU Students are not eligible to apply. Prior grant winners. Applicants who have taken part in any CWE program in the last year including AccelerateHER, TechFW or NTEEC awardees. For more information, visit TWU.

In 2021, the California state legislature appropriated $3 million in funding to the Department to develop a Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program to help minimize the impact of gray wolves on livestock producers. The pilot program offers compensation to eligible livestock producers specific to the following primary areas of need (prongs):  Prong 1. Direct Loss - Compensation for verified livestock losses (confirmed/probable wolf) incurred on or after September 23, 2021. Prong 2. Nonlethal Deterrents - Compensation for the use of nonlethal deterrence methods to deter wolf presence near livestock. The Department supports the use of various deterrent tools and techniques as part of a robust, integrated deterrence strategy. Technical assistance may be available through CDFW, County Agricultural Commissions, UC Cooperative Extension, USDA Wildlife Service, and other agency partners. Prong 3. Pay for Presence - Compensation for indirect losses associated with the impacts of wolf presence on livestock in known pack territory. Extenuating circumstances may exist whereby CDFW will consider eligibility for wolf presence outside of known pack territory on a case-by-case basis.

This program provides cost-share assistance to private and public landowners with 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land to improve forest resources, including wildlife habitat and soil and water quality, through various forestry management activities.

The Effectiveness Monitoring Committee (EMC) is seeking project proposals that: (1)   Address one or more of the EMC’s Research Themes and Critical Monitoring Questions and; (2)   Address natural resource protection issues that are important for California forestlands. The critical monitoring questions are organized under 12 Research Themes. Four prioritized critical questions were determined by vote amongst the current EMC members at the beginning of each calendar year:  Are the FPRs and associated regulations effective in...  Question 1h: managing WLPZs to reduce or minimize potential fire behavior and rate of spread? Question 6c:  managing fuel loads, vegetation patterns and fuel breaks for fire hazard reduction? Question 6d: managing forest structure and stocking standards to promote wildfire resilience? Question 12a: improving overall forest wildfire resilience and the ability of forests to respond to climate change (e.g., in response to drought or bark beetle; reducing plant water stress) and variability, and extreme weather events (evaluate ecosystem functional response to fuel reduction and forest health treatments)? I.       FUNDING AVAILABILITY. Funding available for newly proposed projects is anticipated as follows: $973,392 over three FYs beginning in 2024/25, comprising: $173,232 in FY 2024/25; $375,160 in FY 2025/26; and $425,000 in FY 2025/26. II.     AWARD LIMITATIONS. Applicants requesting more than the stated annual amount available for funding will not be considered. In the case that EMC funding for the full three years is awarded to one new project, project solicitation may not occur in the subsequent two FYs. While the EMC may choose to fund projects that span multiple FYs up to the annual funding cap, the EMC generally prefers to fund multiple research projects annually. Proposers should keep this in mind when developing their project and annual budget requests. Longer-term projects (greater than three years) may re-apply for funding for additional years through the competitive grants process advertised in the EMC’s Request for Proposals. Annual allocations are dependent upon demonstrated progress towards project completion pursuant to the project schedule and workplan.  a.      ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES. Eligible projects will test one or more specific FPRs or other rule or regulation under the Board’s jurisdiction and which addresses one or more of the EMC’s Research Themes and Critical Monitoring Questions. Proposed projects must clearly apply to management activities on private timberlands in California. Projects on public land may be eligible for EMC funding provided they clearly apply to the activities and systems that also exist on non-federal timberland. b.      ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS. Eligible applicants are local, state, and federal agencies including federal land management agencies; institutions of higher education; special purpose districts (e.g., public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports); Native American tribes; private landowners; for-profit entities; and non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations.

This summer, small farmers and ranchers have a grant opportunity through the Board of County Commissioners. The Board is funding a mini-grant to Alachua County-based farms and ranches that earn between $1,000 and $250,000 annually. Funding is for capital and equipment expenditures that will positively impact these operation’s income. The total grant request must not exceed $5,000. Only one application per farm or ranch is permitted. The total funding available for this mini-grant is approximately $100,000. To reduce inequity in marginalized communities, this grant will also prioritize small farms and ranches owned by black, women, indigenous, and persons-of-color. Applications must be in the County Manager’s Office by 5 PM June 28, 2024.​ Applicants will complete the application and submit it to Alachua County’s Office of Sustainability, Equity, and Economic Development Strategies. Applications may be submitted by email to [email protected]​

The BARN grant program aims to preserve Kansas barns, reviving underutilized, vacant, or dilapidated structures while fostering new economic activity through agritourism ventures. These building grants are specifically designed to rescue barns from likely demolition or collapse and rehabilitate them into spaces conducive for new or expanding agritourism businesses. The types of projects we are looking for with the BARN grant are those that will encourage people, particularly from out of state, to visit agritourism locations in Kansas. All projects should have an accountable tie to the tourism industry. The future uses of the barn, transformed through the BARN program, are not solely about preserving historical structures. Rather, they are about repurposing these spaces into vibrant hubs for agritourism activities, thereby injecting new life and economic opportunities into communities. Agritourism ventures capitalize on the appeal of agricultural experiences, offering visitors opportunities to engage with farming, local food production, and rural culture in immersive and educational ways.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture has entered into a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to administer the Resilient Food System Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program in Vermont. Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets (VAAFM) State: Vermont County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/05/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The program aims to: Promote development of Vermont value-added products; Support initiatives that provide fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities that keep profits in rural communities; Increase and diversify processing capacity across the state, with an emphasis on underserved communities; Improve the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Vermont food products for local and regional markets; Target gaps and opportunities in pandemic assistance and existing USDA grant programs that support the agricultural supply chain. Funding will be focused on projects that: Improve job quality through increased wages, benefits, and/or worker safety and well being; Focus on small and medium-sized enterprises that expand services and product offerings for consumers and producers (with an emphasis on value-added products); Demonstrate local support for the project; Are submitted by cooperatives, farmer, and worker-owned enterprises. Funding Information Approximately $2,000,000 will be available for infrastructure projects. Grants can range from $100,000 – $500,000 and will run from fall 2024 through February 2027.  Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants must be domestically owned, physically located in Vermont, and registered in Vermont with the Vermont Secretary of State. Sole proprietors using a business name other than their own name must have their assumed business name (formerly known as a trade name) registered with the Vermont Secretary of State. Eligible entities can include: Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Nonprofit organizations operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Local government entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural product. These include organizations such schools (K-12; colleges/universities), hospitals, food banks, gleaners, food rescue, workplace cafeterias, correctional facilities, farmers markets, and care centers (senior, preschools). For-profit entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, or distribution of targeted agricultural products, whose activities are primarily focused for the benefit of local and regional producers, and that meet the eligibility requirements of the Small Business Administration (SBA) small business size standards, matched to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. For more information, visit VAAFM.

Albemarle County is offering the second round of Agribusiness Resiliency Grants to support direct-market agribusinesses impacted by the pandemic, including local farms, food businesses, orchards, wineries, and cideries. The program aims to mitigate the effects of higher operating costs and difficulties in accessing capital by providing financial aid. The grants can be used for new capital investments, sustainable agricultural practices, public health and safety enhancements, and compliance with regulations. The application period is from April 19 to May 10, 2024, and applicants must be in good standing with a County business license.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) is currently accepting applications for grant projects under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI). Donor Name: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture State: Pennsylvania County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The RFSI program will transform the food system to benefit consumers, producers, and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-size producers. To be more resilient, the food system of the future needs to be more diversified, distributed, and local. Funding Priorities The USDA encourages projects that benefit underserved farmers and ranchers, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, veteran producers, and processors and other middle of the supply chain businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals, as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will prioritize funding projects that pertain to the following gaps identified in the middle of the food supply chain in Pennsylvania. Aggregation Points – Aggregation points, include food hubs or farmer cooperatives to help individual producers fulfill bigger orders while saving costs on storage, packaging, and distribution. Food Processing Infrastructure – As Pennsylvanian food processors look to expand their production capacities by adding product types, increasing production volumes, or increasing packaging and labeling capacities for retail product lines, they need to upgrade equipment and often need to move to a licensed space outside of their homes. Food processing infrastructure also includes large-scale commercial equipment. Storage – In Pennsylvania, more storage is needed to hold produce to be washed and distributed. Limited cold storage is available in urban areas. More storage is also needed to segregate and supply identity preserved grains, whole grains, and dry bean for human consumption to processing plants in Pennsylvania. Funding Information Simplified Equipment-Only Grants will range in value from a minimum award of $10,000 and a maximum award of $100,000 and do not require cost sharing or matching. The Simplified Equipment-Only Grant is a fixed price grant, meaning it will fund only equipment purchases (and not associated facility upgrades, staffing, or other costs), and the amount awarded will be equal to the cost of the equipment up to $100,000. Funds will be awarded no earlier than July 1, 2024, and projects must be completed by June 30, 2026. Eligibility Criteria  The following are eligible to apply for grants under the Program: Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors. Nonprofit organizations operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. For-profit entities operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products, whose activities are primarily focused for the benefit of local and regional producers and that meet the eligibility requirements of the SBA small business size standards. Local government entities operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Tribal governments operating middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. Institutions such as schools, universities or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or investing in equipment that will benefit multiple producers’ middle of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation or distribution of targeted agricultural products. For-profit entities must meet the eligibility requirements of the SBA small business size standards matched to industries described in the North American Industry Classification System. Applicant businesses and organizations must be domestically owned and applicants’ facilities must be physically located within this Commonwealth. Applicants doing business along the Commonwealth’s border should only apply in one state to avoid duplication of Federal funds. For more information, visit PDA.

The Ohio Meat Processing Grant Program, initially established by House Bill 110 of the 134th Ohio General Assembly and further funded by House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly, is designed to support Ohio livestock and poultry producers. This program offers grants up to $500,000 to assist in the improvement and expansion of meat harvesting/processing services. These grants aim to enhance processing efficiency and support the expansion or construction of facilities on existing sites. Administered by the Ohio Department of Development, eligible businesses must be for-profit entities operating a Federal or State registered meat harvesting/processing facility in Ohio as of July 1, 2023. Funding can cover a range of costs associated with plant construction/expansion and the purchase of new/upgraded machinery or technology, excluding personnel costs, land purchases, and non-eligible expenses. A total of $14 million in funds is available for Fiscal Year 2024, with grants covering no more than 65% of project costs, requiring matching funds for the remainder. Grant renewed every year.

This grant program, overseen by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture in consultation with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), is dedicated to supporting infrastructure improvements for roadways and bridges. It aims to facilitate the development or expansion of new or existing value-added agriculture businesses by enhancing access and transportation infrastructure. Political subdivisions are invited to apply for funding to undertake corridor improvements on county and township roadways and improvements to bridges that provide access to value-added agriculture businesses. The program commits to awarding grants up to $1,250,000 or 80% of the project cost, prioritizing projects that demonstrate significant potential for economic impact on the agriculture sector. Rolling application. Deadline is 04/01/2025 unless funds are depleted earlier

Administered by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, this grant focuses on utility improvements necessary for the support of value-added agriculture businesses. It offers financial assistance for water and wastewater line improvements, as well as electrical and gas supply enhancements to accommodate the unique needs of agriculture businesses aiming for development or expansion. Grants are available up to $350,000 or 80% of the utility project cost, with a commitment to supporting projects that bolster the infrastructure required for sustainable agriculture growth and efficiency. Rolling application. Deadline is 04/01/2025 unless funds are depleted earlier

The Effectiveness Monitoring Committee (EMC), serving as an advisory body to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, aims to fund scientific research that tests the effectiveness of the California Forest Practice Rules and associated regulations. This includes addressing natural resource issues such as watershed science, wildlife concerns, and wildfire hazard. Proposals are sought that focus on one or more of EMC's Research Themes and Critical Monitoring Questions, particularly those that contribute to understanding and enhancing wildfire resilience and response to climate change across California's forestlands. Projects must directly relate to management activities on private timberlands in the state, although those on public lands may qualify if they demonstrate relevance to non-federal timberland activities.