Agriculture Grants

The City of Milwaukee has launched a new round of grant funding for 2024 focusing on healthy food access in the communities. Donor Name: City of Milwaukee State: Wisconsin City: Milwaukee Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/27/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Fresh Food Access Fund (FFAF) provides financial support to activities that increase fresh food access in underserved communities. Goals The Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Fund (FFAF) aims to financially support activities that increase the access of underserved communities to healthy food choices, partner with community organizations, businesses, and other government entities with a fresh food component, and address the issues identified in the Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Report. Funding Information Grant applicants are required to provide a full budget for the proposed project, identifying the sources and uses of all funds. FFAF grants can cover up to 50% of the cash expenditure required to implement a project, up to a maximum of $25,000. Awards of less than $5,000 may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Eligible uses of Fresh Food Access Fund grants FFAF grants may only be used for capital expenditures related to the establishment, expansion, or improvement of a food-related business that increases access to fresh, healthy food for underserved residents. For example, the following could be considered eligible uses: Purchase of equipment to store and/or prepare healthy food Purchase of furniture, fixtures, and start-up inventory for a healthy food business Build-out of space to house or expand a food retail or production operation Purchase of vehicles to transport healthy food Improvements to the exterior and signage of a fresh food retail operation Construction or equipment activities related to community gardens Soft costs that are specifically necessary to carry out another eligible use of funds. Eligible Projects  The FFAF provides 1:1 matching grants to projects that advance one or more of the following strategies: Attract grocery stores and mobile market stops to underserved neighborhoods Develop other retail outlets in underserved neighborhoods as sources of fresh foods Increase the stock of fresh foods in corner stores Increase the amount of locally grown food that is available to Milwaukee consumers Meet the fresh food needs of populations with special dietary requirements Improve transportation to grocery stores and farmer’s markets for individuals who live in underserved areas. Eligibility Criteria  Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit organizations with current 501(c)3 registration with the US Internal Revenue Service, and for-profit businesses. Other types of entities may be considered on a case-by-case basis. For more information, visit City of Milwaukee.

This program provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers for cleaning up and preventing illegal dumping on their properties.

This funding opportunity assists Minnesota dairy farmers in modernizing their operations and developing strategic business plans by covering half the costs of hiring qualified consultants.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community colleges in Maryland that focus on agricultural and forestry education, as well as rural economic and community development initiatives.

Coshocton Foundation Unrestricted Grant Application Deadline: May 31, 2024 Meeting Date: Early June 2024 Eligibility Criteria: Community organizations with a current 501(c)(3) non-profit designation are eligible to apply. Schools, churches, and government agencies are also eligible. Application Process: Application Criteria and Form: [Click Here](link to application) Contact Number: (740) 622-0010 Submission Details: Completed applications should be sent to: Coshocton Foundation P.O. Box 55 Coshocton, OH 43812 Alternatively, applications may be brought to: Coshocton Foundation Office 220 S. Fourth St. If delivering in person, please use the mail slot in the front door or call the office to make other arrangements. Seven copies of the grant request are required. Deadline for Submission: All applications must be received in the office by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2024.

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 Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources offers the Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant Program, now in its sixth year, to enhance the efficiency and environmental sustainability of cranberry bogs. This competitive grant program provides funds to renovate existing bogs, increasing yields and improving methods of production. The grants aim to minimize environmental impacts, focusing on water quality, efficient water use, and other conservation practices. The application deadline is May 24, 2024, with a maximum funding of $125,000 per applicant and a required 25% cost match. Grant renewed every year.

The purpose of the Tribal Colleges Extension Program: Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE) is to support pilot projects in Extension at the 1994 Land-Grant institutions. A pilot project allows Extension offices to be responsive to community needs through projects that address youth, agriculture, economic development, or other issues important to stakeholders. The TCEP-SE is intended to be a component of the applicant 1994 institutions land-grant roadmap or strategic planning process and can be used to supplement their existing Tribal Colleges Extension Program (TCEP) capacity project by extending the reach of innovations in research and technology and enhancing informal, local educational programming.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) through the Solano County Farm Bureau is pleased to announce funding availability for Healthy Soils Program Block Grant Pilot Program. Donor Name: Solano County Farm Bureau State: California County: Alameda County (CA), Contra Costa County (CA), Sacramento County (CA), Solano County (CA), Yolo County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The objectives of the HSP are to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) by providing financial incentives to California growers and ranchers to implement agricultural management practices that sequester carbon, reduce atmospheric GHG emissions and improve soil health. The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) provides financial incentives in the form of grants to farmers and ranchers to implement conservation management practices that sequester carbon, reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs), and improve soil health. A few eligible practices include: Mulching – Compost Cover Crops Reduced Tillage Riparian, Herbaceous & Woody Plantings Windbreaks Filter Strips Whole Orchard Recycling Funding Information The California Climate Investments (CCI) appropriated $50 million. The maximum award is $100,000 The grant term is three years.  Eligibility Criteria California farmers, ranchers, agricultural business entities, and California Native Americans, are eligible to apply. Nonprofit organizations as agriculture operations are eligible to apply. Grant Recipients must be at least 18 years old. Cannabis cultivation operations are not eligible to apply. Hemp cultivation operations are eligible to apply. Project Eligibility Requirements Projects must be located on agricultural operations in California. For the purposes of this program, an agricultural operation is defined as row crops, vineyard, field and tree crops, commercial nurseries, nursery stock production, and greenhouse operations producing food crops, or flowers as. Projects located on grazing lands (including grasslands, rangelands, and pastures. Grant funds cannot be used for projects that use potted plants and plant growth media other than soil. Grant funds cannot be used for research and product development activities. All entities receiving grant funds must have a physical California business address. Awards are limited to one per agricultural operation using a unique tax identification number per round of funding, including applications submitted to Block Grant Recipients. Applications from Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Solano and Yolo County producers can apply with priority to those qualifying as socially disadvantaged.  For more information, visit CDFA.

Farm Credit East recognizes the significance of farmers’ markets for both producers and consumers. In support of this vital marketing channel, we are offering Farmers' Market Grants of up to $500 to eligible applicants. These grants can be utilized to support participating farmers, enhance markets, improve marketing efforts, and implement programs aimed at aiding disadvantaged communities or enhancing access to fresh, local food. Please note that these grants are intended for public markets where multiple farms sell products, not for individual farm markets. Eligibility: Farmers' markets must be located within Farm Credit East’s eight-state territory: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Preference will be given to first-time applicants and markets serving underserved communities with limited access to fresh, local food. Awards will be granted at the sole discretion of Farm Credit East. How to Apply/Application Requirements: The 2024 application cycle is currently open. Please submit the Farmers' Market Grant Application by 4:00 PM on May 31. Recipients will be notified by late June.

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District is seeking applications for its Community Spaces Matching Grant Program. Donor Name: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District State: California County: Sonoma County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants Deadline: 06/24/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The program focuses on protecting land and creating open spaces within cities and communities, through partnerships with local public agencies, nonprofits and federally recognized tribal organizations. Community Spaces projects have the potential to transform neighborhoods, providing places to recreate, find solitude, hold public gatherings, grow local food, and to experience and learn more of the importance of natural resources and agriculture. Funding Information The Board of Directors have authorized an annual budget of $3,000,000 for MGP project. Eligible Activities The Matching Grant Program has three categories of eligible project types:  Acquisition  Improvement  Acquisition/Improvement combination projects Eligibility Criteria Public agencies  Federally recognized tribes  Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status For more information, visit Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation.

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is accepting applications for its Food Security Processing Grant Program. Donor Name: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) State: Utah County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: The Utah Food Security Processing Grant (UFSPG) was created in 2022 with a $1 million appropriation from the Utah State Legislature. With these funds, UDAF issued grants to Utah-based businesses to increase processing capacity of agricultural products produced in the state. UDAF received additional funding to continue this program during the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions. The UFSPG covers expenses including processing equipment, coolers/freezers, contractor costs (plumbing, draining, electrical work), portion cutters, slaughter equipment, sorting equipment, bottling equipment, etc. Funding Information Individual grant awards will be capped at $200,000. 50% of the funds will be set aside for meat and poultry processing. $20,000 will be held for microgrants of $5,000 or less. Applicants must complete planned improvement, purchase equipment, etc. no earlier than July 1, 2024, and no later than June 30, 2025. Eligible Expenses May include, but are not limited to Coolers/freezers Portion cutters Processing equipment (smoking units, sausage stuffers, etc.) Slaughter equipment (cradles, saws, hooks, scalders, sinks, etc.) Electronic sorting equipment (e.g. grading and sizing for apples, cherries, or peaches) Bottling equipment for juices Contractor costs (plumbing, draining, venting, electrical work) Eligibility Criteria Grants of up to $200,000 are available to processors located in Utah with no more than 100 employees who use at least 51% of ingredients or product inputs that were grown/raised in Utah, or that sell at least 51% of their products to Utah consumers. Meat/poultry processors wishing to apply must be either: A state-inspected “equal-to” slaughter and/or processing plant, A licensed custom-exempt slaughter plant, or A Talmadge-Aiken (TA) or very small federally inspected plant. For more information, visit UDAF.

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.

This program provides matching funds to eligible farmers in New Jersey for building wildlife fences to protect their crops from deer, bear, and other wildlife, with support available until the budget is exhausted.

This notice announces the availability of funds for fiscal year (FY) 2024 and solicits applications from community-based and non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and Tribal entities to compete for financial assistance through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (hereinafter referred to as the 2501 Program). The term veteran, as used in this program, refers to military veterans. The overall goal of the 2501 Program is to encourage and assist underserved farmers and ranchers, military veteran farmers and ranchers, and beginning farmers and ranchers with owning and operating farms and ranches and in participating equitably in the full range of agricultural, forestry, and related programs offered by USDA. It also includes projects that develop underserved youths' interest in agriculture. In partnership with the OPPE, eligible entities may compete for funding on projects that provide education and training in agriculture, agribusiness, forestry, agricultural-related services, and USDA programs, and to conduct outreach initiatives designed to accomplish those goals. This partnership includes working closely with OPPE, attend OPPE-led events in your proposed service territory, and collaborate with USDA Service Centers located in your state (Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development).

This track of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program provides approximately $1 million for grants aimed at purchasing equipment necessary for the middle of the food supply chain activities in Vermont. The grants range from $30,000 to $100,000 with no match requirement. Applications for this track are set to open in late August 2024 and close in early October 2024, with grant activities beginning in early 2025.

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program, funded by the USDA, allocates approximately $2 million for infrastructure grants to Vermont businesses and organizations aiming to strengthen local and regional food systems. The grants support projects that improve the aggregation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, and wholesaling of Vermont food products. This track encourages development of Vermont value-added products and promotes fair wages and job creation. A 50% match is required, which can be reduced to 25% for historically underserved farmers. Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and are available from fall 2024 through February 2027.

USDA/FAS will accept applications for projects in the following priority countries: Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi, and Rwanda. Of these, Angola and El Salvador are countries that do not currently have active McGovern-Dole projects. Applicants are advised to refer to Appendix B: Country Specific Guidance for country-specific information on program emphasis and agency priorities. USDA/FAS will also accept applications for non-priority countries; however, it will prioritize funding applications for the identified priority countries. McGovern-Dole projects are implemented in low-income, food-deficit countries globally.

The Washington State Department of COMMERCE, hereafter called “COMMERCE,” is initiating this Request for Applications (RFA) to fund clean energy projects in Washington through a combination of funding sources. Donor Name: Washington State Department of Commerce State: Washington County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Commerce is now accepting applications to support the planning, design, and construction of clean energy projects through a general round which is open to all eligible project types and applicants. Approximately $34 million will be available in the general round to support the following project areas: Electric grid modernization and innovation Innovative large-scale and dual-use solar Solar energy retrofits for public buildings Clean energy project siting and permitting Building, industry, aviation and maritime Decarbonization Clean energy projects that leverage private and federal funding. Project Categories  Large scale solar innovation Planning or a construction project. Planning project must lead to a capital asset. Solar array(s) must have alternating current (AC) nameplate capacity of more than 100 kW at a single site or more than 1 MW across multiple sites Cannot displace critical habitat or productive farmland Dual-use solar Planning or a construction project Must involve commercial, dual-use solar power demonstration Hard to decarbonize and economic development Planning or a construction project. Planning project must lead to a capital asset. Project must achieve one or more of the following goals: Reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sector Bring private investment and federal funding to the state Grid integration and innovation Planning or a construction project Must develop and demonstrate distributed energy resources and non-wire alternatives Must be for electrical grid integration and innovation projects Must do at least one of the following: Support implementation of demand response Improve integration of renewable energy and energy storage Advance community resilience Support implementation of sustainable microgrids Accelerate beneficial load integration and demand management for at least one of the following: Building electrification Equipment electrification Electric vehicle charging Clean energy siting and permitting Planning projects only Must support siting and permitting of clean energy projects through at least one of the following methods: Support pre-development work at sites for clean energy projects Support land use studies Conduct or engage in planning efforts such as planned actions and programmatic environmental impact statements (EIS) Improve permit timeliness and certainty with staff, expertise or databases Solar installations on existing public buildings Construction projects only Must purchase and install solar PV only at an existing public building (must have a certificate of occupancy prior to application). Funding Information The minimum award amount is $50,000, and the maximum award amount for a single award is $3,000,000. Eligibility Criteria  Unless the Applicant is a federally recognized tribe, applicants must be licensed to do business in the State of Washington or submit a statement of commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as an Apparently Successful Contractor. Applicants must be in good standing with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and requirements, including with the Department of Commerce. Applicants must be one of the following entities (please note, not all entities are eligible for all project categories. Associate development organization Federally recognized tribal government For-profit entity Investor-owned, co-operative, or public retail electric utility K-12 school district Local government Non-profit organization Private educational institution or public higher education institution Other academic or research institution State agency Tribes’ contracted service providers. For more information, visit WSDC.

The Rural Maryland Council is accepting applications for 2025 Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund Grant: Regional Planning and Development Councils. Donor Name: Rural Maryland Council State: Maryland County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/17/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: The objective of the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) is to help raise the overall standard of living in rural areas to a level that meets or exceeds statewide benchmark averages by 2030 while preserving the best aspects of a cultural heritage and rural way of life. Resources provided to the Fund are designed to facilitate significant targeted investments in important economic and community development programs and promote regional and intergovernmental cooperation. These investments will also enable local and regional public and nonprofit organizations to leverage additional non-state financial and human resources to facilitate the realization of sustainable rural development objectives. The Fund will serve the interests of the entire State by: Encouraging the increase of entrepreneurial activity and commerce and a balanced economy in the State; Relieving conditions of unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; Assisting in the retention of valuable farm and forest land for productive use by present and future generations; Promoting intergovernmental cooperation and public sector/private sector partnerships in and between rural and other areas; Enhancing the deployment of housing, transportation, water, wastewater, and broadband communications infrastructure and services in rural areas; Supporting rural commercial center redevelopment and community revitalization efforts; and, Generally promoting the health, happiness, safety, employment opportunity, and general welfare of the residents of each of the rural counties and municipal corporations of the State. Regional Councils: The General Assembly has established five regional planning and development councils to concentrate on the needs of specific rural regions and ensure that those areas are not overlooked in public policy discussions. Each council serves a three-county area that is geographically, culturally and socioeconomically similar. By working together and ignoring jurisdictional lines when need be, the rural regions have become stronger and more effective in finding solutions to the challenges before them. The regional councils have brought elected, civic, and business leaders in their regions together to help create economic development strategies, preserve and assist agricultural and resource-based industries, obtain federal funding for infrastructure improvements, coordinate and sometimes even manage regional transportation projects (including public transit services), and develop support for a diverse set of public policy initiatives. Rural regional planning and development assistance will provide grants specifically for projects and activities of the five rural regional planning and development councils and for other multi-county rural improvement efforts. The Councils have established strategic needs within the rural communities which will be reflected in the approved grant agreements. Funding Information Each regional council is eligible to receive $600,000 in FY2025 for rural regional planning and development assistance. Eligibility Criteria  Tri-County Council of Western Maryland, Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland, Upper Shore Regional Council, Mid-Shore Regional Council, Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, and multicounty efforts serving rural communities in areas not served by the regional councils. For more information, visit RMC.