Pennsylvania Business and Commerce Grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offers Simplified Equipment-Only Grants under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, aimed at strengthening food system infrastructure. These grants provide financial support solely for equipment purchases necessary for food production and processing. Each grant ranges from $10,000 to $100,000 and does not require cost-sharing or matching. Recipients must substantiate equipment costs through documentation such as contracts or quotes. The program emphasizes enhancing the capabilities of small and mid-size producers and benefits diverse groups including underserved and veteran farmers. Projects must be completed between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026.

The Infrastructure Grants, part of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, aim to enhance the middle of the food supply chain through improved aggregation points, food processing infrastructure, and storage facilities. This grant supports projects that upgrade equipment, facilitate transition to licensed spaces, and expand storage capacities to boost local food production. Priority is given to projects that benefit underserved and veteran farmers, and socially disadvantaged individuals. Funding is prioritized for needs such as food hubs, cooperative developments, and increased cold storage, especially in urban areas.

The Clean Water Cumberland is now accepting applications for the Clean Water Grant Program (CWGP). Donor Name: County of Cumberland State: Pennsylvania County: Cumberland County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: The CWGP provides financial support for “shovel-ready” initiatives that aim to enhance local water quality in Cumberland County. Program Objectives  The objectives of the CWGP are: Maximize the impact of limited pollution reduction funding by investing in priority water quality projects. Develop a water quality project backlog that can help leverage additional government and nonprofit funding. Pursue multifaceted pollution reduction strategies across a variety of water quality stakeholders. Accelerate progress toward the county’s pollution reduction goals through activities of other water quality stakeholders. Institutionalize an annual project identification process that can be integrated into county CAP development plans. Funding Information Annual program funding is variable and dependent upon the level of federal, state, corporate and nonprofit sources secured by the county. It is anticipated that approximately $500,000 will be available for subawards in 2025. There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount. There is no cash match requirement, however, projects with local match will receive higher priority consideration in the evaluation process. All funding decisions are at the sole discretion of Cumberland County and contingent upon the approval of PADEP. Grant Period Period of Grant Performance: March 2025-December 2025. Eligible Applicants Eligible CWGP applicants are limited to the following groups: Non-profit 501(c) organizations, Municipal governments, Educational institutions, Businesses with headquarters located within Cumberland County, Other organizations as deemed eligible by the county. For more information, visit County of Cumberland.

The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is excited to announce the Beautification Grant Program. Donor Name: Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau State: Pennsylvania County: Carbon County (PA), Monroe County (PA), Pike County (PA), Wayne County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/06/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Grant dollars will help fund a variety of projects intended to support and enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the Pocono Mountains. Funding Information Grant cap request: $20,000.00. Uses of funds Grant funds may be used to support projects that: Beautify outdoor areas surrounding local hospitality and tourism businesses throughout the cities, boroughs, and townships in Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Carbon Counties. Improve existing gateways/signage. Improve beautification and facades throughout the cities, boroughs, and townships. Eligible Projects  Eligible projects may include but are not limited to: Landscaping, outdoor seating, planters, trash cans, benches, recycling programs, trash removal, removal of overgrown weeds/brush/trees, upgrade of signage and facades. Eligibility Criteria  Local government including, but not limited to, cities, boroughs, and townships. Municipal and redevelopment authorities and agencies. For more information, visit PMVB.

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 Department of Commerce launched the PHL Made Grant, a fund that contributes to the growth of manufacturing companies located in Philadelphia and promotes innovation in the industry. Donor Name: City of Philadelphia State: Pennsylvania City: Philadelphia Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/04/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: For the purpose of this grant program, the manufacturing industry is defined as companies engaged in the production of goods using tools, labor, and machinery. This includes but is not limited to companies producing consumer goods, industrial goods and medical devices. Funding Information Applicants can apply for a matching grant award amount of up to $30,000 per company. Eligibility Criteria  Company must be located in Philadelphia. Company must have been in operation for at least one year. Company must be engaged in the manufacturing of goods. Company must have funds to match grant requested. Funding Consideration   Companies that have a clear plan for how they will use the grant funds to improve their business operations, increase efficiency, and/or bring new products to market. Companies that maintain and/or create jobs with a commitment to hiring Philadelphia residents. Past PHL Made Grant awardees are eligible to apply if they have not received over $10,000 in PHL Made Grant funds in the last three years. For more information, visit City of Philadelphia.

This program provides funding to expand high-speed internet access in underserved areas of Pennsylvania, targeting households and businesses lacking adequate broadband service.

This funding opportunity assists communities in developing a portfolio of ready sites to attract and support growing businesses, with loans available specifically for private developers.

This funding provides financial support to Pennsylvania counties, cities, and local governments to aid in COVID-19 response, economic recovery, and public health improvements.

This program provides funding to support proactive engagement with local businesses in Pennsylvania, helping them to retain and expand by fostering strong relationships with economic and workforce development partners.

The General Appropriation Act of 2020 (1A of 2020) and the Supplement to the General Appropriation Act of 2020 (Act 17A of 2020) together appropriated a combined total of $5,000,000 to establish the State Facility Closure Transition Program (SFCTP). The SFCTP is intended to ensure adequate community support following the closure of commonwealth facilities in directly impacted and contiguous counties. Financial Info: The General Appropriation Act of 2020 (1A of 2020) and the Supplement to the General Appropriation Act of 2020 (Act 17A of 2020) together appropriated a combined total of $5,000,000 to establish the State Facility Closure Transition Program (SFCTP). The SFCTP is intended to ensure adequate community support following the closure of commonwealth facilities in directly impacted and contiguous counties.

This funding is designed to assist state and local governments in covering necessary expenses related to the COVID-19 public health emergency that were not included in their previous budgets.

This funding supports projects in the Appalachian Region that create jobs, improve infrastructure, enhance education and health, and strengthen community development.

This funding initiative provides financial support and business expertise to early-stage life science and biotechnology companies in Pennsylvania to foster innovation and job creation in the industry.

This program provides funding to address the environmental and safety risks posed by abandoned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania.

This program provides financial support for job skills training to help employers in Pennsylvania enhance the skills of their new and existing employees.

This program provides free technical assistance to small Pennsylvania businesses to help them improve their operations and competitiveness by connecting them with expert resources and solutions for specific technical challenges.

This program provides financial assistance ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to small businesses in Pennsylvania that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This program provides $200 million in competitive funding to improve broadband access in underserved areas lacking reliable internet service of at least 25/3 Mbps.

This funding is aimed at fostering collaboration among regional economic development organizations to improve services for businesses and create a more effective statewide economic strategy.