4 Apr 2021
Have You Applied for the Value-Added Producer Grant?
Administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service of the USDA, VAPG provides grant funding to independent producers, including farmer and rancher groups and collectives, to develop or expand value-added producer-owned businesses. There are two types of grants awarded through VAPG:
Planning projects
provide grant funds of up to $75,000 in economic planning activities such as the development of business and marketing plans and feasibility studies needed to establish viable marketing opportunities for value-added products
Working capital projects
are directly related to the processing and/or marketing of value-added products with a maximum award amount of $250,000. In general, applications with requests of $50,000 or more must be supported by an independent feasibility study and business plan.
Who is eligible? Viable entities that are eligible to apply include:
- Independent, individual agricultural producers
- Groups of agricultural producers
- Majority-controlled producer-based business ventures
- Farmer or rancher cooperatives
How to apply: More information can be found on USDA’s VAPG grant page, where you will find toolkit guides for both grant projects, required documentation, and steps on preliminary actions your operation should take prior to submitting an application. Get in touch with your state office's Business Program Specialist to walk through your project and see if it is eligible for grant funding.
Deadline: The FY2021 application window is currently open now through May 4, 2021
All materials for paper applications must be submitted and/or postmarked by May 4, 2021 to be considered for funding this cycle.
Electronic applications are permitted via http://www.grants.gov only and must be received before Midnight EST on April 29, 2021
You may also opt to submit your application via email or in-person over to your local field office– in-person submissions must be done before COB at 4:30pm local time on May 4, 2021.
Questions?
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