Grant writing: VAPG and More

Grant Writing

In addition to providing business plan and feasibility study consulting, Origin Farms can help you write several different types of grants for your operation. We have a track record of success in all of the following grant programs.

USDA programs:

• The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG): this grant program helps agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income

• Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants: these grants help you upgrade facilities to add renewable energy services or update existing equipment to make it more energy efficient.

• Business Builder awards provide direct financial assistance of up to $100,000 to eligible small and mid-sized farms and food businesses. Awards are aimed at increasing business viability, developing regional market opportunities, and expanding value chain capacity. The awards may support staff time; business planning activities; software implementation; the purchase of specialized equipment for food safety, processing and/or packaging.

• The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund (FARE Fund) is a new program funding food retail and the food retail supply chain. HFFI FARE Fund grant awards will be up to $250,000 for implementation and up to $100,000 for early-stage planning, predevelopment, and technical assistance. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed project will contribute to food access through the availability of an assortment of Staple and Perishable Foods for retail sale, either directly or as part of the retail supply chain. Funding may be used for predevelopment activities, equipment, construction hard costs, acquisition of land or buildings, and other one-time soft costs such as community engagement and environmental assessment.

Dairy-specific grant programs:

• Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative’s (SDBII) Value-Added Business Innovation Grant for value added dairy producers in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

• Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) Dairy Builder Grant for dairies interested in adding value that are located in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.