Raising Money for Your Farm Through Value-Added Producer Grants

Tera Johnson interviews renowned VAPG writer and consultant, Jim Gage of JDG Consulting. The webinar gives farm entrepreneurs a better understanding of how a VAPG could help their businesses and if they should be writing one right now.

Jim recommends you think about these six buckets when writing a VAPG:

  1. how you will process the value-added product (all the processes and commodity)
  2. staff (who is in involved in the processing, running the business, etc)
  3. the associated utilities and fees
  4. general and administrative resource needs and expenses (USDA will support limited software or equipment to help you run your business, certain credit card fees, POS for in-farm store, and so on),
  5. distribution costs, and
  6.  implementing/incorporating your marketing plan as part of your business plan

Listen to learn more about what projects are eligible, what the submission process is like, and tips for writing and managing this grant.

The VAPG RFA period is currently open with applications due March 22nd, 2021. If a VAPG is right for you, FFI and JDG Consulting have resources to help you do so.

March 2021 | Important Update | VAPG Funds Increased + Deadline Extension

The Federal Register published the amendment to the VAPG Notice for Funding Available on Friday March 5.  The complete text can be found at: Federal Register :: Inviting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants and Solicitation of Grant Reviewers

The implications for VAPG applicants are as follows:

  • There is now $76M for VAPG applicants.  This is the highest amount total amount ever offered through the program during one cycle.
  • There is potential for reduced match requirements. The highest scoring proposals will be able to access the first $35M and will be subject to a 10% match ($250,000 grant requiring a $25,000 match).  Other qualifying proposals will still be eligible for the 1:1 match ($250,000 grant requiring a $250,000 match of cash and/or in-kind)
  • New Deadline. The new USDA application deadline is May 4 for paper proposal.

A follow-on notice will provide additional specifics on how to apply for the grant in the limited time available.

For questions or additional information about this financing opportunity and others please reach out to us via the contact form here.

Consultation support and VAPG programming are funded by the Small Business Administration, through our Farm Portability grant award.