USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Rural Businesses Produce and Market Value-Added Products
OPPORTUNITY
USDA is accepting applications for grants to establish and operate Agriculture Innovation Centers (AIC). AICs provide technical and business development assistance to agricultural producers seeking to market or produce value-added products.
OPPORTUNITY
USDA is accepting applications for grants to establish and operate Agriculture Innovation Centers (AIC). AICs provide technical and business development assistance to agricultural producers seeking to market or produce value-added products.
DESCRIPTION
USDA is making $8 million available under the Agriculture Innovation Center Program. AICs may use the grants to provide assistance to help agricultural producers develop and market value-added products as follows:
- business development services
- market development services
- financial advisory services
- process development services, such as engineering, production system scale-ups,
- production assessments and systems development
- organizational assistance, including legal and technical advisory services
- value chain coordination
- product development, excluding research and development
- grants of $5,000 or less to agricultural producers for the services listed above
- center start-up and operation
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
- Local governments
- State governments
- Federally Recognized Tribes
- Public Institutions of Higher Education
- Non-Profit organizations
- Commercial organizations
COST SHARING OR MATCHING REQUIREMENT
Recipients must provide matching funds of at least one-third of the project budget.
Matching or cost-sharing funds are not required for this grant.
FUNDING AVAILABLE AND APPLICATION WINDOW
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Agency anticipates that there will be $8 million available in 2023.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 5, 2023
