The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) announces the availability of funds through the Catalyzing Regional Dairy Workforce Grant program to address the significant need to expand dairy workforce development programming in the Northeast.
Donor Name: Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC)
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/05/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Funds will support the development, expansion, and operations of existing dairy workforce programs that are ready to expand services that will benefit existing and potential employees of dairy farms and dairy processors. Programs supported may be federally registered apprenticeships, state registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, internships, or other training programs. Projects funded through this grant will focus on expansion and enhancement of program operations, program services, and participant support. Funded projects will address one or more of the following areas:
- Expansion of current programming: Existing programming will be expanded or enhanced to increase the number of participants, expand geographic reach, reach new or underserved participants, offer new certifications, and/or complete requirements to become a federally recognized Registered Apprenticeship program.
- Addition of new programs: Existing workforce or apprenticeship programs may add new programs to increase their impact, number of participants, or create additional pathways for participation for audiences not currently served.
- Participant support: Existing or new programs may offset participant costs to increase participation and buy-in from trainees and businesses.
Projects funded through this grant will have a direct impact on dairy workforce training and apprenticeship program success across the Northeast region. Additional activities related to program marketing, educational platform development, increased multi-state or multi-business collaboration, and use of subject matter experts that directly support the project may be incorporated. Evidence of existing collaborations and programmatic impact will make applications more competitive.
Funding Priorities
In addition to meeting at least one of the goals outlined above, project approaches should address at least two (2) of the following funding priority areas:
- Project increases worker safety
- Project increases regional or multi-state collaboration across multiple entities
- Project leads to a federally Registered Apprenticeship program
- Project impacts individuals who do not have an agricultural background
- Project offers training in a language other than English or teaches primarily English speakers how to engage with and support staff who are not fluent in English
- Project has regional or multi-state impacts
- Project demonstrates program longevity beyond the grant period
- Project supports a diversity of participants.
Funding Information
- Grants will range from $20,000 – $100,000. No match is required in this program.
- Available funds: up to $800,000.
Grant Period
- Grant period will be up to 12 months, depending on the project. Projects are expected to start in July 2025 and must be completed by August 2026.
Allowable Costs
Eligibility Criteria
Grants are available to applicants in all Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Applicants from outside of the region may apply if they currently provide services within the Northeast region.
- Applicants must be an organization or business that currently provides dairy workforce programming in the Northeast or that currently serves Northeast participants, which will take one of the following forms:
- University, college, technical career center, or other educational institutions
- Manufacturing extension, process improvement, and other manufacturing training center
- Federally registered apprenticeship, state registered apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, internship, or other dairy workforce training programs.
- Non-profit entity
- Producer or trade associations that represent and promote dairy products originating from the Northeast. For the purpose of this grant, a producer association group, also known as a trade association, industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry.
- Associations receiving more than 50% of funding from producer check-off dollars are not eligible.
- Licensed dairy processors that:
- transforms raw fluid milk, dairy components, or dairy mix into an edible product meant for human consumption.
- is currently licensed in a way that their product can be sold across state lines, even if they are not currently doing so
- source or produce milk or milk components that originate within the Northeast
- Farm-based workforce programs are eligible if they are offered within one of the above categories of applicant. This grant program is not meant to benefit a sole dairy business.
For more information, visit NE-DBIC.
