The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is currently accepting applications for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Biofuels Infrastructure Grant.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/23/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant Program is a competitive funding opportunity for Minnesota retail service stations to increase access to and sales of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol.
Priorities
This grant program serves start-up, modernization, or expansion of biofuels infrastructure and will prioritize:
- Funding a combination of large and small projects to upgrade equipment to be compatible with E25 or higher blends.
- Applicants supplying critical access to motor fuel and other goods and services.
- Applicants capable of selling high volumes of E15 and higher blends.
- Awarding funds equitably throughout the state.
- Projects located in counties with a poverty rate greater than 9%, using the Minnesota Poverty Map from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. (The average rate of poverty in Minnesota is 9.3% according to the US Census Bureau’s report, Poverty in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2023).
- Retailers that do not currently offer higher blends of ethanol.
- Retailers that intend on offering higher blends of ethanol at every petroleum dispenser.
Funding Information
- Approximately $1.5 million of these funds will only be available to applicants who own no more than 10 retail petroleum dispensing sites. The total amount available is subject to change.
- The maximum award is $199,000, and the minimum award is $5,000.
Eligible Projects
Projects must:
- Replace or upgrade equipment that can’t be certified for E25 or higher blends.
- Promote the sale of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol.
- Document sales of motor fuel blends of E15 and higher during the grant period and beyond.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for this grant opportunity:
- Be a retail petroleum dispenser in Minnesota with no more than 20 retail petroleum dispensing sites, regardless of their location.
- Be operating and dispensing fuel at the time of application. New stations under construction or planned for construction are not eligible. Some exclusions may apply, contact us for exceptions.
- Dispense fuel to the public
- Be in good standing with the State of Minnesota.
- No back taxes owed.
- No defaults on Minnesota state-backed financing for the last seven years.
- Acceptable performance on past grants with the MDA and other state agencies.
- Compliant with current state regulations or this project will support the business becoming compliant
Be appropriately licensed and authorized to conduct business in Minnesota. Stations owned by MDA employees or their spouses are not eligible.
Examples of eligible applicants:
- Retail service stations
- Convenience stations
- Hypermarket fueling stations
Stations owned, operated by, or serving Native American tribal communities are encouraged to apply, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.
For more information, visit MDA.
