The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets (VAAFM) is seeking applications for its Service Provider & Producer Association Grants.
Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets (VAAFM)
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/05/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
Vermont Act 142 of 2011 created the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) and the Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB). WLEB’s vision is that shared working landscape is the foundation of Vermont’s evolving culture, vibrant economies, healthy ecosystems, and sense of place. WLEB’s mission is to make strategic investments and develop policy recommendations that support a resilient and sustainable farm, food, and forest economy in Vermont.
Funding Information
- Up to $370,000 is available to award.
- $10,000-$75,000 for projects with workplans from 3 to 15 months.
- $10,000-$100,000 for projects with workplans from 24 to 30 months.
Eligibility Criteria
This grant is for two types of applicants:
- Service providers, which are organizations that provide business support services to agricultural and forestry businesses. The specific types of services eligible for funding are outlined later in this section.
- Producer associations, also known as trade associations, industry trade groups, or business associations, are organizations founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. Vermont-based producer association groups that represent and promote Vermont agriculture, food, beverage, forest, or fiber products are eligible to apply.
Service provider grant projects should provide direct services to Vermont-based working lands businesses through technical assistance and/or other forms of support. Producer association grant projects may also provide these services to their members. These services include:
- Market development, marketing plans, and sales planning
- Business and financial planning
- Disaster preparedness to flooding, and/or other crises
- Succession planning for next generation business owners
- Access to capital
- Manufacturing efficiencies or process flow
- Business research and development
- Workforce development
Producer association grant projects may relate to the development of the association itself in addition to or instead of providing the above services to members. Association development projects may include:
- Leadership and organizational development: Leadership development, strategic planning, leadership transition support/succession planning; board training and capacity building, by-law development, committee work, staff recruitment and/or training
- Membership development: Member recruitment and outreach, networking across businesses, web/communications capacity building, member skill building and exchanges, development of digital portals or tools for members
- Network building and collaboration: Initiatives that support collaborations between producer associations for improved efficiency and organizational sustainability
Applicant organizations/businesses should be based in Vermont. Businesses or organizations headquartered outside of Vermont can be eligible if the project or service being proposed is 100% focused on Vermont’s working landscape and businesses.
All business or organizational structures are eligible (e.g., Partnerships, Limited Liability Corporations, Sole Proprietorships, Cooperatives, Corporations, S Corporations, L3Cs, B Corporations, and/or non-profits).
For more information, visit VAAFM.
