The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Biofuels Infrastructure Grant to support the advancement of Minnesota’s agricultural and renewable energy industries.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/12/2023
Size of the Grant: $199,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The program is intended to increase access and sales of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol by investing in equipment that is certified as compatible with E25 or higher blends.
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.
- Funding a combination of applicants supplying critical access to motor fuel and other goods and services and applicants capable of selling high volumes of E15 and higher blends.
- Awarding funds equitably throughout the state.
- Businesses owned by women, members of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community, and Veterans
- Projects that serve communities of color, Native American Tribal communities, socio-economically disadvantaged communities, and communities where access to biofuels is limited.
Grant outcomes will include:
- Increased access to motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol.
- Increased sales of motor fuel blends containing at least 15% ethanol.
Funding Information
- It expects to award $3.335 million through the AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant.
- The maximum award is $199,000, and the minimum award is $5,000. Awards may not exceed 65% of the cost of the appropriate technology. It expects to award between 25 and 40 grants, but the final number depends on the size of awards.
- Grants may last up to three years from the start date. It expects most grant contract agreements to start in early 2024. Eligible expenses may only be incurred after the contract has been signed by all parties. Applicants should anticipate that grant contracts will have an end date in late 2026 or early 2027 and may not be extended.
Eligible projects
Projects must:
- Replace or upgrade equipment that can’t be certified for E25.
- 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:
- Be a retail petroleum dispenser in Minnesota with no more than 10 retail petroleum dispensing sites (regardless of their location). Examples include retail service stations, convenience stations, and hypermarket fueling stations.
- Not be a fleet operator.
- Be the owner of the property or have the owners’ permission to pursue the proposed improvements to the premises.
For more information, visit MDA.
