Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp Challenge Grant – Kentucky - fundsforNGOs

The Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp Challenge Grant Program is designed to attract ag-tech businesses to the commonwealth by offering incentive funding and valuable resources to help them develop and market their technologies to investors and customers.

Donor Name: Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp

State: Kentucky

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 03/01/2025

Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000

Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned

Details:

The Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp is shaping the future of agriculture in Kentucky. They are building an innovation ecosystem for farmers, entrepreneurs and investors by expanding economic opportunities to ag-tech entrepreneurs and startups.

The program will help advance technologies, products or services that have great potential to impact food and agriculture in Kentucky and beyond.

Challenge Focus Areas

Applicants must address a critical challenge that has the potential to improve the profitability, sustainability, and/or resiliency of Kentucky’s agricultural and food economy. Proposed projects must align with at least one of the following 5 Challenge Focus Areas:

Solutions for Mid-Size Farming – Small or mid-sized agricultural operations in Kentucky could benefit from new tools and advancements that are developed for their scale of operations. This could also include projects that improve access to markets for smaller producers and processors.
Sustainable Food Systems – Kentucky’s existing agtech and food economy make it primed to be both resilient to supply chain disruptions and to meet increasing consumer demand for sustainably produced local foods. This could include projects that improve the sustainability, production, processing, or distribution of high-quality products for local markets.
Food is Health – There is a need to promote better nutritional and health outcomes through healthy foods as well as to develop new opportunities for farmers to contribute to pharmaceuticals and functional food ingredients. This could include products and offerings that improve health outcomes for consumers and could ultimately provide for strong collaboration with the healthcare sector, particularly in rural communities.
Future-Proof Animal Protein – Protein production and supply chains must align with consumer preferences to bring continued value to producers. This could include unique approaches to supporting and improving product differentiation, efficiency, sustainability, or welfare to ensure the future of animal protein production in Kentucky.
Kentucky Traditions – Kentucky’s global leadership position in the distilled spirits and equine industries is often recognized, along with the diverse crop and livestock production sectors. This may include projects that grow and support these traditional sectors, specifically with consideration to their impact on farms and agribusinesses. Additionally, many nationally and globally known food brands reside within Kentucky and could benefit from advances in supply chain management and technologies for retailing and restaurants.

Funding Information

Each applicant may apply for up to $100,000 of grant funding. Selected grant recipients will also be offered resource support, such as mentorship, referrals to professional services, connections to local growers and research teams, and other business development assistance.

Eligibility Criteria

The program is open to registered, for-profit businesses currently located in or willing to establish a presence in Kentucky, with an emphasis on startups and early-stage businesses. A portion of the program’s funding is allocated specifically for businesses in Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky. Awardees from the immediate past grant round will not be eligible for the next successive round but will be eligible for future rounds of grant funding.

Judging Criteria

Applicants will be judged on a number of criteria including but not limited to: