The Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) provides business planning, technical assistance, and grants to commercial farms to improve farm viability and to preserve and support the stewardship of agricultural resources.
Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/10/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The program provides one on one business planning assistance and technical assistance in areas of need such as family succession, marketing, or financial tracking to help increase farm viability. Eligible uses of funds include farm capital projects such as building or renovating barns, farmstands, wash pack facilities, farm equipment, or improving resources such as wells or fencing.
Funding Information
$100,000 – $200,000.
Grant Period
July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
Eligible Projects
Funds must be used for approved capital projects, including new or improved farm infrastructure, farm equipment, or farm resource improvements. Examples of farm infrastructure include, but are not limited to, farm buildings such as farm stands, greenhouses, livestock housing, washing, packing or processing facilities, and hay or equipment storage barns. Examples of resource improvements include, but are not limited to, pasture improvements, fencing, reseeding hay land, establishing perennial crops, improving drainage, and installing irrigation. Examples of farm equipment include, but are not limited to, new or used tractors, implements, or other field equipment, farm delivery vehicles, food washing, packing or processing equipment, signs, and retail displays.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for participation in this program, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Applicant(s) must own a minimum of 5 acres of farmland that is currently in active agricultural use for commercial purposes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has been managed by the applicant or co-applicant for at least the 3 previous years
- Gross Farm Income of farm business of applicant must have been at least $40,000 as shown on 2024 tax forms: Schedule F (Form 1040); Form 1120 or 1120S, Form 1065, depending on business structure
- In order to receive a grant through this Program, the landowner(s) must agree to place the entire farm property under a covenant to keep the land in agriculture use for a specified term. A minor exclusion of a specified property area from the covenant may be considered by the Department at its sole discretion
- Prior FVEP participants who have received a grant and whose property is under a covenant held by the Department may be eligible if the covenant will expire on or before June 30, 2025
- If an applicant does not own the land, but coapplies with the landowner who has a legal interest in the land by deed, a copy of a written signed lease with the landowner must be provided at the time of application that has a term that extends at least as long as the term of the covenant to be executed through the Program (until June 30, 2036 for a 10-year covenant; or June 30, 2041 for a 15-year covenant) and allows any proposed infrastructure to be constructed and used on the property
- Cranberry operators must own or be a co-applicant with the owner of, a minimum of 20 acres total, with at least 3 acres of cranberry bogs currently in production and at least 10 acres of non-wetland (upland) and have an NRCS Farm Conservation Plan dated no earlier than 2020. Eligibility shall be based on acreage as defined in the Farm Conservation Plan
- All applicants, including landowners and farm business owners, must sign the application
- Applicants and landowners must be in good standing with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, ordinances, bylaws and/or programs at the time the application is made, prior to, and at all times during the terms of the contract
- Applicants must meet applicable federal, state, and local orders, regulations, ordinances, or other guidance issued in effect at the time of the Project.
For more information, visit MDAR.
