Primary producers of farm and forest products can now apply now for the ARPA-Funded Primary Producer grant opportunity! The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) has released a request for applications (RFA) totaling $1,000,000.
Donor Name: Working Lands Enterprise Initiative
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/16/2022
Size of the Grant: $50,000-$250,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The goal of the ARPA-Funded Primary Producer grant is to support primary producers in continuing to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants will need to demonstrate how their business experienced a negative economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even if that impact was not sustained (e.g., experienced an increased operational cost, decreased revenue or gross receipts, increased costs, challenges covering payroll, or other harm that can be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic). Primary producers can use grant funds to invest in market development, infrastructure, processing, and workforce development initiatives that advance their use of the primary products they have produced.
Funding Information
- The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative anticipates releasing a second ARPA Funded Primary Producer Grant opportunity in 2023, with available funds of up to $1,000,000
- Minimum & Maximum Award: $50,000-$250,000
- Project Length: 24 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Primary producers of farm and forest products are eligible to apply for the ARPA-Funded Primary Producer Impact Grant. Examples of eligible primary production activities are growing crops and fruit, raising animals, harvesting timber, sugaring, and dairies. Applicants will need to provide a narrative description of their primary production activities and submit one of the following documents to confirm their status as a primary producer:
- Profit and loss statement from 2021 showing revenue from primary production activity.
- Filed 2021 Schedule F Profit or Loss from Farming tax return form. Available to farmers.
- And, if available, submit one of the following:
- State issued registration or license that captures primary producer status (e.g., Farm registration; Produce program registration; Water quality designations for Medium Farm Operation (MFO), Large Farm Operation (LFO), or Certified Small Farm Operations (CSFO))
- Registration with the Secretary of State that shows NAICS Code 11.
- While typically the forest industry includes sawmills and other primary wood manufacturing as primary production, from the forestry sector only businesses involved in harvesting timber are eligible for this grant.
- Primary producers can use grant funds to invest in market development, infrastructure, and workforce development initiatives that advance their usage of primary products they have produced. Grant funds can be used for investments in processing primary products.
- Applicants will need to Demonstrate Negative Economic Impact Due to COVID Pandemic
- Eligible businesses must have been operational prior to January 2020
- Businesses must be based in Vermont and registered with the Secretary of State at the time of application submission
- Previous grantees must explain how their proposed project either builds on previous work or is a separate project and must demonstrate how continued funding will be used to support development of the business.
For more information, visit WLEI.
