The APR Improvement Program (AIP) provides business planning, technical assistance and grants to active commercial farms operating on land that has already been protected with Department funds through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program.
Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $60,000 – $125,000
Details:
The purpose of AIP is to help improve the productivity and profitability of participating farms to enhance the significance of APR farm operations and their contribution to the state’s agricultural industry.
Funding Information
Grant funds of $60,000 – $125,000 may be available on a cost reimbursement basis, with a 20% required match, for capital infrastructure improvements on the farm identified through the AIP planning process.
Uses of funds
Funds must be used for approved contracted labor and/or materials towards capital improvements that will help maintain or enhance the APR farm property. Eligible uses of funds include resource improvements, such as irrigation, fencing or establishing perennial crops, or new or improved agricultural infrastructure on the farm property, such as hay or equipment storage barns, livestock housing, or retail farm stands.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants:
- Applicants must own or co-apply with the owner of an APR farm that was protected for at least 3 years.
- Applicants must own or operate an APR farm that has been in active commercial agricultural use for at least the last 3 years and meets a minimum gross income amount, as stated in the current RFR.
- APR farms can only receive a grant from AIP once.
- APR farms must be privately family-owned farms, not owned by non-profit organizations or municipalities.
For more information, visit MDAR.
