The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (“MDAR” or “Department”) invites responses from Massachusetts farmers who wish to participate in the Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture Program (“MEGA 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: $10,000 to $30,000
Details:
The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) program assists beginning farmers who are between 1 and 10 years in business by providing technical assistance (including a mentorship option) and business planning assistance.
The purposes of the MEGA Program are to:
- Help farmers who have been in business for at least one, but no more than ten years, to acquire equipment and other non-land assets that can help increase the financial viability of their farm businesses;
- Support the needs of newer farmers through the provision of business planning and technical assistance and capital;
- Bring new ideas, products, skill sets, and enthusiasm to the Massachusetts agricultural industry.
It is the objective of the MEGA Program to assist farmers who are developing their farms into commercially viable operations. Priority will be given to farms that can use program investment to increase farm production, marketing, and income. It is not the objective of the MEGA Program to support “hobby” or rural lifestyle enterprises where only minor consideration is given to the success of the business of agriculture.
Funding Information
- The total amount available for the Program in Fiscal Year 2024 is expected to be around $170,000.
- Funding provided by the MEGA Program will be made available on a one-to-one matching, cost reimbursement basis. Maximum grant levels vary from $10,000 to $30,000 per farm.
Uses of funds
Both MEGA grant funds and your matching funds may only be used for fixed capital improvements (e.g., barns, sheds, greenhouses, farm stands, permanent fencing, and irrigation systems) and/or farm equipment (e.g., tractors, field equipment, movable fencing, and farm vehicles) that have the potential to enhance the farm’s viability. Funds must be spent on contracted labor and/or the purchase of materials associate with the capital project(s).
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants to the MEGA Program must meet all of the following criteria:
- Have operated their farm business for at least one (1) year but no more than ten (10) years.
- Must provide 2022 tax form with application (Schedule F or other appropriate tax form, depending on business structure) to demonstrate Gross Farm Income of at least $10,000.
- Have secure access (own or lease) to land on which the Applicant is farming.
- Must be in legal compliance with the Department’s rules and regulations including the terms of the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (“APR”) Program for APR farms.
- Must meet applicable federal, state, and local public health orders, regulations, ordinances, or other guidance issued related to COVID-19 in effect at the time of the Project.
- If Applicant does not own the land they are farming, they must meet these additional criteria:
- Provide a copy of a signed written lease with the landowner with a term long enough for the applicant to complete the proposed improvement project and see a return on the investment.
- The landowner(s) must sign the application.
For more information, visit MDAR.
