Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants increase sales of Iowa agricultural products by increasing production capacity or expanding market access for value-added projects.
Donor Name: Choose Iowa
State: Iowa
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/16/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Choose Iowa Value-Added cost-share grant was created to assist Iowa farmers with their efforts to increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings, add value to agricultural products, enable new technologies and support alternative marketing strategies.
Funding Information
- Available funding allocated for awarding to recipients in 2025-2026: $500,000.
- Maximum amount awarded per grant awardee: up to $25,000
Grant Period
Projects cannot be in progress before a grant is awarded and must be able to be completed in 12 months or less.
Eligible Projects
- Increase sales of Iowa agricultural products by increasing production capacity or expanding market access for value-added projects.
- Not be in progress until a grant is awarded.
- Be conducted in Iowa.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must satisfy the following criteria to be deemed eligible for funding under the Value-Added Grant program:
- Be an individual, business, agricultural cooperative, non-profit organization or local government.
- Be in good standing with the State of Iowa.
- The business must not be currently in bankruptcy.
- The business must not have been subject to any regulatory enforcement action related to federal, state, or local environmental, worker safety, food processing, or food safety laws, rules, or regulations within the last five years.
- Currently reside or conduct business in Iowa.
- Not be an IDALS employee or immediate family member of an IDALS employee.
- Applicant must be able to provide a one-to-one (1:1) financial match for the grant. In-kind contributions are not accepted.
- Membership in Choose Iowa brand program NOT required but encouraged.
- Preference will be given to small and medium-sized businesses. The Iowa Economic Development Authority defines small-sized businesses as having less than 50 full-time employees, medium-sized businesses with 51-250 employees, and large businesses as more than 250 employees.
For more information, visit Choose Iowa.
