Grants are now open! Grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to apply today.
About the Program:
Using a team approach to provide greater insight into your business’s decision-making process can lead to improved profitability, enhanced performance and future opportunities. It can also smooth the road for transition to the next generation or transformation into a new business model. The Center for Dairy Excellence leverages funds provided through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide grants to individual farms to establish either a Dairy Transition or Transformation Team. Farms that have 35 or more lactating cows or dairy heifer raising operations with more than 100 dairy heifers are eligible to apply.
Team Focus Areas:
- Dairy Transition Teams: Focused on transition in the business such as succession, change in business structure, or partnership. This grant is designed to help the farm establish a team to develop a transition or succession plan. Farms can apply to receive up to $4,000 in funding, which could cover the cost of paid team members, discovery-related costs, lawyer expenses, and attorney fees.*
- Dairy Transformation Teams: Focused on modernizing facilities and pursuing a business transformation or additional enterprise within the dairy operation. The Transformation Team* option allows producers considering a major business transformation to apply to receive up to $4,000 to establish a team to help plan and work through that transformation.
*Manure storage facility improvements do not qualify as eligible Transformation Team projects. Please contact your local conservation district to receive more information on funding resources.
To review additional program guidelines, including eligible expenses, outlined for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year, click here.
How to Apply:
- Click here to submit an application online.
- Click here to download an application to print and mail back.
More Information:
The Center partners with the Penn State Extension Dairy Team, University of Pennsylvania, and private industry to provide resources and expertise to farms involved in the On-Farm Team Program.
For more information about the 2026-27 Dairy Transition or Transformation Team Grants, please contact Melissa Anderson at 717-788-0296 or manderson@centerfordairyexcellence.org.
- Download a 2026-27 expense reimbursement form. Funding should be used by June 30, 2027.
- Click here to download a W-9 form.
The Transformation Team really helped us with the planning and details. When we had everyone, including our veterinarian and bank, around the table, we actually changed some of our initial ideas because of the discussion we had with the Transformation Team. It was exciting to hear from different people who were going to help us in the future describe where they thought we should go. It was very helpful.