Grant applications are now closed.
If you are a dairy farm looking to build your brand, improve consumer access to locally-produced foods, and work with a consultant in the value-added & direct marketing space, consider applying for a Technical Assistance Grant. This grant is made possible by the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, which is a USDA initiative, and through the Ag Excellence line within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania budget.
Application Window
This is a competitive grant with a limited window to apply: September 1 – October 15, 2022. Up to 15 grants will be awarded. If all 15 grants are utilized, each grant will be for $5,000. Funds will be redistributed if there are fewer than 15 grants awarded. Click here to apply online.
Eligibility and Requirements
The Technical Assistance Grant is a competitive grant open to dairy farms and small-scale dairy businesses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. You must agree to comply with all applicable Federal, State and Local license requirements. A $100 application fee is required but will be reimbursed if your application is not accepted.
The grant is designed to provide financial assistance to help dairy farms access the private consulting resources they need to build their brand and to help cultivate our regional food economy, strengthen our regional dairy food processing capacity, improve consumer access to locally-produced foods, and create and improve economic opportunities for individual dairy producers and food businesses.
Consultants
Click here to view the consultants who will provide grant recipients with direct marketing & value-added technical assistance.
If you have a consultant you would like to use to provide the technical assistance needed to assist with value-added and brand development, please contact Melissa Anderson. We will vet the advisor for approval.
The consultant will send the bill and summary of work provided to the Center and will be paid directly by us. If the consultant’s bill is over the allotted funds, the applicant will be responsible to pay the remaining balance. The amount available to each applicant will depend on the number of applicants that apply. If all 15 grants are utilized, each grant will be for $5,000. Funds will be redistributed if there are fewer than 15 grants awarded. Funding should be used by May 31, 2023.
We believe in connections and talking to people. That’s how we found the Center for Dairy Excellence. Consulting is the same way. If you go into it with an open mind to learn from them, it can be really great. I encourage other farmers, if you want to create a value-added product, you can do it small on your farm and use a consultant to create your website or the financial plan, for example. You don’t have to learn how to do it all yourself.
Questions?
For more information, contact Melissa Anderson at 717-636-0779 or manderson@centerfordairyexcellence.org.