Please review each grant’s Request for Proposals (RFP) before applying to understand all program details and what is required of the applicant. Contact Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator, with any questions at azh6192@psu.edu or by calling 716-640-2656. If you know of a grant that wasn’t listed and would benefit the industry, please contact Andrew.
Grant info was compiled in March of 2025 and is subject to change.
Northeast Regional Food Business Center’s Business Builder Grant
Application Deadline: April 7, 2025
Award Amount: $15,000 - $100,000
Total Funding Available: $10,000,000 Between 180 and 350 awards
Eligible Applicants: Farm and food businesses, including aquaculture and wild-caught fisheries, and non-profits with $1M or less in annual revenue (Track C) or $350,000 or less in annual revenue (Track A & B) are eligible to apply (funding track dependent)
Funding Uses: Post-harvest activities (farm gate/landing to table), including processing, storage and transportation
Special-purchase equipment
Business planning
Supply chain analysis and coordination
Product development
Market analysis
Minor improvements, rearrangements or alterations of existing buildings or facilities
Rental or lease of facilities or land
Staff time
Not Allowable Purchasing: land, buildings, or real estate; construction, demolition, or major rehabilitation of any building, structure, or land; non-specialized equipment such as tractors, trucks, or trailers; production costs such as seeds or fertilizer
Additional Funding Considerations:
No matching funds are required.
Funds are taxable as income.
Funds are reimbursable: Entities must spend funds first and will be reimbursed 60 days after request is submitted
More Information: https://www.nasda.org/business-builder-sub-awards/
Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program - Equipment-Only Grant
Funder: New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, USDA
Details: This competitive opportunity is focused on funding equipment for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products).
Amount: Eligible applicants may request awards in the amount of $10,000 - $100,000. No match is required for Equipment-Only Grants.
For: Growers, Wineries
Availability: Anticipated release in 2025 - check back for more information soon
More Info: https://agriculture.ny.gov/resilient-food-systems-infrastructure-program
Business Management Contact:
Andrew Holden, Business Management Educator
Mobile (call or text): (716) 640-2656
Office: (716) 792-2800
Email: AZH6192@psu.edu