USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Application Resources

Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. VAPG is a grant program that helps cover operational expenses of agricultural producers engaging in a value-added business venture. VAPG can help cover the costs of processing, marketing, or distributing a value-added product for eligible agricultural producers. Ag producers are only entities or individuals that participate in the day-to-day management of growing, raising, or harvesting an agricultural commodity. Funds cannot be used on costs associated with planting, raising, or harvesting the commodity itself or on equipment or real estate improvements.. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income. Approximately $30 million has been made available for this funding cycle nationwide.  

The deadline for paper applications for this funding cycle is April 16, 2024. Applications may be submitted via mail (must be postmarked by the deadline) or via email to your Agency contact no later the 4:30 pm local time on April 16, 2024. We do not recommend submitting your application through Grants.gov, but the deadline to use that system for submission is April 11, 2024.

The following bulleted items provide links to learn more about the VAPG program and how to apply: 

• The announcement of this grant competition was published in the Federal Registeron January 17, 2024. The Notice contains helpful information about the program.
• The VAPG websiteprovides an overview of the program and information about how to get started on an application. The “To Apply” tab on this website contains most of the resources you’ll need to complete in order to apply. The “Toolkits” are the primary application document – choose either the planning or working capital version depending on which you’d like to apply for. There are a couple other necessary forms that are also located in the “To Apply” tab.
• The VAPG Outreach Presentation attached is an overview of the program.

If you’re interested in applying, please review the toolkit (on the website), notice, and attached presentation, sketch out a VAPG project, and gather a list of any questions you have. Rural Development representatives can hopefully provide help and answer your questions, but we’d prefer to answer several questions at once, preferably with a draft of your application toolkit. Doing it that way saves time and provides context about your project so the advice is as helpful as it can be.