AFID Facility Grants

The Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund's Facility Grants are a discretionary, performance-based economic-development incentive for agriculture and forestry value-added or processing projects. Grants are awarded to a political subdivision for the benefit of a company, supporting produce companies, dairy/meat/poultry processors, specialty food and beverage manufacturers, greenhouse operations, forest product manufacturers, and aquaculture (e.g., oyster production).

Awarded to political subdivisions (counties, cities, towns) for the benefit of a company; the locality applies, not the business directly. The benefiting facility must produce value-added agricultural or forestal products, with a minimum of 30% of the product grown or produced in Virginia annually. Multiple localities may jointly apply.

Maximum $500,000 per project (may be exceeded for projects of statewide/regional importance). Dollar-for-dollar local match required (may be waived/reduced for statewide/regional-importance projects). Minimum 30% Virginia-grown products required. Performance-based payout split roughly evenly across Virginia-grown purchases, new jobs, and capital investment, with clawback if targets are missed.

Application consists of (1) a letter from the locality's chief elected/appointed official to the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and (2) a letter from the business beneficiary, per the AFID guidelines. No online portal; interested businesses should contact their local economic development office or VDACS.