Maine Specialty Crop Minor Equipment Grant

The Maine Specialty Crop Minor Equipment Grant helps Maine specialty crop producers purchase minor equipment to strengthen and grow their operations. It is funded through the 2025 Maine Specialty Crop Block Grant Program State Plan. Unlike the broader Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, this grant is available to individual commercial farms.

Specialty crop producers headquartered in Maine. Eligible applicants must own and operate a commercial farm in Maine, grow and harvest at least one specialty crop in Maine, and must not have received prior DACF grant funding from the Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program (AIIP) or the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Award range is $2,000–$10,000 per selected recipient; DACF anticipates awarding up to approximately $290,000 through this RFA and may make multiple awards. Minor equipment is tangible, nonexpendable business property with a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds $2,000 and is less than $10,000; used minor equipment is allowable.

Apply through RFA #ARDSCBGPEQUIP via the Minor Equipment Grant Application Workbook. The RFA opened February 11, 2026; applications are due April 3, 2026 by 12:00 noon Eastern Time. All communication must go through the RFA Coordinator, Jessica Routhier (specialtycropblockgrant@maine.gov). Online information sessions and registration are on the program website.