Maryland Value Added Producer Matching Grant (MVAPMG)

Maryland Value Added Producer Matching Grant (MVAPMG – USDA Option) is designed to encourage participation in USDA's highly competitive Value Added Producer Grant Program (which has both planning and working capital components). The USDA VAPG does not award funding for capital equipment purchases.

The USDA Value Added Producer Grant Program, is offered annually and requires a non-federal financial matching commitment and each application for the MVAPMG must include a “verification of matching funds."

Eligible applicants must be an independent producer, agricultural producer group, farmer or ranch cooperative, or majority-controlled producer-based business venture (all defined terms under federal regulations) who apply for a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG).

In addition, applicants must be making a product that is “value-added.” A product that is value-added has in incremental value realized by the producer as a result of:

1. change in physical state;

2. differentiated production or marketing;

3. product segregation; and

4. economic benefit realized from the production of farm-or ranch-based renewable energy.

The grant amount has been set at up to 15% of the of the matching funds required under the USDA VAPG ($11,250 for planning grants and $25,000 for working capital grants).

Assemble your application materials:

• A completed MARBIDCO application.

• Copy of your complete USDA Value-Added Producer Grant application.

• Business plan for the project to receive financing (required for Working Capital applications).

• Feasibility study (required for some Working Capital applications).

Applications may be submitted by email to scriste@marbidco.org prior to the 11:59 p.m., Thursday, May 11, 2023.

Application's may also be submitted by regular mail, but MUST BE POSTMARKED BY MAY 1ST. Submit your completed application packet by mail to:

MARBIDCO

1410 Forest Drive

Suite 21

Annapolis MD 21403

All MVAPMG applicants meeting the MARBIDCO requirements will receive a commitment letter of matching funds to be included with their federal applications. The MVAPMG commitment amount cannot exceed 15% of the required non-federal match, and it may be for a lesser amount depending on the quantity of MVAPMG applications that are received and the size of the pool of available MARBIDCO funds.

• USDA Value-Added Producer Grant