Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)

The application form is located on the DATCP website and below.
Read the Request for Proposals carefully before filling out the application.
Applications must be emailed to ryand.dunn@wisconsin.gov by 5:00pm on Monday, January 30, 2022. 
If you do not have computer access to download and complete the application, contact Ryan Dunn at 608-590-7239

Ryan Dunn

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a Dairy Processor Grant program whose goal is to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.


Eligible applicants must operate a licensed dairy&#x2004;processing plant in Wisconsin engaged in pasteurizing, processing or manufacturing milk or dairy products. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.


Grant applications are customized by each processor and can be used to hire consultants to address a wide range of business needs including food safety, staff training or modernization.



The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a Dairy Processor Grant program whose goal is to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.

Eligible applicants must operate a licensed dairy processing plant in Wisconsin engaged in pasteurizing, processing or manufacturing milk or dairy products. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

Grant applications are customized by each processor and can be used to hire consultants to address a wide range of business needs including food safety, staff training or modernization.

Applicants must satisfy the following criteria to be deemed eligible for funding under the Dairy Processor Grant Program. An applicant must: 
- Operate a licensed dairy processing plant engaged in pasteurizing or manufacturing dairy products, or processing dairy products into other dairy products, for sale or distribution that is located in WI 
- Have a project(s) that will make operational improvements, improve profitability, and/or involve a new process or innovation 
- Have no outstanding state penalties or violations and be in good standing with Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions 
- Employees of Wisconsin DATCP and immediate family members (i.e. mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, and children) are not eligible to receive a grant 
- Entities with a current, open DATCP Dairy Processor Grant cannot apply for funding to further the same project
Eligible Projects
- The DATCP Dairy Processor Grant is designed to provide access to services and resources for proposed dairy processing plant projects that enhance or develop the current business, solve an existing problem or concern at the plant, improve production or profitability, and/or help the processor innovate. 
Eligible Expenses
Eligible project expenses include, but are not limited to: 
- Operating expenses directly related to the grant project, including expenses for salaries and wages, contract and consulting services, and *travel. (*all travel reimbursements must follow state rate requirements.) 
- Training costs to improve employee skills (eg. food safety, skills for operating new technology, managerial training, etc.) 
- Equipment rental 
- The purchase of supplies that the full value is ordinarily depreciable within one year and costs less than $5000 (software, etc.)
Ineligible Expenses
- Real estate purchases 
- Repayment of loans or mortgages 
- Rent or contract payments for time periods extending beyond the term of the grant contract 
- Equipment purchases, construction, or capital expenses (items whose cost is $5000 or more and depreciates over more than one year) 
- Administrative or overhead costs that are not direct costs of the grant project 
- Advertising expenses 
- Legal fees 
- Lobbying, fundraising, or other political activity 
- Any costs incurred by any firm for work performed in the preparation of and production of a proposal or for any work performed prior to the formal execution of a contract

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

Dairy

Butter

Cheese

Milk

Yogurt

Cow Milk

Goat Milk

- 2023 Request for Proposals
- Application​
- Press Release - DATCP Dairy Processor Grant Application Open through January 7
- 2021 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients ​

Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

Read the Request for Proposals carefully before completing an application.
Completed proposals must be submitted to Ryan Dunn at ryand.dunn@wisconsin.gov. All documents must be included in a single PDF or word file. 

Wisconsin Dept. of Ag

The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) program seeks to increase awareness and consumption&#x2004;of locally produced foods and related products and to increase the production and improve the distribution of foods and related products for local consumption. The Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant program is an economic development program designed to help the Wisconsin agricultural and food industry find ways to improve food production, processing, marketing, and distribution with the ultimate goal of expanding Wisconsin’s local food system. BLBW grant funds are administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). 

DATCP may award grants to individuals or organizations to fund projects that are designed to increase the sale of Wisconsin agricultural or food products to local purchasers. This includes grants for projects to create, expand, diversify, or promote any of the following:

- Local food marketing systems and market outlets. 

- Local food and cultural tourism routes. 

- Production, processing, marketing, and distribution of Wisconsin food products primarily for sale to local purchasers. 



The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) program seeks to increase awareness and consumption of locally produced foods and related products and to increase the production and improve the distribution of foods and related products for local consumption. The Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant program is an economic development program designed to help the Wisconsin agricultural and food industry find ways to improve food production, processing, marketing, and distribution with the ultimate goal of expanding Wisconsin’s local food system. BLBW grant funds are administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). 
DATCP may award grants to individuals or organizations to fund projects that are designed to increase the sale of Wisconsin agricultural or food products to local purchasers. This includes grants for projects to create, expand, diversify, or promote any of the following:
- Local food marketing systems and market outlets. 
- Local food and cultural tourism routes. 
- Production, processing, marketing, and distribution of Wisconsin food products primarily for sale to local purchasers. 

Eligible Applicants include:
- Individual independent producers selling locally
- Individual independent processors using WI ingredients that make up 51% of their product by weight
- Groups of independent producers
- Farmer/Rancher Cooperatives
- Grower Associations
- Schools and institutions
- Food service operations
- Non-profits

- FY 2026 BLBW Request for Proposals
- ​Grant Application

Trade Relief

Local Food

Farmers Market

Certification

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Certified Organic

Marketing

Food Systems

- Budgets must show at least a 1-to-1 funds match. 
- Project must be completed within 24 months after contract is signed by DATCP. A no-cost extension of up to one year is available upon request and is granted at the discretion of DATCP. 
- Requests must be between $5,000 and $50,000. 
- Primary beneficiaries are Wisconsin agriculture products based businesses 
- Private farms or agribusinesses applying for funds must be selling at least 51% of their agricultural products locally. Value-added food businesses, or processors must be purchasing, or growing at least 51% of their product (by weight) ingredients locally. 
- If you have received funding from the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grant program within the last four years, you are not eligible to apply. 
- If you currently have any grant with DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development you are not eligible to apply (this includes Specialty Crop Block Grants and Dairy Processor Grants). 
- Dairy processors looking for grant funds should apply for DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development’s Dairy Processors Grant.

List of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Funding Opportunities