Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG)

The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.

You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative or are proposing a mid-tier value chain.

Grants are awarded through a national competition. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a notice published in the Federal Register and through an announcement posted on Grants.gov.

Independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer- or rancher-cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures, as defined in the program regulation, are eligible to apply for this program.

Grant and matching funds can be used for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Examples of planning activities include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Examples of working capital expenses include:

• Processing costs.

• Marketing and advertising expenses.

• Some inventory and salary expenses.

If you haven't applied online by May 11th, you must submit in paper instead. Your application must be postmarked by May 16th.

Before you apply:

• Request a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number if your organization doesn’t already have one. It should not take more than a few business days to get your number. However, you should plan on requesting it at least a month before the application deadline because you will need that number to register for SAM below.

• Register your organization with the System for Award Management (SAM) if you aren’t already registered. The registration is free, but you need to complete several steps.

Once you have completed the above preliminary steps, you can apply to this opportunity on grants.gov (keyword 'VAPG'). If you require assistance, contact your local Rural Development office.

• Program Fact Sheet

• Data Universal Number System (DUNS)

• System for Award Management

• Federal Register Notice

• Program Regulation

• NSAC's guide to applying for VAPG