Vermont farm, food and forest businesses can apply for grants of $10,000 to $50,000 through the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative's Business Enhancement Grant, which has $508,000 available.
Applications are due Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. No matching contribution is required, meaning recipients do not have to provide a specified share of the project cost to receive the award, according to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets' program announcement.
Eligible work includes facilities and equipment, market development, research and development, and workforce training. Farms producing food or fiber and forest-products businesses are among the intended applicants.
Some food businesses, and agricultural or wood processors and distributors, can qualify if they meet the program's local-sourcing requirements. They must describe their product sourcing in the application.
Applicants need a specific project plan with a timeline, goals and budget, along with business financial documents. The agency says project-planning assistance is available on a first-come basis and that weekly virtual drop-in question sessions continue while applications are open.
Award decisions are expected in late February or early March 2027, with projects able to begin in April. The agency encourages applicants to request the minimum amount needed, given the limited funding.
The application window opened Oct. 9. Businesses should use the full program guidance linked from the announcement to check sourcing rules, eligible expenses and the schedule for assistance before submitting.