NRCS can provide the most up-to-date information on cost share programs and conservation opportunities available in your county. You can also find your local Pennsylvania Conservation District online.įor information about the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) visit their State Offices Directory. Find your local conservation office by visiting the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Inc.or by contacting them at 71. Cost SharingĬonservation Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offer cost share programs that may help you pay for fencing, integrated pest management, and other conservation efforts.Ĭounty Conservation Districts work closely with their Federal counterparts the Natural Resources and Conservation Service but administer programs within the county in which they are based. Please check with your county government office to determine if there is an Economic Development office near you. Your county may also have an Economic Development Corporation that can partner with lenders and the PA Department of Community Development to access funds for farmers. The Pennsylvania Economic Development Directory can be found online. In Pennsylvania there are several Economic Development Corporations and Districts. If approached by an entity like a University Extension office who is applying for one of these grants, you may see potential benefits from working together. Many times, these grants are research focused however, they work with farmers to develop the programs covered by the grant. The capital expense grants are available for processing costs, marketing and advertising expenses, or some inventory and salaries. Land Grant Universities and Non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for USDA Beginner Farmer Rancher Development Grants which are designed to benefit new and beginning farmers. The planning grants are used mostly for a feasibility study, business plan, or marketing study while the working capital is used to implement the findings from the results of the research conducted in the planning process. These are competitive grants, and you should work with your local USDA representative. If you receive a $50,000 grant, you must contribute $25,000 of your own funds for the project. Both phases require a match from the awardee of 50%. The program suggests working in two phases with the first being a planning grant with a maximum award of $75,000 and then working capital grants for up to $250,000. An example of adding value may be to convert your apples into applesauce. The USDA Value Added Producer Grants that are to assist farmers who want to begin adding value to their production. The site contains links for grants and loans for farmers and additional information for veteran farmers, among others. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) has an index of federal grant and loan programs for agriculture and rural development. Please contact your SARE region for more information. Any findings you discover from the research must be made public and shared. You can purchase items necessary for the research however, large ticket items (land, equipment, or capital investment) are not allowed. SARE grants are not used to start your farm but may be used for projects involving research and education. There are four regions for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education with Pennsylvania being in the Northeast. The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program offers grants for farmers interested in testing new ideas and farm techniques. More information about the programs can be found SBIR Website. These people will be able to assist and advise but not write the grant for you. It is advisable to work with a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or someone trained by the SBIR program when completing the application. The work must be completed within the U.S. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants are available for operations that are for-profit, United States (U.S.) owned and operated, and employ under 500 people. Read the grant thoroughly to make sure you are eligible to apply then check with the granting agency before completing the application to see if the grant has current funding. Keep in mind that you may find grants listed however, they may not be awarding funds at the time. There are few grant opportunities available for agriculture that do not require a research component. You may have heard that there are many opportunities for grant funding for starting your farm, there are some available however loan opportunities are more numerous.
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