• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Work
  • Publications
  • Press
  • Take Action!
  • Blog
  • Donate

Search National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

NSAC's Blog

Value-Added Grant Proposals Due Soon!

June 13, 2016

VAPG Guide Cover

Whether helping farmers turn organic grains into shelf-ready items or providing capital for the creation of farm-identity preserved regional supply chains, the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program has served as a valuable resource for farmers looking to grow their businesses through value-added products.

Back in April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $44 million in funding through the competitive VAPG Program. Administered by USDA Rural Development, the VAPG program provides competitive grants to producers for working capital, feasibility studies, business plans, and marketing efforts to establish viable value-added businesses. Up to $75,000 is available for planning grants and up to $250,000 is available for implementation grants.

The deadline for proposals is now right around the corner!  Paper applications are due July 1, while electronic applications are due June 24 through grants.gov.

Individual and groups of producers, as well as farmer coops and producer-controlled businesses, are eligible to apply for these grants, which help to increase income and marketing opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers, along with fishermen, loggers, and other harvesters of agricultural commodities.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s annual Farmers Guide to the VAPG Program walks farmers through the program’s application requirements, including a step-by-step description of the application and ranking processes.

In addition, USDA has created a “toolkit” for applicants, that includes an application checklist, templates, required grant forms, and instructions (found under the “Forms & Resources” tab).

Finally, please note that NSAC and the USDA partnered on a webinar for prospective applicants on May 8, a recording of that webinar can be found here. 

We encourage farmers and their organizations, coops, and businesses to consider the program and get great proposals in by the deadline!

 

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Rural Development

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Action Alerts
  • Beginning and Minority Farmers
  • Budget and Appropriations
  • Carousel
  • Climate Change
  • Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs
  • Competition & Anti-trust
  • Conservation, Energy & Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • Farm Bill
  • Food Safety
  • General Interest
  • Grants and Programs
  • Implementation & Rule-making
  • Local & Regional Food Systems
  • Marketing and Labeling
  • NSAC Coalition
  • Nutrition & Food Access
  • Organic
  • Press Comment
  • Press Releases
  • Research, Education & Extension
  • Rural Development
  • Sustainable Livestock

Take Action

What's happening right now »

Subscribe for Updates

Footer

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
110 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 209 Washington, DC 20002
Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 · National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design