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    Apply for the Agricultural Innovation Grant

    The Agricultural Innovation Grant helps farmers and other agriculture businesses implement new agricultural technologies, conservation, and renewable energy innovations – expanding their potential to generate profits, enrich soil and water resources, and produce energy on the farm.

     

    Governor Shapiro’s 2024-25 budget signed this summer makes vital investments in Pennsylvania’s $132 billion agriculture industry, including $10 million dedicated to agricultural innovation — the first-of-its-kind in the nation — supporting farmers and helping them adopt new technologies to advance the industry.

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    About

    Grants will reimburse expenses for project planning, on-site project implementation, and larger grants for projects that have a regional impact.

    Project examples include technology that:

    • improves efficiency on the farm or in processing,
    • generates energy while reducing nutrient waste leaving the farm,
    • supports crops that effectively store carbon or replace non-renewable resources.

    Projects may also address practical challenges including data collection, biosecurity, and odor remediation.

     

    Eligibility

    • A person who grows an agricultural commodity and who has anticipated sales greater than $2,000 per year.
    • A person who processes an agricultural commodity and has anticipated sales greater than $10,000 per year.
    • A person who provides technical assistance or services to farmers for conservation, engineering, veterinary care, animal disease management, farm management, agricultural commodity production, nutrient management, or similar services.
    • A person or cooperative association that utilizes agricultural commodities to create products or energy.

     

    Eligible Projects

    A person or cooperative association who utilizes innovation:

    • to improve energy efficiency, improve water quality, reduce water consumption, reduce odors, or address solid waste concerns.
    • to improve production, processing, commercialization, or utilization of agricultural commodities.
    • that produces energy from agricultural sources, including manure, food waste or biomass.
    • equipment that provides low-carbon or no-carbon energy sources from agricultural commodities.
    • technology that assists eligible applicants with the management of their farms, including diagnostic tools and services.
    • technology that assists a packer, processor or cooperative in more efficient sorting, grading, or processing of agricultural commodities.
    • that improves biosecurity or health of plants or animals.
    • that supports cybersecurity or data analytics.

     

    Funding Opportunities

    Reimbursement Grant Program

    Program grants should be reimbursement grants. The following can apply:

    An eligible applicant may apply for a grant to develop a strategic plan to utilize innovation to improve agricultural practices, technologies, operations or approaches within a specific business, geographic area, or network. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:

    • The amount of a grant should be no less than $7,500 and no more than $50,000.
    • A grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 30% of the grant amount for the project.

    An eligible applicant may apply for a grant for a project that focuses on implementing innovation practices, technologies or approaches on an individual farm or property producing or processing an agricultural commodity. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:

    • The amount of the grant should be no less than $5,000 and no more than $200,000.
    • A grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the project.

    An eligible applicant may apply for a grant for a project designed to address challenges, promote efficiencies, or achieve specific goals for multiple eligible applicants. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:

    • The amount of the grant should be no less than $100,000 and no more than $2 million.
    • The grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the project.
    • The project must impact two or more persons or businesses or be a cooperative association that grows, harvests, processes, packs or manages an agricultural commodity.

    Application Requirements

    An application for the grant should contain the following information:

    • The applicant's name, business address and contact information.
    • A statement as to whether the applicant seeks an innovation planning project grant, onsite project grant or regional impact project grant.
    • The details of the project for which reimbursement grant money is sought, including the following:
      • A project narrative, including a statement of the maximum amount of grant money sought for the project.
      • A project budget.
      • An addendum that will cover:
        • Alignment with the intent of the Program.
        • Metrics for tracking success.
        • An itemized budget.
        • Letters of support.

     

    Application Timeline

    Applications must be submitted through the Single Application for Assistance online application system before 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2024. Applications received outside of that application window will not be considered or reviewed.

     

    Email

    Phone

    Contact

    If you have any questions, please contact Michael Roth at 717-210-1217, michroth@pa.gov for more information regarding the grant. 

     

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