Prepare Now for Value-Added Producer Grants

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center is hosting a webinar to help agricultural producers prepare to apply for Value-Added Producer Grants.

Each year USDA Rural Development offers millions of dollars to agricultural producers in the form of Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG). These grants are designed to help producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products.

In this webinar, we will cover some of the basics of the grant program such as the types of grants offered (planning and working capital), eligibility requirements, matching funds requirements, and the application process. Next we will look at the components of the grant application and present case studies of previously funded grant projects as examples of the ways projects might be structured. Finally, we will offer best-practice suggestions that can help you put together a successful grant application.

The webinar will be presented by Rich Schwartz, MBA, principal consultant at Alder Street Consulting. For the past 8 years Rich has been supporting producers, organizations and government agencies in their work to make a more sustainable and equitable food system through business planning, feasibility studies and financial analyses. Read more about Rich and Alder Street Consulting at www.alderstreetconsulting.com.