The Service Provider & Producer Association Grant is a newly combined grant program that consolidates two previous grant opportunities into one. This program offers financial support to organizations in Vermont that provide business support services to agricultural and forestry businesses, as well as to producer associations that promote and represent Vermont’s agriculture, food, beverage, forest, or fiber products. Up to $370,000 is available for award, with grant amounts ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 for pilot projects or region-specific initiatives and $25,000 to $75,000 for projects with a statewide reach. No matching funds are required, and the grant period spans 15 months, from March 2025 to June 2026.

This grant is designed for two main types of applicants. Service providers are organizations that offer business services such as market development, financial planning, crisis response, and workforce development to Vermont-based working lands businesses. Producer associations, which may include trade or industry groups, can apply for projects aimed at developing their own organizational capacity or providing services to their members. Eligible services for producer associations include leadership development, governance improvements, membership recruitment, and network building across businesses.

To be eligible, applicants must be based in Vermont or, if headquartered outside the state, the project must exclusively serve Vermont’s working landscape and businesses. All organizational structures are eligible to apply, and applicants who have previously received grants from the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative may reapply, provided the new project either builds on previous work or is a distinct effort.

The application process involves several steps. Applicants must first register with the WebGrants portal, which can take up to two business days. The full Request for Applications (RFA) provides detailed information on project eligibility, and prospective applicants can review frequently asked questions and use an application guide to help complete the submission process. The application opened on September 20, 2024, and must be submitted by November 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by early January 2025, and selected grantees will need to submit their documentation by the end of that month. Projects are expected to begin in February or March 2025.

For questions regarding eligibility or specific projects, applicants can contact Clare Salerno at clare.salerno@vermont.gov or (802) 917-2637. For technical assistance with the WebGrants system, Diana Ferguson can be reached at diana.ferguson@vermont.gov or (802) 622-4094. This grant provides a crucial opportunity for Vermont’s agricultural and forestry sectors to enhance their business capabilities and for producer associations to strengthen their organizational infrastructure.