The bounty of summertime is amazing, but what do you do when you can't sell it all fresh?
Transforming your harvest into value-added products can provide revenue in the off-season, increase your customer base, and ensure your fresh produce doesn't go to waste. The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant supports farmers' efforts in producing, marketing, and selling value-added products.
This year is your year!
Are you ready to expand your product offerings and revenue base?
Are you tired of frantically worrying how to manage surplus produce?
Have you made something amazing in your kitchen and you are ready to scale?
It's time to make the commitment to a new revenue stream for your business.
The USDA Value-Added Producers Grant can support your growth goals.
In 11 weeks, we'll go from a project concept to a complete grant application including an itemized budget, measurable and compelling project goals, a clear work plan and timeline. You'll learn valuable skills along with expert coaching from, me!
In addition to the learning modules that will help you complete the application, step-by-step, you'll get six 30 minute coaching sessions for 1:1 support on your application.
Your instructor:
Maria Stewart, PhD
Leverage 20 years of grant writing success. After ten years in academia writing research grants, Maria pivoted to serve the agricultural community with her skills. She has helped farmers fund over $650,000 of VAPG activities since 2020.
What is Value-Added?
Value-added means increasing the profitability of your raw agricultural product through transformation. You might be processing berries into jam. Or perhaps you are drying herbs into tea blends. The USDA also supports marketing approaches that promote differentiated agricultural products such as pasture-raised chicken or non-GMO corn.
Invest in your farm,
Invest in yourself
This 11 week training series will build your grant writing skills and enable you to craft a compelling Value-Added Producer Grant Application. Your investment this winter and spring will give you confidence in approaching the grant writing process AND it could yield thousands of dollars from the USDA. You and your farm deserve this opportunity!
Example Curriculum
Join the class before your season gets underway
The 2025 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant is due on April 17, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern. Join the class so you can submit your application on time and in full, all before your growing season gets too crazy.
More learning opportunities are coming in 2025
Stay tuned for details on coaching for upcoming farmer grants.
