The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture launched a grant program aimed to assist the state’s farmers with a variety of projects. Through the Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program prospective farmers will be eligible for up to $7,500, which can cover no more than 75% of a project’s cost.
According to the Pennsylvania Government website, the program will help farmers fund professional services including business planning, transitions of farm ownership, strategic farm expansion, diversification of agricultural production, and financial and technical expertise as a resource for state´s farmers.
The grant program is open to farmers, prospective farmers and others in support of the grant’s objectives. Applications will be accepted starting April 19, 2021, and the program will remain open until funds are exhausted.
The Farm Vitality Planning Grant Program is a reimbursement grant. The amount of reimbursement is based on actual eligible costs submitted by an approved applicant for an approved project during the fiscal year in which the grant is offered. Grants will be awarded on a funds-available basis.
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The Department of Agriculture will provide up to $1,000,000 for program grants in the 2020 – 2021 Fiscal Year.
Grant uses
The grant program may be used for expenses related to these projects:
- Plans or management strategies to enhance the long-term economic viability of a farm.
- Transition of ownership and operation of a farm to new owners and operators.
- Transfer of ownership and operation of a farm within the farmer’s family.
- Business plans to diversify an existing agricultural operation to new or different forms of agricultural production.
- Farm expansion or financing for farm growth.
- Creating or obtaining plans to maintain the long-term economic viability and protect the investment of public funds in preserving farms that are subject to perpetual agricultural conservation easements acquired under the Agricultural Area Security Law, for agricultural production.
Applications must be submitted through the Single Application for Assistance online system starting April 19, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. and will be received until available funding is exhausted. The Department will review completed grant applications in the order received and will award grants on a first-come, first-served basis for complete applications for eligible projects until funds are no longer available.
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