Later this month, the Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development will launch the County’s Agricultural Innovation and Equipment Grant. This grant program, exclusively designed for Washington County agricultural businesses, farms, and farm owners, aims to support their growth and development.
The grant program is approved and funded for $300,000 to be awarded over three years. Applicants can apply to receive a grant of $1,000.00 to $25,000.00.
“It is more important now than ever to ensure our local farms’ success, viability, and sustainability. Keeping farms healthy and growing in our county represents the backbone of our community and our largest economic driver”, said Leslie Hart, business development specialist and creator of the Agricultural Innovation and Equipment Grant program.
According to Washington County:
Grant request examples include expanding marketing efforts, business development, and outreach; expanding or adding value-added endeavors; increasing farm viability; enhancing demonstration, conservation, and research; upgrading production buildings for structures used exclusively for animal agricultural purposes; acquiring business supplies, making construction improvements to assist with consumer/customer outreach, expanding advertising, offering new promotions, and supporting agricultural expansion.
The applications will be processed and evaluated based on their total score. In the event of a tie, applications will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligibility requirements, grant performance criteria, and fund usage limitations apply. The grant recipients will be announced and awarded in September 2023.
Applications will be available starting July 31, 2023, at 8:00 am at wcmd.info/ag-innovation-grant. The grant period opens July 31, 2023, at 8:00 am and will remain open until August 21, 2023, at 4:00 pm.
