Value-Added Producer Grant
Posted by Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — Value-Added Producer Grant — is cataloged under number RDBCP-VAPG-2025 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 10.352, posted by Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as closed, first posted on January 17, 2025 and last updated on January 16, 2025. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.
Award economics. The award range on file is Up to $250,000. The agency has projected $30.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 190 awards. If the agency funds the expected 190 awards from the $30.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $158,000. Cost sharing or matching funds are required, meaning applicants must contribute a portion of the project budget from non-federal sources — factor this into your financial plan before drafting the proposal. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.
Deadline and action path. This opportunity closed on April 17, 2025. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number, so monitoring the parent program page is the most reliable way to catch re-announcements. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully — federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed — it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities.
Award Range
Up to $250,000
Close Date
April 17, 2025
Applications must be submitted through the Grant Application Portal by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 17, 2025.
Posted
January 17, 2025
Est. Total Funding
$30,000,000
Expected Awards
190
Instrument
Grant
Cost Sharing
Required
Description
Program Overview The objective of this grant program is to assist viable Agricultural Producers, Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer and Rancher Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Businesses in starting or expanding value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of Value-Added Agricultural Products. Grants will be awarded competitively for either planning or working capital projects directly related to the processing and/or marketing of value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the end goals of the program. All proposals must demonstrate economic viability and sustainability to compete for funding. To Apply Applications for the VAPG program must be completed through the Grant Application Portal (GAP). Before starting your application, we encourage, but do not require you to complete a VAPG Self-Assessment survey to help confirm potential eligibility for the program. In addition, we recommend reaching out to your local Business Program Specialist to discuss your project. Please visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/value-added-producer-grants and ensure that your State is selected in the dropdown menu to access the contact information for your local State Business Programs Specialist. To access the GAP and start an application you will be directed to log into the portal through eAuthentication. All applicants will need Level 2 eAuthentication access (eAuth). If you do not have eAuth, you will be required to create an account at https://www.eauth.usda.gov/. Please note: USDA eAuth is the system used by USDA agencies to enable individual customers and employees to obtain accounts that will allow them to securely access USDA Web applications and services via the Internet. The eAuth policy defines four assurance levels, Level 2 access is required for the GAP and provides some confidence in the asserted identity's validity. Once you’ve completed your log in process, you will be directed to the GAP Homepage where you can start an application or return to an application in process. Applications will not be accepted via Grants.gov Starting an application in GAP Please be aware, applications in GAP must be started by the Authorized Representative of the applicant entity who has signature authority. Applicants may work with a collaborator (grant writer, technical assistance provider, or similar) or other representatives (owners or family members) of the applicant entity, however, the owner of the applicant entity will be responsible for starting the application, responsible for edits made to the application by collaborators or representatives, and will be required to certify to the trueness, accuracy, and completion of the application. Collaborators and representatives will need Level 2 eAuth access to be added to an application and can create an account at https://www.eauth.usda.gov/.
Eligibility
25
Official Listing on Grants.gov
View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.
Parent Grant Program
Indian Tribes and Tribal Corporations — Loans
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agency Contact
Program Management Division <br/>Phone (202) 720-1400
Key Dates
Frequently Asked Questions
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More from Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Delta Health Care Service Grant Program
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
Rural Microentrepreneur Program(RMAP)
Value-Added Producer Grant
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
| Publisher | Kiznis Studio |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |