Agricultural Development Grant Programs

Grant programs that fall under the administration of the Division of Agricultural Development: The Agricultural Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Program details follow.

 

NH Farm to School Local Food Incentive Pilot Program

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food (DAMF) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award Farm to School Pilot Program grant funds to ten (10) New Hampshire school administrative units (SAUs). The purpose of this grant is to use the funds during the pilot to increase the use of NH products in school meal programs by enhancing collaboration between NH schools and NH producers.

Applications are due by 2:00 PM on February 12, 2025. More information is available at the following links:

Request For Applications For NH Farm to School Local Food Incentive Pilot Program

2025 Farm to School Attachment A

2025 Farm to School Attachment B

 

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) is designed to build resilience in the middle-of-the-supply-chain in the Granite State and strengthen our local and regional food systems through the creation of new revenue streams in the areas of aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of local agricultural products.

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food has developed their RFSI plan to benefit NH farms and food businesses both directly and indirectly through grants, targeted technical assistance, and training with the goal of expanding capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers; filling gaps in cold storage, transportation, and distribution for farms, food processors, and food hubs; increase access to cooperative commercial kitchens and/or other value-added product producing facilities; and increase processing for new products; increase branding and food safety through packing and labeling.

Funding for RFSI was made possible by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service.

The infrastructure grant phase of this program has closed. Awards will be announced upon final approval of USDA and Governor & Executive Council.

Equipment Only Grants – Deadline Extended to February 7, 2025

Smaller simplified equipment-only grants offer a simplified application to fund smaller grants between $10,000 and $100,000 for equipment purchases. The Simplified Equipment-Only option is a Fixed Price Grant, meaning it will fund only equipment purchases (and not associated facility upgrades, staffing, or other costs), and the amount awarded will be equal to the cost of the equipment up to $100,000. No match is required for this grant type.

Equipment-Only Grant Application Manual

Equipment-Only Grants Application

if you are having trouble opening this link, try saving it to your desktop, then right click and ‘open with’ a pdf viewer.

Evidence of Critical Resources Template

Program Overview – Equipment Only Grants

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Scope and Requirements

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Specific Terms and Conditions

'Getting Equipped with the Resilient Food System Infrastructure Program' – webinar recording

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) is eligible to receive funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the annual Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The NHDAMF offers eligible New Hampshire organizations the opportunity to apply for a portion of these funds under the New Hampshire Specialty Crops Grant Program to conduct projects that benefit New Hampshire Specialty Crops. Specialty Crops are defined as: fruit, vegetable, nursery, floriculture, herb, maple, Christmas tree and honey crops. For a complete list of eligible and ineligible crops visit the USDA AMS website.

The USDA has formally announcement the 2024 SCBG program. To Apply for funding through New Hampshire, see the details below.

Deadline to apply is April 8, 2024– 2024 program application information is below:

2024 NH SCBG Program Details

2024 NH SCBG Application Cover Page

SCBG Project Profile Template - Application will open in a new tab. Click the download button in the top right corner and save application on your computer. Open application from the folder where you saved it. Fill out application in Adobe Acrobat Reader rather than the web browser. Save again when complete and before submitting.

Champions of NH Farms Grant Program

The Champions of New Hampshire Farms grant program is established to benefit New Hampshire organizations. The intent is to provide funds to organizations to allow them to do some extra efforts to promote agriculture /natural resources and their missions to the public. The applicant organization must have bylaws and have a federal tax identification number to receive funds.

2025 Champions of NH Grant Program

2025 Champions of NH Grant Application