Deadline: 2-Feb-23
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) announces the availability of funds through the Dairy Farm Innovation & Alternative Management Grant program.
This grant program will provide grants to dairy farmers to implement a wide variety of innovative and alternative management styles. A portion of the funds available will be prioritized for farmers who have received technical assistance (TA) from NE-DBIC funded Grazing Transition, Forage Enhancement, and Alternative Business Management TA providers. Grant funding is also available to farms who have not received this TA to implement similar projects.
Objectives
- The NE-DBIC’s Dairy Farm Innovation & Alternative Management Grant program will provide grants for dairy farmers to access resources and technical assistance to support the implementation of community- and climate-forward production strategies. Projects funded through this grant program should take a whole farm system approach and increase collaboration with other farms or dairy sector stakeholders. Grants will allow dairy farmers to make improvements to their management strategies and/or to implement innovative practices on farms.
- This grant will fund a wide range of projects across farm production and business operation models. Projects may address improvements in areas such as, but are in no way limited to, creating new models for collaborative/cooperative milk production or handling, increased new and young farmer engagement, alternative business ownership/management models, development of green technologies, farm-scale appropriate technology improvements, or creating a culture of continuous improvement.
- Improvements made with this grant funding should result in improved ecological and/or economic outcomes. All grantees will be expected to participate in and/or lead educational opportunities about their projects to benefit the broader dairy community. Projects that directly benefit more than one farm will score more competitively.
Priorities
Project approaches should address at least one of the following funding priority areas:
- Project will support adoption of new farm practices that enhance ecological outcomes, improve animal health, and support farmer well-being
- Project will enhance collaboration and learning between farmers and encourage young/beginning farmer participation
- Project will serve as a pilot or demonstration of new technologies or approaches to support early adoption
Funding Information
- Total funds available $900,000.
- Grants will range from $15,000 to $75,000 with a 25% (cash or in-kind) match commitment required.
- Projects coming from farmers who have received Grazing Transition, Forage Enhancement, or Alternative Farm Management Technical Assistance will receive priority access to $400,000 of the available grant funds.
- Grant periods will range from 12 – 15 months, depending on the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Grants are available to applicants in all 11 Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
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Applicants eligible for these funds are:
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Dairy farmers (producers) that:
- are headquartered or based in the Northeast; and
- produce milk within the Northeast; and
- are licensed dairy operations in compliance with all required state and/federal standards
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Producer associations that represent, supports, or promotes dairy products originating from the Northeast
- For the purposes of this grant, a producer association group, also known as a trade association, industry trade group, business association, sector association, or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry
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Technical service providers (e.g., university extension or viability organizations) are eligible to apply if:
- The group of dairy businesses they will work with is clearly defined in the application; and
- The businesses receiving services are located in the Northeast
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Dairy farmers (producers) that:
For more information, visit NE-DBIC.