By Clare Salerno, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Since its formation in August 2012, the Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB) has awarded over $15 million in grant funds to over 400 grantees, leveraging more than $26 million in matching funds.
The Business Enhancement Grant is open now through November 20. Applicants will be notified in January 2024 and those awarded can start projects in February 2024. Project length is one year.
Projects eligible for funding may relate to one or more of the following categories:
- Market development
- Research and development
- Infrastructure development
- Energy focused projects
- Workforce training and development
Businesses can apply for grants anywhere between $15,000–$50,000 per award. Up to $580,000 is available total from a Fiscal Year 2024 State of Vermont legislative appropriation.
Grant recipients must provide matching funds equal to 100% of the grant award (one-to-one) using cash (e.g., funds in the bank, paid staff labor hours toward the project) or in-kind items (e.g., donated goods, pro bono services, volunteer labor) that the grantee organization has received from other sources. Under limited circumstances, the matching requirement may be reduced or waived for applicants who demonstrate a clear need for this accommodation.
Businesses must be based in Vermont and registered with the Vermont Secretary of State at the time of application. All structures are eligible (e.g., Partnerships, Limited Liability Corporations, Sole Proprietorships, Cooperatives, Corporations, S Corporations, L3Cs, B Corporations, and/or non-profits that are involved in the support of production of agriculture and/or forest products).
Value-added food businesses that source at least 50% of raw ingredients from Vermont OR are applying for a Working Lands grant to significantly increase use of ingredients sourced from Vermont are eligible. This means that businesses that sell “unique food products” are not eligible unless the business will use grant funds to increase production of raw ingredients in Vermont. Unique food products are defined as processed food made from ingredients that are not regularly produced in Vermont or are not available in sufficient quantities to meet production requirements. Please make your sourcing clear within the application.
Secondary forestry businesses are eligible if at least 50% of the wood they use is grown in the Northeast OR the Working Lands grant project will significantly increase use of wood sourced from the Northeast.
For more information, visit www.workinglands.vermont.gov .