You may be wondering: which grants can help me with my hydroponic, indoor, and/or aquaponic operation? It can actually be a bit difficult to get grant or loan funding for an indoor farming operation, but there are two funding opportunities that could help you grow with the flow đ§ .
SARE and VAPG grants for established operations
If you're already established as an indoor farming operation, you can apply for a SARE and/or VAPG grant. SARE grants are for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education projects, whereas VAPG (Value Added Producer) grants are for farmers who want to add value to their crops by processing or marketing them in a new way.
You can learn more about SARE here: https://www.farmraise.com/blog/sare-grants-for-your-farm
You can learn more about VAPG grants here: https://farmraise.com/blog/unpacking-the-value-added-producer-grant-vapg/
SARE grants are usually due in November / December each year.
VAPG grants are usually due in March each year.
Funding options for new operations
Are you just starting out? If so, know that it can be very difficult to get funding for a true start-up farming enterprise. We wish that wasn't the case! You may find this blog post to be helpful at framing the landscape for emerging indoor farms. The bottom line: you may have to start small and build experience before getting capital to get a full indoor farming unit.
Here's the path we recommend:
Talk with your local Farm Service Agency loan officer about taking either a microloan ($50k or less) or Direct Loan to purchase a smaller vertical farming unit.
If FSA doesn't pan out, consider taking on a Kiva loan for $15,000 (0% interest) to start a bit smaller. Read more about Kiva loans here.
Regardless of which way you go with the above, you could start by getting high tunnel funding and growing your farm business in the soil first, then working up to build enough experience to qualify for a loan for a larger indoor farming unit.
Calling FSA
We recommend calling the FSA first to talk through your situation and see their appetite to do the deal/work with you. Be prepared to address your relevant experience and how much capital you're looking for. Be aware that FSA may require collateral, and ask them what they would require for this. You can find your local FSA contact here: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app
Applying for high tunnel funding
If you have a small amount of land in your control already, and you're not attached to getting started with a vertical farming unit, you can apply for a grant called EQIP to get a high tunnel and build your experience as a farmer. Through FarmRaise, you can fill out the paperwork required for FSA Records and applying for EQIP in one module. EQIP requires you to set up FSA records to qualify. The application takes less than 20 minutes to complete through the FarmRaise digital platform. Follow the steps below to get started, and shoot me a message if you have any trouble. To apply for EQIP and your FSA Records:
You can get started today with FarmRaise Premium by signing up at: http://app.farmraise.com/signup. If you already have a free account, simply log into your free account and you'll see a button that allows you to Upgrade to Premium at the top of your dashboard.
EQIP should also show up as an eligible program within your Dashboard. Youâll have to add a Farm Entity before you can apply, though. Go ahead and hit âApplyâ to get started with entering your farm Entity. Once thatâs done, you can apply with your entity.
If EQIP does not show up in your dashboard, please contact us using the green icon in the bottom right corner of your screen so we can troubleshoot for you!
Once you go through the application, hit submit. We will get a notification and will work to tidy up and check over your forms, before sending them to you for final review and signature.
Keep at it! We're excited to support you, feel free to reach out at support@farmraise.com