STAKEHOLDER ANNOUNCEMENT
USDA Makes Grants Available to Support Agriculture Innovation Centers
(Washington, D.C., September 21, 2026) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that Rural Development is making funds available for centers that provide services to agricultural producers who want to develop and market value-added products.
USDA is making $2.5 million in grants available through the Agriculture Innovation Center (AIC) Program.
Grant and matching funds may be used to operate an agriculture innovation center, and to provide the following services to agricultural producers:
- Business development services, such as feasibility studies and business plans.
- Market development services, such as marketing plans, branding, and customer identification.
- Organizational assistance, such as legal and technical advisory services related to the development, expansion, or operation of a business.
- Financial advisory services related to the development, expansion, or operation of a business, such as assistance with obtaining credit for operating costs, training on using financial management software, and guidance on use of cash flow.
- Process development services, such as engineering services, scale production assessments, and systems development.
- Product development, such as idea generation, concept testing, feasibility and cost analysis, product taste-testing, demographic and other types of consumer analysis, production analysis, recipe development, evaluation of packaging and labeling options, and brand development for a value-added agricultural product.
- Value chain coordination or directly working with an agricultural producer to connect that producer to a distribution system, processing facility, or commercial kitchen.
- Grants to agricultural producers for the above services, where the individual award does not exceed $5,000.
Eligible applicants include commercial organizations, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, local governments, state governments and nonprofit organizations.
USDA Rural Development is making $2.5 million available through the AIC Program under this announcement. Matching funds are required for at least one-third of the total project budget. Electronic applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. on January 31, 2027. Details on eligibility and requirements are available on Grants.gov or by contacting your local USDA Rural Development office.
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