Grants and Loans for Agriculture

Receive Grants News

The Department has a number of grant and loan programs available to agricultural producers and food processors. Please see the listing below and contact the individual involved for further information. To receive updates on any of the programs, including details on future requests for proposals, please sign up with your email in the adjacent box.

  • Agricultural Development Grant - This program provides cost-share grants to conduct market promotion, market research and development, value-added processing, and new technology demonstration projects.
  • Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program - A one-time funding opportunity available to farmers and food processors for infrastructure and equipment purchases. AIIP is not expected to open for proposals again.
  • Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund - AMLF finances projects that build and enhance the viability of agricultural and aquaculture enterprises throughout the state at reasonable rates and terms. AMLF is currently open for applications.
  • Dairy Improvement Fund - DIF provides financing to help Maine dairy businesses undertake projects to enhance the viability and vitality of the farm, and improve the manufacturing, marketability, and production of their products at a 1% fixed interest rate.
  • Maine Farms for the Future - FFF is a competitive grant program that supports Maine farmers in developing and implementing ideas to improve farm profitability.
  • Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program - The purpose of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) program is to build resilience across Maine’s middle-of-the-supply food chain.
  • Rural Rehabilitation Trust Fund - RRTF can provide low-interest loans to farmers purchasing breeding stock or feeder cattle, or capital improvement loans to agricultural fairs.
  • USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - SCBG is a competitive grant program that funds market research, market promotion, and new technology projects to benefit specialty crop producers.

Food System Business Grant Writers

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has compiled a list of grant writers who may be available to consult with Maine farmers, producers, processors, and other agricultural entities to prepare applications for state, federal, and private grant and funding opportunities. This list of grant writers is not intended to be fully comprehensive. We encourage those seeking grant writing services to contact more than one grant writer to inquire about availability, cost, subject matter and/or funding source expertise, prior proposal success (grants awarded), and other factors that may be relevant to your funding proposal.

The Department does not endorse or otherwise recommend a grant writer and encourages individuals to screen the qualifications of grant writers before entering an agreement.

Name Company Phone City
Ann McAlhany Maine SBDC hosted by CEI Bangor, ME
Audrey Gup-Mathews Maine Grant Connection Kennebunk, ME
Bill Bayreuther William A. Bayreuther Grant Writing 207-242-6029 Readfield, ME
Caroline Paras ParasScope 207-318-7900 Portland, ME
Jennifer Kierstead Jennifer Kierstead Consulting, Inc. 207-653-3720 Waterville, ME
Kara Weinstein KHW Strategies LLC 301-367-2578 Kingston, NY
Karen Stimpson Writing for Non-Profits 207-232-6338 Portland, ME
Linda Impagliazzo Linmar Consulting 508-331-1922 Coventry, RI
Sylvie Boisvert Discover Maine Food Augusta, ME
Tanya Swain SmallFish Consulting Group LLC 207-592-4369 Farmington, ME