Grants and Loans for Agriculture

Several loan and grant programs are available to help producers adopt new technology, promote products or conduct market research. Each of the following programs has eligibility criteria and reporting requirements that are based on the legislation that created the program. To receive updates on any of the programs, including details on future requests for proposals sign up for grant news.

• 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.
• Agriculture, Food and Forest Products Investment Infrastructure Fund - Making strategic investments in infrastructure to add value to Maine's raw commodities.
• 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.
• Farmers Drought Relief Program - Offers financial assistance to farmers to develop agricultural water management plans and to install wells and water storage ponds throughout Maine.
• Maine Farms for the Future - FFF is a competitive grant program that supports Maine farmers in developing and implementing ideas to improve farm profitability.
• Maine Healthy Soils Program - No-Cost Soil Health Testing, Soil Health Implementation Grant, Technical Assistance Capacity Grant
• 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 - The Division manages this dedicated revenue fund for purposes of providing policy and loan-making decisions of this fund. Investments of fund dollars go to providing low interest loans to farmers for purchasing beef cattle breeding stock land or feeder cattle..
• 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
Elaine Theriault-Currier	Pen Name	207-441-8614	Windsor, 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

Updated January 2025.