Opportunity Information: Apply for RDBCP 2012 VAPG
Apply for RDBCP 2012 VAPG
- The Business and Cooperative Programs in the agriculture business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Value Added Producer Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.352 Value Added Producer Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 16, 2012 and posted on Aug 16, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2012 Application must be submitted by October 15, 2012 to be considered for funding. Applications may be submitted on paper or electronically. Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped or sent overnight by this date. Electronic applications are permitted via www.grants.gov only, and must be received before midnight on this date. Late applications will not be considered for FY2012 funding.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $14,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 120 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Individuals.
- Eligible applicants are Independent Producer, Agricultural Producer Group,Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or a Majority Controlled Produced Based Business. Applicants must meet all related requirements for Emerging Market (as applicable), Citizenship, Legal Authority and Responsibility, Multiple Grants and Active Grants. In addition, you must meet Departmental requirements related to debarment, suspension and exclusion from participation in Federal assistance programs, as well as requirements related to outstanding Federal income taxes, judgments and delinquencies. For detailed requirements, see 7 CFR 4284.920 and 7 CFR 4284.921.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity designed to help agricultural producers move beyond selling raw commodities and instead earn more by adding value through processing and marketing. The program focuses on supporting producer-led projects that turn farm or ranch products into bio-based, value-added goods or that create stronger, higher-return marketing channels for those products. At its core, the program is meant to help producers develop new products, open or expand market opportunities, and ultimately increase farm and ranch income by capturing a larger share of the consumer dollar.
This particular opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RDBCP 2012 VAPG) was offered as a discretionary grant under the Agriculture, Business and Commerce activity area (CFDA 10.352). The government estimated total funding at $14,000,000 and anticipated making about 120 awards. The maximum grant amount listed was $300,000. A key feature of the VAPG program is that it includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are expected to contribute matching funds or qualifying resources alongside the federal grant dollars.
Applications were required to be submitted by October 15, 2012. Applicants could apply either by paper submission or electronically through Grants.gov. Paper applications needed to be postmarked by the deadline (including mailed, shipped, or overnight delivery). Electronic submissions had to be received via Grants.gov before midnight on the closing date. The notice made clear that late applications would not be considered for FY2012 funding.
Eligibility was limited to specific producer-related entities rather than the general public. Eligible applicants included independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based businesses. In addition to fitting an eligible applicant category, applicants had to satisfy several regulatory and departmental requirements, including those related to emerging markets (when applicable), citizenship, legal authority and responsibility, restrictions regarding multiple or active grants, and federal compliance rules. The announcement also referenced standard federal integrity and financial responsibility requirements, including restrictions tied to debarment, suspension, and exclusion from federal assistance programs, along with requirements concerning outstanding federal income taxes, judgments, and delinquent federal debt. The detailed eligibility and compliance rules were cited in the program regulations at 7 CFR 4284.920 and 7 CFR 4284.921.
The program also offered priority consideration for certain types of applicants and project approaches. Priority could be given to beginning farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, small or medium-sized family farms or ranches, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and projects proposing a mid-tier value chain (as defined in the governing regulation). This priority structure signals that, while awards are competitive, the program is intentionally designed to steer benefits toward producer-focused operations and value chains that strengthen farm-level returns and rural economic development.
The administering agency listed was USDA Rural Development, Business and Cooperative Programs. For help accessing the full announcement or resolving access issues, the notice provided a contact person: Lyn Millhiser at 202-720-8460.
Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program (RDBCP 2012 VAPG) - FAQs
What is the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program?
The Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity intended to help agricultural producers increase income by moving beyond selling raw commodities and instead adding value through processing and marketing. The program supports producer-led projects that create bio-based, value-added goods or build stronger, higher-return marketing channels for farm and ranch products.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The core purpose is to help producers develop new products, open or expand market opportunities, and increase farm and ranch income by capturing a larger share of the consumer dollar through value-added activities.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this VAPG notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is RDBCP 2012 VAPG.
Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. The VAPG Program is described as a competitive federal grant opportunity, meaning applications are evaluated against each other and not all eligible applicants will receive an award.
What type of grant is this (discretionary or formula)?
This opportunity was offered as a discretionary grant.
What activity area and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?
The activity area is Agriculture, Business and Commerce, and the CFDA number is 10.352.
How much total funding did the government estimate for this opportunity?
The government estimated total funding at $14,000,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
Approximately 120 awards were anticipated.
What was the maximum grant amount?
The maximum grant amount listed was $300,000.
Is there a matching or cost-sharing requirement?
Yes. The VAPG Program includes a cost-sharing (matching) requirement. Applicants are expected to contribute matching funds or qualifying resources alongside the federal grant dollars.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to certain producer-related entities. Eligible applicants include:
- Independent producers
- Agricultural producer groups
- Farmer or rancher cooperatives
- Majority-controlled producer-based businesses
Is this grant open to the general public or any business?
No. The notice specifies that eligibility is limited to specific producer-related entities rather than the general public.
Are there additional eligibility or compliance requirements beyond fitting an eligible applicant type?
Yes. In addition to being an eligible applicant category, applicants had to meet several regulatory and departmental requirements, including requirements related to (when applicable) emerging markets, citizenship, legal authority and responsibility, restrictions involving multiple or active grants, and federal compliance rules.
Does the program include federal integrity and financial responsibility checks?
Yes. The announcement referenced standard federal integrity and financial responsibility requirements, including restrictions tied to debarment, suspension, and exclusion from federal assistance programs, as well as requirements involving outstanding federal income taxes, judgments, and delinquent federal debt.
Where are the detailed eligibility and compliance rules found?
The notice cited the program regulations at 7 CFR 4284.920 and 7 CFR 4284.921 for detailed eligibility and compliance requirements.
Does the program provide priority consideration for certain applicants or projects?
Yes. The program described priority consideration that could be given to certain applicants and project approaches, indicating the program is designed to steer benefits toward producer-focused operations and value chains that strengthen farm-level returns and rural economic development.
Who might receive priority under this opportunity?
Priority could be given to:
- Beginning farmers or ranchers
- Socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers
- Small or medium-sized family farms or ranches
- Farmer or rancher cooperatives
- Projects proposing a mid-tier value chain (as defined in the governing regulation)
What kinds of projects does VAPG support?
Based on the notice description, VAPG supports producer-led projects that add value to farm or ranch products through processing and marketing, including projects that turn products into bio-based, value-added goods and projects that create stronger, higher-return marketing channels.
What is meant by "mid-tier value chain" in this notice?
The notice indicates that projects proposing a mid-tier value chain could receive priority, and that the term is defined in the governing regulation. The specific definition is not included in the provided summary, but the notice points to the applicable regulations for that definition.
Which federal agency administered this opportunity?
The administering agency listed was USDA Rural Development, Business and Cooperative Programs.
What was the application deadline?
Applications were required to be submitted by October 15, 2012.
How could applicants submit an application?
Applicants could apply either by paper submission or electronically through Grants.gov.
What were the rules for paper application submission?
Paper applications needed to be postmarked by the deadline, including applications sent via mailed, shipped, or overnight delivery.
What were the rules for electronic submission through Grants.gov?
Electronic submissions had to be received via Grants.gov before midnight on the closing date.
Were late applications accepted?
No. The notice stated that late applications would not be considered for FY2012 funding.
Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement or resolving access issues?
The notice provided a contact person for help: Lyn Millhiser at 202-720-8460.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture Business and Commerce
Next opportunity: Rural Health Network Development Planning Program
Previous opportunity: Archive Backlog Cataloging Project
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RDBCP 2012 VAPG
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RDBCP 2012 VAPG) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Apply for USDA NIFA FBMB 004268 Funding Number: USDA NIFA FBMB 004268 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $1,300,000 |
| Small Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant Apply for RDBCP SSDPG 2014 Funding Number: RDBCP SSDPG 2014 Agency: Business and Cooperative Programs Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant Apply for RDBCP RCDG 2014 Funding Number: RDBCP RCDG 2014 Agency: Business and Cooperative Programs Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant Apply for RDBCP RCDG 2015 Funding Number: RDBCP RCDG 2015 Agency: Business and Cooperative Programs Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Rural Business Opportunity Grant Apply for RDBCP 10 01 RBOG Funding Number: RDBCP 10 01 RBOG Agency: Business and Cooperative Programs Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA FBMB 003180 Funding Number: USDA NIFA FBMB 003180 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $1,400,000 |
| Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Program Apply for USDA NIFA FBMB 003450 Funding Number: USDA NIFA FBMB 003450 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Funding Amount: $1,400,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RDBCP 2012 VAPG", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.