Montana Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) Grant and Loan Program
Montana Department of Agriculture — Agriculture Development Council
Grants up to $50K; loans up to $100K
Montana ag innovation grants and loans
Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) is a Montana grant and loan program created by the Legislature to strengthen and diversify Montana's agricultural industry by developing new agricultural products and processes. It is administered by the Agriculture Development Council, which is attached to the Montana Department of Agriculture. Applicants may request grants of up to $50,000 and loans of up to $100,000. Funding requires at least a $1 match for every $1 of GTA grant or loan assistance received. Eligible project activities include equipment purchases, construction costs, advertising and promotion, and engineering/consultant services.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- Grants up to $50K; loans up to $100K
- Realistic amount
- Most grant awards are at or below the $50,000 grant cap; projects needing more capital combi…
- Deadline
- Periodic application windows announced by the Agriculture Development Council; sign up for Montana Department of Agriculture funding notifications for openings.
- Status
- active
- States
- Montana
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Project must develop new agricultural products or processes that strengthen and diversify Montana agriculture
- Applicant must provide at least a 1:1 match ($1 for every $1 of GTA assistance)
- Eligible activities include equipment purchases, construction, advertising/promotion, and engineering consulting
- Administered by the Agriculture Development Council under the Montana Department of Agriculture
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Equipment purchases
- Construction costs
- Advertising and promotion
- Consultant services for engineering
- Other costs developing new agricultural products or processes
Ineligible expenses
- Projects that do not develop new agricultural products or processes
- Costs not matched at the required 1:1 ratio
How to apply
-
1
Watch for an open RFP and review guidelines
Sign up for Montana Department of Agriculture funding notifications and review the GTA Program Guidelines to confirm project fit and the 1:1 match requirement.
~3 hrs
-
2
Prepare application and match
Develop the project narrative and budget, decide on grant vs. loan vs. both, and document the matching funds. Submit a pre-application if required.
~12 hrs
-
3
Submit through AmpliFund by the deadline
File the complete application via the state's AmpliFund portal during the open window.
~2 hrs
-
4
Council review and award
The Agriculture Development Council reviews applications and approves grants and/or loans; awardees execute agreements and (for loans) loan terms.
~3 hrs
GTA lets you pair a grant (up to $50K) with a loan (up to $100K) in the same project, which is how larger value-added builds get fully capitalized. Have your 1:1 match documented before you apply — the dollar-for-dollar requirement is firm and unmatched requests get set aside.
Deadline & timing
GTA issues Requests for Proposals when funds are available rather than running a fixed annual calendar; the Department announces windows via GovDelivery and AmpliFund. Recipients receive quarterly technical-assistance calls (2026: Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 29, Dec 29).
Programs that stack well
- Montana Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund — Job Creation Program
- Montana SMART Business Revolving Loan Fund
- usda-value-added-producer-grants
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.