Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
$10,000–$50,000
$10,000–$50,000 grants for Vermont farms and forest-product businesses.
The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant awards $10,000–$50,000 to Vermont farms and forest-product businesses for equipment, infrastructure, market development, research and development, and workforce training. No match is required. The 2026 application window is open and closes December 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. (the Request for Applications came out October 9), with projects starting in April 2027.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $50,000
- Realistic amount
- $10,000–$50,000 depending on project scope
- Deadline
- Business Enhancement Grant applications are open until December 10, 2026 at 2:00pm ET.
- Status
- active
- States
- VT
Who qualifies
- Business must be based in Vermont (out-of-state applicants only if project is 100% focused on Vermont’s working landscape)
- Eligible sectors include farms producing food/fiber, logging/forestry businesses, wood-product trucking/distribution, value-added food/fiber businesses sourcing at least 50% Vermont ingredients, agricultural/wood-product trucking/distribution, and retail businesses primarily selling Vermont-produced food/fiber products
- All legal structures are eligible (sole proprietorships, LLCs, corporations, cooperatives, L3Cs, B Corps, and qualifying non-profits)
- Must be registered with the Vermont Secretary of State (or assumed business name registered for sole proprietors)
- Prior FY23, FY24, or FY25 Business Enhancement grantees are ineligible
Who is not eligible
- Cannabis, Christmas tree, equine, flower, topical-CBD hemp, and horticulture crop businesses
- Businesses that exclusively grow food/products indoors (hydroponics, aquaculture, indoor mushroom production)
- Value-added food businesses not sourcing Vermont ingredients
- Trucking/distribution/retail businesses primarily selling non-Vermont products
- Prior FY23–FY25 Business Enhancement grantees
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Equipment purchases and down payments
- Infrastructure development and construction
- Market development and branding
- Research and development
- Workforce training and technical skill development
Ineligible expenses
- Land purchases, rent, or leases
- Livestock/animal purchases
- Farmworker housing
- General business advising
- Ongoing recurring costs of doing business
How to apply
-
1
Review the Request for Applications
Download the sample RFA and application guide from the Working Lands website to confirm eligibility, project type, and required financial statements.
~1 hrs
-
2
Register in WebGrants
Create a WebGrants account at least two business days before applying. Contact Lily Bradburn for WebGrants support if needed.
~0.5 hrs
-
3
Prepare application and financials
Draft the application, including a project budget and recent profit & loss, balance sheet, and cash-flow statements. Optional business plan may be attached.
~5 hrs
-
4
Submit before December 10, 2026 at 2:00pm ET
Complete and submit the application through WebGrants by the deadline. Late applications are not accepted.
~1 hrs
-
5
Await funding decision
Decisions are announced late February/early March 2027; successful projects start around April 2027.
Ask for the minimum you need and emphasize Vermont-grown sourcing; scoring favors businesses that increase their use of Vermont wood or agricultural inputs.
Deadline & timing
Applications are open and close December 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. (the Request for Applications came out October 9). Funding decisions announced late February/early March 2027; projects estimated to start April 2027 and end April 2028.
Deadline: December 10, 2026 — put it in your calendar before you close this tab.
Includes reminders one week and one day before. Verify on the official program page — funders move dates.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.
Free. One email when the window moves, deadline warnings on your watchlist, and the monthly closing-soon digest. Unsubscribe anytime.
Required documents
- Completed WebGrants application
- Project budget
- Profit & loss statement
- Balance sheet
- Cash-flow statement
- Optional business plan
- Proof of Vermont Secretary of State registration
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Last updated October 16, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.