Agricultural Innovation Grant (Frederick County)

Agricultural Innovation Grant (Frederick County) is sponsored by Frederick County Office of Agriculture. This grant aims to improve the economic viability of the agriculture industry in Frederick County by encouraging agricultural producers to expand or diversify their business operations.

Agricultural Innovation Grant | Frederick County Agriculture, MD Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Agricultural Innovation Grant The Agricultural Innovation Grant intends to improve the economic viability of the agriculture industry by encouraging Frederick County's agricultural producers to expand or diversify their business operations.

Eligible applicants must be a crop or livestock producer, value-added producer, agricultural cooperative, seafood processor, or primary or secondary timber products processor. Applicants can receive grants for research and development, production buildings, major fixtures, and processing facilities. The next cycle will open on October 1, 2026.

The completed Expense Substantiation form and backup documentation must be submitted by email to FCAG . During the life of the project and until grant funds are expended in full, monthly Expense Substantiation Forms with back documentation to support the use of funds must be received by the 30th of the month. The Expense Substantiation Form, along with Reporting Guidelines, can be found here.

Apply for the Agricultural Innovation Grant Develop a Business Plan. The following resources are available to assist in developing your plan: Business Plan Suggested Table of Contents (PDF) The University of Minnesota offers draft agriculture business plans for those just starting a plan. The Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers free one-on-one counseling on business plan development.

Email Lee Drosdak for assistance. Maryland Women's Business Center offers one-on-one assistance. Email Karen Sippel for assistance.

You must email Tolson DeSa with Frederick County Zoning for the current grant cycle to ensure the planned project is an allowed use in Frederick County. This information will be verified to determine continued eligibility. If evidence of this contact is not found, then your application will be automatically withdrawn from consideration.

Evidence includes a copy of an email to FCAG . Description of the project Existing structures are being used for the project or are being constructed Will members of the public be invited into the building Projects involving any additional waste discharge: Contact the Frederick County Health Department before applying to understand the requirements of your project.

Email Kim Dillman Projects Involving Land in a Land Preservation Easement Email Shannon O'Neil to verify that your project is an allowed use in your easement. Breakdown of expenses by category: Include other funding sources that will support this project. Prepare "Capital Needed" Description Brief description of equipment or facilities to be acquired with an estimate of the useful life of these assets.

Write an Economic Impact Description What impact will this project have on your farm enterprise? If the property owner or immediate family member is not the applicant, you will be required to submit a signed rental agreement with terms.

Must be currently operating in Frederick County for at least one year Must have recorded at least $2,500 in annual (not cumulative) sales OR include an outline of your investment in the operation and its impact on future sales in your business plan.

Must provide documented evidence for the current cycle, showing outreach to Planning and Zoning ( Email Tolson Desa ) discussing the requirements of your proposed project, Must fall into one of the following categories: crop or livestock producer, value-added producer as defined by Maryland law, agricultural cooperative, Primary or secondary timber products processor.

The term "value-added agriculture" is defined by law as "the alteration or enhancement of a raw agricultural product, including livestock, or an agricultural service in a way that increases the product or service's worth to a consumer and brings more revenue to a farmer, producer, or processor.

This includes all enterprises, including those providing equine activities, in which an agricultural business or the agricultural business's products or services are altered, marketed, produced, or processed in a way that adds income to a farmer, producer, or processor." Projects will be scored according to the Rubric given.

Scoring Rubric Total Points Points Assigned Limited Moderate Strong Description of Project: What are you going to do, and how?

10 N/A <5 points Simply defines project goals and path 6 to 10 points Partially defines project goals >10 points Clearly defines project goals Budget & Capital Needed: List expenses, funding sources, and equipment details 10 N/A <3 points Limited detail on expenses 4 to 6 points Some financial details >7 points Detailed financial breakdown Innovation: How the project expands/diversifies operations 15 N/A <5 points Limited diversification 6 to 10 points Moderate diversification >10 points Strong innovation and expansion Economic Impact: Impact on business/community and job creation 15 N/A <5 points Limited impact described 6 to 10 points Moderate impact described >10 points Strong impact and job creation Business Plan Scoring Start date, benchmarks, completion timeline Executive Summary 10 N/A <3 points Minimal business background 4 to 6 points Moderate detail >7 points Strong, clear summary Operations 10 N/A <3 points Limited product details 4 to 6 points Moderate details >7 points Detailed operations plan Marketing Plan 10 N/A <3 points Unclear strategy 4 to 6 points Defined strategy >7 points Strong marketing plan Financial Plan 10 N/A <3 points Limited financial data 4 to 6 points Some projections >7 points Complete financial picture First-Time Grant Recipient 10 N/A N/A N/A N/A Total Points 100 N/A N/A N/A N/A