UVM Extension Commercial Horticulture

| By jlcallah

USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service

  • Provides technical and financial assistance to address resource concerns (e.g. water quality, soil erosion, soil health, wildlife and pollinator habitat). An NRCS planner will meet with you to discuss which conservation practices are a good fit for your farm (e.g. high tunnels, cover crops, mulching, IPM).
  • Applications accepted year-round- Deadline for 2027 programs TBD.
  • Contact your local NRCS service center to apply. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/vermont/local-service-centers

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

  • To qualify for CSP, you must already use practices that address resource concerns (e.g. cover cropping, reduced tillage, drip irrigation), then add one or more practices.
  • Minimum payment of $4,000/year for a 5-year contract.
  • Is CSP Right for Me?

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets

Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP)

  • Equipment to support water quality on your farm. Successful CEAP applications for vegetable farms include grain drills, precision fertilizer equipment, and flail mowers .
  • 90% cost share of up to $50,000 depending on equipment type.
  • https://go.uvm.edu/ceap
  • New for 2026! Application opens June 1; Application due by July 15, 2026 https://agriculture.vermont.gov/ceap

CSP-Assist: Vermont Farmers Ecosystem Stewardship Program

  • Growers applying for the NRCS CSP program can receive an additional one-time payment.
  • $2000 payment for applying to CSP plus an additional $7500 for a CSP contract.
  • Funding for this program is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
  • https://agriculture.vermont.gov/CSP-Assist

Farm Agronomic Practices Program

  • Implement soil-based practices that improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and agricultural waste discharges (i.e. cover crops for vegetable farm , rotational grazing for livestock farm)
  • $40-55/acre for cover crop ; $15/acre for no till planting
  • Deadlines: April 1 (spring and full season cover crops); August 1 (fall cover crops)
  • https://agriculture.vermont.gov/fap

FAP Agronomic Training Grant

  • Instructional activity grants to support Vermont farmers and service providers to attend events that further their knowledge of agricultural water quality.
  • Up to $2000 per individual per state fiscal year
  • Applications must be submitted at least 45 days before the event.
  • https://agriculture.vermont.gov/fap/training

Specialty Crop Block Grant

  • Projects must be focused on providing direct support to specialty crop businesses through technical assistance, training programs, or tool development
  • $15,000 to $35,000, 50% match required
  • Check back fall 2026. https://agriculture.vermont.gov/grants/specialtycrop

Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant

State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Historic Preservation Barn Grants

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Vermont Working Lands Advanced Wood Heating Initiative

  • Install or upgrade systems that use locally sourced wood, wood residues, & wood waste
  • Reimburses up to 50% of project costs up to $25,000
  • Grant funds are awarded on a first come, first served basis
  • Please contact Molly Willard at Molly.Willard@vermont.gov or 802-261-1681 for questions and to request a grant application . Case study example for Mettowee Mint.

American Farmland Trust

Brighter Future Fund National Grant for Historically Underserved Farmers

Projects are funded to improve:
1) Improve farm viability
2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland, or
3) Adopt regenerative farming practices

Awards up to $5,000 per project

Coming summer 2026 https://farmland.org/brighterfuture

The Fruit Guys Community Fund

Champlain Housing Trust

Vermont Farmworker Housing Repair Loan Program (FWH)

Farmworker Replacement Housing Loan Program (FWHR)

  • -Replacement of existing farmworker housing statewide
  • Loan of up to $120,000 for the cost of building new housing. First $30,000 is forgivable.
  • Funding availability is limited. Michael Anthony manthony@getahome.org (802) 810-8217

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA VT)

Funding to support environmental, financial and social resilience on Vermont farms.

Farmer Resilience Grants

Vermont Family Farmer of the Month Program

  • Support long term viability of farm’s contributing to a resilient agricultural landscape.
  • $12,000 award
  • Applications due mid-May (July through October Awards )
    Applications due mid-September (November through February Awards)
    Applications due mid-January for (March through June Awards)
  • https://www.nofavt.org/vermont-family-farmer-month

Farmer Emergency Fund

  • Supports organic and NOFA-VT member farmers affected by natural and unnatural disasters.
  • $2,500 grants (NOFA VT members); $5,000 grants (VOF certified farms)
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis
  • https://www.nofavt.org/farmer-emergency-fund

USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

Farmer Grant Program

USDA Rural Development

Value Added Producer Grant

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

VHCB Water Quality Grant

Vermont Land Trust

Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award

Other Resources

This resource was created with support from the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program from the VAAFM Quality Division.

Download this resource as a PDF

Please reach out if you want to talk through grant ideas or get help with an application!

Julie Callahan – help with any type of funding for your farm – Julie.callahan@uvm.edu

Rachel Stievater – help understanding and accessing NRCS programs – Rachel.Stievater@uvm.edu

Last updated April 23, 2026

Skip to toolbar