Where To Find Grants To Expand?????

[reneeearle]

Anyone Know Where To Find Grants To Expand My Farm Operation? I Currently Have Dairy Goats Of Which I Use For Soap, And My Own Use, But Would Like To Make And Market Cheese. Lots Of Red Tape Here, Not Enough Money... Grants Would Be Wonderful, No Debt!!!! But, A Low Interest Loan Is A Possibility, But Not My First Option. Any Info Would Be Wonderful. Thanks To All Those Who Told Me To Change My Soap Labels, It Helped. Although, My Last Show, I Had Been At Before, So Lots Where Repeats. Next Weekend I Have A Knew Show, We Will See How The City Folks Handle The Soap....
Renee

[NWMO]

I understand where you are coming from in seeking grants......best way to hook up with any type of grant situation would be something through local or regional tourism for an "ag" type product....but I have seen plenty of red tape with that process too, and truly not much money, as most people are not in the market to "give it away".......try looking up something under rural development or contacting someone at the University Extension Office or Regional Development Centers. They usually have an "ear" to offer and possible direction for your ideas.

[Chas in Me]

I am a grant writer and have worked in economic and business development for some years. There may be some local grants to help with business or some matching grants. In either case, you will probably have to come up with matching funds or jump through a lot of other hoops.
Business grants are tough to find. You may need to be doing something innovative or something the grant agency wants to pass on to others, and they will fund you to develop a better way to do something.
Look to state or regional level first.
Good luck.

[Hoop]

Good luck.

Grant money is usually earmarked for corporate entities. The State of Wisconsin just awarded a well known company 4.5 million in the form of grants/etc. Last year the company made over $1,000,000,000 in profit. Perhaps you've heard of the company, its none other than that pillar of American independence, Harley Davidson.

[donsgal]

As Chas stated most grants are matching grants. Even if you were to establish a non-profit "educational" organization (i.e. letting school kids come in to watch you make soap, or holding soap making classes), many of the grants available are still matching grants.

I would check with the Department of Agriculture. There is a program for "value added" products as well as other programs for farms that give the community an economic boost. Most branches of the government offer grants and low interest loans. Unfortunately, many of these programs have been cut drastically so that we could buy bullets for Iraq. Not to be too political, but maybe if we get a Democratic President in 2008 these programs will again be funded so that we, the little guy, can take advantage of them. There are also many local organizations that offer grants to non-profits. The first thing I would do is establish non-profit status with your state and possibly even the IRS to be eligible for any of these.

donsgal