Deadline Approaches for Buy Local Grant Program

The initial deadline is quickly approaching for farmers and others in Wisconsin’s food industry who want to apply for the 2015 round in the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant program. These grants can help farms and businesses more efficiently process, market and distribute food in local markets including to stores, schools and institutions.

Pre-proposals are due by 4 pm on Dec. 1, at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Each pre-proposal must include a cover page, a completed budget template and a three-page project description. The necessary documents and instructions can be found online at datcp.wi.gov/Business/Buy_Local_Buy_Wisconsin/BLBW_Grants.

Qualified projects selected during the pre-proposal round will be invited to complete a full proposal. The recipients will be announced in March 2015.

A total of $200,000 is available in grant funding; the maximum award for each project is $50,000. Grant applicants must provide a cash or in-kind match of at least 50 percent of the total project budget. Contact DATCP’s Grants Manager Juli Speck at 608.224.5134 or [email protected] with application questions.