Apply for the Agricultural Innovation Grant\n\nThe Agricultural Innovation Grant Program helps farmers and other agriculture businesses implement new agricultural technologies, conservation, and renewable energy innovations — expanding their potential to generate profits, enrich soil and water resources, and produce energy on the farm.\n\nBuilding on historic investments under the Shapiro Administration, the 2026-27 budget Governor Shapiro signed includes another $10 million for the nation’s first Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, bringing total funding to $30 million. The initial rounds of the program have funded 185 innovative projects statewide and are already helping farmers adopt cutting-edge technologies, generate clean energy, and protect natural resources.\n\nGrant funding is working statewide to strengthen Pennsylvania’s leadership in agricultural innovation, ensure farms of all sizes can thrive, and support a more sustainable and resilient agricultural economy.\n\n## Application Timeline\n\nRound three (2026-2027) of the Agriculture Innovation grant will open August 24, 2026 at 8:00 am and close on September 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm.\n\nBefore you apply, please look at our Resource Guide to ensure this is the right fit for your project.\n\n## About\n\nGrants will reimburse expenses for project planning, on-site project implementation, and larger grants for projects that have a regional impact.\n\nProject examples include technology that:\n\n- improves efficiency on the farm or in processing,\n- generates energy while reducing nutrient waste leaving the farm,\n- supports crops that effectively store carbon or replace non-renewable resources.\n\nProjects may also address practical challenges including data collection, biosecurity, and odor remediation.\n\n## Eligibility\n\n1. A person who grows an agricultural commodity and who has anticipated sales greater than $2,000 per year.\n2. A person who processes an agricultural commodity and has anticipated sales greater than $10,000 per year.\n3. A person who provides technical assistance or services to farmers for conservation, engineering, veterinary care, animal disease management, farm management, agricultural commodity production, nutrient management, or similar services.\n4. A person or cooperative association that utilizes agricultural commodities to create products or energy.\n\n## Eligible Projects\n\nA person or cooperative association who utilizes innovation:\n\n- to improve energy efficiency, improve water quality, reduce water consumption, reduce odors, or address solid waste concerns.\n- to improve production, processing, commercialization, or utilization of agricultural commodities.\n- that produces energy from agricultural sources, including manure, food waste or biomass.\n- equipment that provides low-carbon or no-carbon energy sources from agricultural commodities.\n- technology that assists eligible applicants with the management of their farms, including diagnostic tools and services.\n- technology that assists a packer, processor or cooperative in more efficient sorting, grading, or processing of agricultural commodities.\n- that improves biosecurity or health of plants or animals.\n- that supports cybersecurity or data analytics.\n\n## Funding Opportunities\n\n### Reimbursement Grant Program\n\nProgram grants should be reimbursement grants. The following can apply:\n\n#### Innovation planning project grant\n\nAn eligible applicant may apply for a grant to develop a strategic plan to utilize innovation to improve agricultural practices, technologies, operations or approaches within a specific business, geographic area, or network. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:\n\n- The amount of a grant should be no less than $7,500 and no more than $50,000.\n- A grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 30% of the grant amount for the project.\n\n#### Onsite project grant\n\nAn eligible applicant may apply for a grant for a project that focuses on implementing innovation practices, technologies or approaches on an individual farm or property producing or processing an agricultural commodity. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:\n\n- The amount of the grant should be no less than $5,000 and no more than $200,000.\n- A grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the project.\n\n#### Regional impact project grant\n\nAn eligible applicant may apply for a grant for a project designed to address challenges, promote efficiencies, or achieve specific goals for multiple eligible applicants. The following shall apply to a grant under this subsection:\n\n- The amount of the grant should be no less than $100,000 and no more than $2 million.\n- The grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the project.\n- The project must impact two or more persons or businesses or be a cooperative association that grows, harvests, processes, packs or manages an agricultural commodity.\n\n## Application Requirements\n\nAn application for the grant should contain the following information:\n\n- The applicant's name, business address and contact information.\n- A statement as to whether the applicant seeks an innovation planning project grant, onsite project grant or regional impact project grant.\n- The details of the project for which reimbursement grant money is sought, including the following:\n - A project narrative, including a statement of the maximum amount of grant money sought for the project.\n - A project budget.\n - An addendum that will cover:\n - Alignment with the intent of the Program.\n - Metrics for tracking success.\n - An itemized budget.\n - A timeline\n - Letters of support.\n\n## Contact\n\nIf you have any questions, please contact Michael Roth at michroth@pa.gov for more information regarding the grant.\n\n## Resources\n\n- Ag Innovation Grant - Webinar\n- Ag Innovation Grant - Flyer\n- Resource Guide 2026-2027\n\n## Funding Recipients\n\n- 2025\n- 2026