Women in agriculture are eligible for grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Women who own agriculture small businesses can apply for grant money that can be used for business and marketing projects that help women develop their business and become more competitive and productive.
The Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant Program is specifically for women, minorities and other groups who experience ethnic and gender prejudice. Women can receive grants up to $200,000 to be used for product improvements, market research, training and legal.
The Value Added Producer Grant Program is for women and other disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The matching grant provides $300,000 for working capital and up to $100,000 for market planning. This grant is specifically for producing agriculture products that are marketable due to a product change.
The Risk Management Agency Grant is provided through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Agriculture Risk Management Education Competitive grants program. This grant is for women agricultural producers. The grant funds can be used for business plans, or marketing efforts such as web design and other marketing products.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture also offer grants for Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (WAMS) program. This grant is for women and minorities in rural agriculture. The grant money can be used for education, mentoring or internship opportunities that help women in agriculture and farming.
For more information, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov/index.html