Barn Preservation Grants Program (BPG) -

The Division for Historic Preservation offers BPGP to repair and preserve historic agricultural buildings. The grant program is open to all owners of historic agricultural buildings eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont. Funds will be awarded for a variety of projects such as foundation, framing, and/or roofing repair.

www.historicvermont.org/financial/barn.html

Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF)

 is a loan program available to fund a wide variety of clean and/or renewable energy projects. Eligible technologies include, but are not limited to: solar photovoltaic (PV); wind energy; farm, landfill, and sewer methane recovery; combined heat & power (CHP) systems; solar thermal, biomass thermal and geothermal generation systems; small hydroelectric systems; thermal energy efficiency; and emerging energy-efficient technologies. Eligible projects must be over 15 kW in AC rated capacity; over 1 million Btu per day for solar thermal or per hour for combustion ; or over 15 tons of capacity (geothermal). Loans cover up to 90% of project cost, require at least 10% to be financed with equity and a maximum award of $750,000 per project.

publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/ee_cleanenergyfund.html

Farm and Residential Heating Oil Tank Removal Grants (FRHOTR)

The Petroleum Cleanup Fund (PCF) offers grants to residential tank owners towards the removal, replacement, or upgrade of underground storage tanks (USTs) used to heat a residence located in Vermont. The PCF also offers grants to such tank owners towards the removal, replacement, or upgrade of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs). The Department of Environmental Conservation may grant up to $2000 per household.

www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/ust/ustgrantapplication.htm

Farmland Access Program (FAP)

goal is to provide farmers with opportunities to purchase or lease affordable farmland so that they can start up or expand agricultural businesses. Supporting local communities, local food production, and the long-term productive use of farmland are all objectives of this program. Gaining access to high quality, affordable farmland is one of the most difficult obstacles for beginning farmers and expanding agricultural operations. The challenge is especially acute for enterprises that depend on being near Vermont’s economic growth centers—areas where land values remain strong even in the current economic climate.

Minimum qualifications require candidates to have 3 years of commercial farming experience, strong agricultural references, plans to develop an agricultural enterprise that would gross $100,000 per year within 5 years of start up, and sufficient financial resources (or ability to be financed) for start-up expenses. Our focus is on farms producing food and fiber that would use at least 25 acres of land.

www.vlt.org/initiatives

Farmland Preservation Program (FPP)

is focused on retaining the state’s quality agricultural land base in strong farming regions of the state. The purchase of conservation easements on farmland preserves Vermont's working landscape--the open farm fields, woodlands and farmsteads that comprise the third largest sector in the state's economy and draw visitors that make tourism the largest sector. Because of VHCB’s investment in conservation easements, some of Vermont's most productive farmland will remain undeveloped and the best soils will remain available for farming in the future. Selling conservation easements enables a landowner to keep land in agricultural use and be compensated for potential development value of the land, recognizing the asset value of the land. The landowner retains title and agrees to terms of a conservation easement limiting future ability to subdivide and develop the land.

www.vhcb.org/conservation.html

Microloan Fund for New England Farmers. (MFNEF)

addresses the difficulty that some farmers have in obtaining credit for projects that improve their operations and increase income, as well as for emergency needs. The founding organizations are Strolling of the Heifers and The Carrot Project. Applications are limited to farms in VT/MA, with a primary focus on loans to small- and mid-sized farms that use sustainable or organic methods and are marketing at least a portion of their products to local markets. Eligibility is limited to farms with 250 or fewer acres in active production, and annual gross revenue of $250,000 or less. Loans are up to $10,000, with terms of 1-5 years. Acceptable purposes for loans are: capital investments and expenses that help improve efficiency or quality, or expand production and sales; repairs necessary to maintain farm operations; short-term operating needs such as inventory, supplies, or labor; and emergency funds to deal with business interruptions due to fire, natural disasters, or other unforeseeable events.

www.strollingoftheheifers.org/

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)

conserves healthy populations of fish, wildlife and plants, on land and in the sea, through partnerships, sustainable solutions, and better education. The Foundation meets these goals by awarding challenge grants to projects benefiting conservation education, habitat protection and restoration, and natural resource management. Federal and private funds contributed to the Foundation are awarded as challenge grants to on-the-ground conservation projects. Challenge grants require that funds awarded are matched with non-federal contributions, maximizing the total investment delivered to conservation projects.

www.nfwf.org/programs.cfm

Nature Conservancy Conservation Easements (CE)

Land ownership carries with it a bundle of rights—to occupy, lease, sell, develop, construct buildings, farm, restrict access or harvest timber, among others. A landowner can give up one or more right for a purpose such as conservation while retaining ownership of the remainder. Private property subject to a conservation easement remains in private ownership. Many types of private land use, such as farming, can continue under terms of a conservation easement, and owners can continue to live on the property. The agreement may require landowner to take certain actions to protect land and water resources, such as fencing a stream to keep livestock out or harvesting trees in certain way; or to refrain from certain actions, such as developing or subdividing land. Conservation easements do not mean properties are automatically opened up to public access unless so specified in an easement. The terms of a conservation easement are set jointly by landowner and the entity that will hold easement.

www.nature.org/aboutus/howwework/conservationmethods/privatelands/conservationeasements/

Small Scale Renewable Energy Incentive Program (SSREIP)

was developed to accelerate and increase market demand for high-quality solar, small wind and micro-hydro systems. Commercial and Industrial program incentives are capped at 59.9 kW solar electric; 1000 kBtu/day solar hot water; 1 turbine up to 59.9kW Wind; or $8750 micro-hydro. Electric, wind and micro-hydro systems must be grid connected. Hot water systems must have an output of at least 15 kBtu/day. Commercial and Industrial customers have a two-year maximum customer incentive amount of $110,000. Customers that have received incentives through this program previously may apply for an additional incentive up to the maximum for their customer category.

www.rerc-vt.org/incentives/

Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Grants (SARE)

through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Network are offered to farmers, researchers and others in the agricultural community who are working on innovative and interesting approaches to sustainable agriculture. Farmer grants are offered at up to $15,000. Farmer Grants are for commercial producers who have an innovative idea to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, or other technique. A technical advisor--often extension agent, crop consultant, or other service professional--is required as a project participant. Projects should seek results other farmers can use, and all projects must have the potential to add to our knowledge about effective sustainable practices.

wwwnesare.org/get/farmers/

Technical Assistance Programs (TAP) through Northeast Organic Farming Association

are free to farmers - made possible by grants from the VHCB’s VFP and VAAFM. Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance provides technical assistance to organic farmers in Vermont seeking production and financial assistance on small fruit and vegetable operations. Dairy and Livestock Technical Assistance provides Information, Services and Support for Vermont's Organic Dairy & Livestock Community.

www.nofavt.org/programs

Use Value Appraisal Program (UVA)

was created in the 1970’s as a companion to legislation that required towns to list property at 100% of fair market value. Because of escalating land values, these property taxes were placing a heavy burden on owners of productive farm and forestlands. The UVA offers landowners use value property taxation based on productive value of land rather than traditional "highest and best" use of the land for parcels of at least 25 contiguous acres. Use value of qualifying forest land is assessed at up to $122/acre and agricultural land at $215, far less than the fair market value. The UVA includes a Land Use Change Tax as a disincentive to develop land. The tax is 20% of fair market value of a property, or, in case of the sale of part of a property, a pro rata share of the fair market value of the entire property. The program is administered by the Vermont Department of Taxes.

www.vtfpr.org/resource/for_forres_useapp.cfm

Vermont Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVP)

offers business planning and technical assistance services to Vermont farmers as part of a statewide effort to improve the economic viability of Vermont agriculture. The program is funded by the VHCB, VAAFM and NRCS. Farmers enrolled work with a farm business planner provided through cooperating organizations, or directly with an individual consultant. The planning process involves the farmer in an assessment of farm operation’s strengths and weaknesses and in exploration of management changes that could increase profitability. Examples include consultations on keeping better production or financial records, financial benchmark analysis, meetings with crop or animal health specialists, new farm enterprise analysis, estate and farm transfer planning, labor management, and value-added processing. Farmers who have completed plans with the program are eligible for grants for capital expenses or additional technical support in implementing the business plan.

www.vhcb.org/viability.html

Vermont Farm Women’s Fund (VFWF)

mission is to sustain and assist women pursuing a secure farming future with innovative agricultural businesses and stewardship of the land. The Farm Business Development Fund is provides funds for education and travel related to helping recipients improve some aspect of the business. The fund will pay 75% of cost (up to $750) of travel, registration, lodging and other costs of attending business classes, conferences, workshops, trainings or other professional development opportunities. The Leadership Development Fund is provided to ensure that women have the skills, access and opportunity to become leaders in agricultural policy development. Funds help defray costs of tuition for leadership training, travel expenses, and/or related costs associated with participation in agricultural policy work that addresses barriers encountered by women in agriculture.

www.uvm.edu/wagn