Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants
Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants increase sales of Iowa agricultural products by increasing production capacity or expanding market access for value-added projects.
Office Hours
Have questions about the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant? We will be hosting two different dates for virtual office hours for answering all your questions about the application, grant process, etc. You do not need to be logged in for the entirety of the office hours – stay as long as you need to get your questions answered.
If neither of these time slots work for you, reach out to us at chooseiowagrant@iowaagriculture.gov, and we would be happy to set up something that works for your schedule.
Overview
- Maximum awarded up to $25,000 per grant awardee.
- Applicants must provide a minimum of one-to-one (1:1) financial match from private sources such as cash, financing or other grant funds for total project costs. In-kind contributions are not accepted.
- Example: An individual applying for a grant of $5,000 must provide at least $5,000 from other sources for a project total of $10,000.
- Grant funds are paid out as a reimbursement after grant project(s) are completed.
- Projects cannot be in progress before a grant is awarded and must be able to be completed in 12 months or less.
- Purchases for grant project can begin after the grant agreement is finalized with signatures from the grant recipient and an IDALS representative. Purchases made before this point are not eligible for reimbursement.
Eligible Applicants
Applicants must:
- Be an individual, business, agricultural cooperative, non-profit organization or local government.
- Be in good standing with the State of Iowa.
- The business must not be currently in bankruptcy.
- The business must not have been subject to any regulatory enforcement action related to federal, state, or local environmental, worker safety, food processing, or food safety laws, rules, or regulations within the last five years.
- Currently reside or conduct business in Iowa.
- Not be an IDALS employee or immediate family member of an IDALS employee.
- Applicant must be able to provide a one-to-one (1:1) financial match for the grant. In-kind contributions are not accepted.
- Membership in Choose Iowa brand program NOT required but encouraged.
- Preference will be given to small and medium-sized businesses. The Iowa Economic Development Authority defines small-sized businesses as having less than 50 full-time employees, medium-sized businesses with 51-250 employees, and large businesses as more than 250 employees.
Eligible Projects
Projects must:
- Increase sales of Iowa agricultural products by increasing production capacity or expanding market access for value-added projects.
- Not be in progress until a grant is awarded.
- Be completed in 12 months or less.
- Be conducted in Iowa.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Purchase and installation of equipment used in the production of value-added agricultural products.
- On-farm store or commercial kitchen.
- Food hub development or expansion.
- Direct to consumer technology.
- Cooler walls and refrigeration units.
- Grading, packing, labeling, packaging or sorting equipment.
- Refrigerated trucks to access new markets.
- Food processing short courses and workshops.
Ineligible expenses:
- Equipment and infrastructure for meat processing (funding available through Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant).
- On-farm dairy processing and dairy labor-reducing technology (funding available through Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant).
- Infrastructure for renewable fuels (funding available through IDALS-RFIP).
- Expenses incurred prior to grant award.
- Any costs incurred by any firm for work performed prior to the formal execution of a contract.
- Administrative or overhead costs not directly related to the grant project.
- Start-up costs such as inventory, license fees, working capital, etc.
- Costs associated with advertising, public relations, entertainment.
- Employee wages and benefits.
- Paying off existing fines, penalties or settlements for failure to comply with laws or regulations.
- Real estate purchases.
- Rent or contract payments for time periods extending beyond the term of the grant contract.
- Lobbying fundraising or other political activity.
Application Materials
Grant funding can be for a maximum of $25,000. Applicants must apply for the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant through the online application portal found at chooseiowa.com. Applicants may submit supporting documents including quotes and estimates to supplement budget details as well as letters of support with their applications.
IDALS may require additional information and/or a site visit to review the proposed project.
Agreements
Applicants must apply for the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant through the online application portal found at chooseiowa.com. Applicants may submit supporting documents including quotes and estimates to supplement budget details as well as letters of support with their applications.
IDALS may require additional information and/or a site visit to review the proposed project.
Payments
This is a reimbursement grant. Consult your legal or financial advisor regarding financial or tax considerations for any funds received.
Requests for reimbursement must be submitted via the Choose Iowa grant portal. To receive reimbursement, grantees must provide assurance the work has been completed, including submitting receipts and invoices and clearly outline expenditures. Only eligible expenses identified in the project budget as budget line items shall be eligible for reimbursement. Choose Iowa will only reimburse eligible expenses up to the actual costs and not to exceed the costs included on the budget, without the prior written consent of the Choose Iowa. Project costs shall not be changed, modified, or reallocated between budget line items without the prior written consent of the Department or Choose Iowa staff.
Reporting Requirements
A summary and photos of the completed project, including a detailed update to the project outcomes is required when submitting the final reimbursement request.
Applicants who do not submit reports on-time, and/or submit incomplete reports, may be required to return all previously disbursed funds to Choose Iowa/IDALS and/or may be removed from future funding opportunities.
Record Requirement
Grant recipients will be responsible for setting up and maintaining a project file that contains all records of correspondence with Choose Iowa/IDALS, receipts, invoices, and copies of all reports and documents associated with the project. Recipients shall retain all data and other records relating to the acquisition and performance of the Grant Award Agreement for a period of three years after the completion of the contract. All records shall be subject to inspection and audit by state personnel at reasonable times. Upon request, the grantee shall produce a legible copy of any or all such records.
Key Dates
December 2, 2024
- Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant application opens.
January 31, 2025 at noon
- Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant application deadline.
April 2025
- Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant recipients announced
Value-Added Grant Terms
- FY25: April 1, 2025 through March 2026
Reimbursement
- After projects are completed
Program Guidelines
Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant program guidelines
Contact
ChooseIowaGrant@IowaAgriculture.gov
Scoring Criteria
Choose Iowa Grants are competitive and will be scored and awarded based on the following criteria:
| CRITERIA | MAXIMUM SCORE |
|---|---|
| Addresses goals of the Choose Iowa Grant - Increases sales of Iowa agricultural products. - Increases market access, diversifies markets and/or increases processing capacity. | 20 points |
| Impact on Iowa agriculture - Plan to increase sales of Iowa agricultural products is achievable. - Amount of Iowa agricultural products to be increased is realistic. - Increase is appropriate for the size of the grant request. - Project has the potential to impact many farmers. - Project has both short-term and long-term impact, including jobs and investments in Iowa. | 20 points |
| Business readiness, financial sustainability and experience - Applicant demonstrates sound business management, financial aptitude and stability. - Applicant describes the financial benefit of doing the grant project. - Applicant demonstrates a need for grant funding. | 15 points |
| Budget and match - Budget clearly details all project costs. - Budget clearly explains source and amount of applicant’s funds for private match. - Budget is cost effective and planned purchases are backed by quotes or other sources. | 20 points |
| Work plan and timeline - Work plan is thorough and realistic. - A detailed description of each step of the project is provided with estimated dates. | 15 points |
| Measurable objectives - Describes how the project will achieve objectives of the grant program to benefit the business and agriculture community. - Objectives of project are measurable and clearly stated. | 10 points |
| TOTAL | 100 POINTS |
Grant Award Timeline
| Grant program announced and application period opens | December 2, 2024 |
| Grant application deadline | Noon CST on January 31, 2025 |
| Committee scores applications | February 2025 - March 2025 |
| Awardees notified, and agreements issued (once agreements are signed by both parties, purchasing can begin) | April 2025 |
| Awardees announced | April 2025 |
| Funds dispersed to awardees | By reimbursement during grant term (April 2025 - April 2026) |
Program Guidelines Handout
Contact
Maria Drevet – Marketing & Grants Specialist
Choose Iowa, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Wallace State Office Building
502 E. 9th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 444-9011
Maria.Drevet@IowaAgriculture.gov or ChooseIowaGrant@IowaAgriculture.gov