Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants
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.
Grant Amount and Terms
Grant funding can be for a maximum of $25,000.
- Applicants must provide a minimum of one-to-one (1:1) financial match from private sources such as cash, financing or other non-government grant funds for total project costs. In-kind contributions are not accepted.
- Additional points will be awarded to applicants that provide more than the required match amount.
- All grants will be paid out on a reimbursement basis. Preference will be given to small and medium sized businesses.
- Consult your legal or financial advisor regarding financial or tax considerations for any funds received.
Application Materials
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.
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) |