Grants for Starting an Apiary

Grants for Starting an Apiary – An apiary is a place where beekeepers keep bees and beehives for the production of honey. Basically, it’s a bee farm, whether small or large, and the beekeeper is an apiarist. Domestic honeybees are of agriculture particularly and a crucial element of the global ecosystem because they pollinate up to one-third of all crops that contribute to food production.

List of Grants for Starting an Apiary

Bee Conservation

Heavy losses of honeybee colonies between 2006 and 2010 resulted in lower honeybee amounts, and also the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) increased funds for research as well as for rebuilding the bee population across the United States. Now considered a “specialty crop,” beekeeping is encouraged in rural areas and a number of agricultural grants support small businesses wishing to start up apiaries.

Rural Enterprise Grant

The USDA’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant program supports rural projects which help small and emerging rural businesses. Grants range from $10,000 to $500,000, and the grantees must be non-profit corporations, public entities, and Indian tribes or private, The grantees are allowed to use the money to support small businesses, which employ less than 50 individuals and have gross revenues of fewer than $1 million. The companies may use the grant money to buy and develop property, buildings, and equipment. Beginning an apiary is an eligible use of these grants.

Conservation Innovation Grant

The majority of states offer Conservation Innovation Grant programs aimed at helping small businesses espouse innovative approaches to the environment. As an example, Kansas CIG funds small and individual, for-profit businesses for single or multi-year projects including field demonstrations and pilot projects. A small business set up an apiary is eligible for the grant, which pays the range from $50,000 and $200,000. Alabama, New Jersey, and Virginia all offer similar grants, as do a number of other states.

Grants for Starting an Apiary

Farmers Market Grant

The objective of FMPP grants are to extend domestic consumption of, and access to, regionally and locally produced agricultural products, and to advance new market circumstances for ranch and farm operations serving local markets by improving, developing, expanding, and give outreach, training, and technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement, and expansion of, domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. The biggest amount awarded for any one proposal cannot be over $100,000; the minimum award is $15,000.

All applicants under FMPP shall be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The eligible entities are:

• Agricultural Businesses
• Agricultural Cooperatives
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Networks
• CSA Associations
• Economic Development Corporations
• Local Governments
• Nonprofit Corporations
• Producer Networks
• Producer Associations
• Public Benefit Corporations
• Regional Famers Market Authorities
• Tribal Governments

The deadline for the Grants.gov FMPP application submission is 11:59 pm ET, May 14, 2015.

Rural Business Opportunity Grant

The RBOG program promotes economic growth in rural communities by supporting training and technical assistance for business development and to assist with regional economic development planning. A specific emphasis within RBOG is support for collaborative economic planning and development through regional food systems.

The applicant must be local governments, economic development organizations, non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and cooperatives are eligible to apply. For the purposes of this program, a “rural community” is an area where the population does not exceed 50,000 or is next to a city or town with more than 50,000 people. Max award is $100,000.

The types of projects that may be funded include:

• Regional economic planning focused on food system development;
• Market development and feasibility studies;
• Business training, including leadership development and technical assistance for entrepreneurs;
• Establishing business incubators, including commercial kitchens.

For more program information click here http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-business-development-grants, and to apply for any USDA Rural Development program contact your state or local office at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.

One thing you should remember when you’re applying for the grant is to follow the guidelines provided by each grant provider. This means that each and every grant application is unique. We recommend you to carefully read the requirements and the guidelines for the grants for starting an apiary and follow it.

Reference:

• Grant for Starting an Apiary (http://smallbusiness.chron.com/grants-starting-apiary-20755.html)
• Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) (https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/fmpp)
• Image: burghbees.com