Free Grant Writing Support
We’re excited to announce a continued program with Lasso. Our program’s goal is to increase our dairy farmers’ awareness and access to public funding opportunities for on-farm projects.
The Lasso team will be your grant writer in a box: for your farm and project of interest, they will identify, apply for, and manage grant opportunities on your behalf. Reach out to nicole@joinlasso.com or molly@joinlasso.com or call 276-530-1568 for more information.
If selected for this program, you will receive the Lasso grant-writing services for free.
Why Lasso?
Thinking about upgrading your farm or launching something new? You could qualify for thousands of dollars of grant funding, and Lasso is here to help you win it.
Over $1 million in funding has been secured for Midwest dairy farmers just like you.
Here’s how they make it easy:
- Lasso finds the right grants for you. Local, state, and federal programs you may not even know exist.
- Lasso guides you through the process. From gathering documents to submitting reports, they’ve got your back.
- Lasso will write and submit your application. Their expert team handles the paperwork and knows how to win.
- Lasso saves you time and stress. No confusing forms or chasing deadlines. They do the heavy lifting.
- Lasso specializes in dairy. Robotic milkers, value-added products, manure management, and more, they’ve done it before.
Whether you’re planning a project this year or just exploring your options, Lasso will help you figure out what funding is available and how to get it.
Benefits to You
By participating in this program, you can access more funding with minimal time investment. Lasso will:
- Identify opportunities across federal, regional, state, and local grants that could support participants and their upcoming projects
- Help participants receive funding without the headache and time-consuming paperwork of putting an application together
- Make sure all participants complete their requirements both before submitting the application and after receiving the award
To Participate In This Program
- Be open to government grants
- Have a project in mind (details below) with potential installers / vendors / service providers identified
- Be open to appear as a case study for Midwest Dairy
- Note: Only high level information would be included (e.g., context, project type, result and benefit from grant funding)
Working with Lasso
Typical steps of working with Lasso:
- First: they talk to you to get context on your farm and proposed project to understand your operations and needs.
- Second: they share all eligible funding from federal, state, regional and local sources – they go through the long list of requirements to make sure you are not only eligible but competitive.
- Third: they put together the application from start to finish. They’ll manage all stakeholders, inputs needed, and narratives to create a high-quality application
- Finally: Once you get the award, they’ll make sure all your i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed to help you get reimbursed as soon as possible.
Once you have selected a project, identified vendors / installers, and received at least 1 bid, we will be able to kick off your process.
First we pre-score applications. Once pre-scoring is done, we can advise whether it’s competitive and how to go forward. If we go forward, we sign an NDA with you and work on the application. We need a few documents from both you and the installer for a successful application, we can share a list these upon kicking work off on a project.
Grant Opportunities
Local Food Promotion Program (Applications are accepted until June 5, 2026): LAMP is authorized through the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) which joined local and regional food systems programs under the umbrella program: the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) Program and the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG). LAMP helps coordinate local and regional food systems funding across agencies and maintains the core mission, priorities, and activities of each program.
LFPP promotes intermediary supply chain activities (activities that move products from the producer to markets, but the activities do not involve selling directly to the consumer such as processing, aggregation, distribution, and storage of local and regional food products).
- What it funds:
- 24-month Planning, ranging from $25,000 – $100,000
- 36-month Implementation, ranging from $100,000 – $500,000
- 24-month Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, ranging from $50,000 – $100,000
- 24-month Turnkey Recruitment and Training, ranging from $50,000 – $100,000
- Eligibility:
- Eligible entities may apply if they support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products.All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be considered eligible. Entities that are eligible to apply include:
- Agricultural businesses and cooperatives
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations
- Food councils
- Economic development corporations
- Local governments
- Nonprofit and public benefit corporations
- Producer networks or associations
- Regional farmers’ market authorities
- Tribal governments
- Eligible entities may apply if they support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products.All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be considered eligible. Entities that are eligible to apply include:
- The deadline for producers to express interest with Lasso is Friday, May 8.
Farmers Market Promotion Program (Applications are accepted until June 5, 2026): USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) funds projects supporting direct-to-consumer marketing (FMPP) and local and regional food system intermediaries (LFPP). Grant recipients include agricultural businesses or cooperatives, producer networks or associations, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and other private or public organizations.
FMPP promotes direct-to-consumer activities (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to- restaurant, and direct producer-to-institutional market).
- What it funds:
- 36-month Capacity Building, ranging from $50,000 – $250,000
- 36-month Community Development Training and Technical Assistance, ranging from $100,000 – $500,000
- 24-month Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, ranging from $50,000 – $100,000
- 24-month Turnkey Recruitment and Training, ranging from $50,000 – $100,000
- Eligibility:
- All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be considered eligible. Entities that are eligible to apply include:
- Agricultural businesses and cooperatives
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations
- Food councils
- Economic development corporations
- Local governments
- Nonprofit and public benefit corporations
- Producer networks or associations
- Regional farmers’ market authorities
- Tribal governments
- All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be considered eligible. Entities that are eligible to apply include:
AGRI Meat, Poultry, Egg, and Milk Processing (MPEM) Grant (Applications due June 17, 2026, by 4 PM CST): Supports projects that start, modernize, or expand processing capacity for meat, poultry, eggs, and milk.
- Eligible Expenses:
- Processing equipment purchase and installation
- Facility improvements (plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, etc.)
- Slaughter and processing equipment (cutting, packaging, labeling)
- Food safety and traceability upgrades
- Infrastructure to improve capacity and efficiency
- Eligibility:
- Farmers, businesses, cooperatives, nonprofits, and government entities
- Must be located in Minnesota and engaged in livestock or dairy processing
- Includes slaughterhouses, creameries, egg processors, and similar operations
- Funding & Terms:
- $1,000–$150,000 (most awards under $100,000)
- Reimbursement-based
- Cost-share: 50% on first $50K, 25% on remaining costs
- Timeline:
- Application deadline: June 17, 2026 (4 p.m. CT)
- Awards announced: September 2026
- Projects begin: October/November 2026
- Additional Information:
- Both are competitive programs
- Funds cannot be used for payroll, land purchases, inventory, or general operating costs
- Strong project planning and financial clarity are critical
AGRI Value-Added Grant Program (Applications due June 17, 2026, by 4 PM CST): Supports businesses processing agricultural products and investing in equipment to expand production, access new markets, and increase sales.
- Eligible Expenses:
- Equipment purchases and installation for value-added processing
- Packaging, labeling, grading, and sorting equipment
- Refrigeration, cooling systems, and food safety improvements
- Facility upgrades directly tied to processing equipment
- Renewable energy or efficiency improvements tied to production
- Eligibility:
- Farmers, businesses, cooperatives, nonprofits, and local/Tribal governments
- Must be based in Minnesota and engaged in (or planning) agricultural processing
- Projects must take place in Minnesota
- Funding & Terms:
- $1,000–$150,000 (most awards under $100,000)
- Reimbursement-based
- Match: 50% on first $50K, 75% on remaining costs
- Timeline:
- Application deadline: June 17, 2026 (4 p.m. CT)
- Awards announced: September 2026
- Projects begin: October/November 2026
- Additional Information:
- Both are competitive programs
- Funds cannot be used for payroll, land purchases, inventory, or general operating costs
- Strong project planning and financial clarity are critical
APUC Grant (Rolling 2026 deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1): This grant helps North Dakota businesses and producers develop or expand uses for agricultural products through innovation, marketing, research, and diversification. It supports efforts to increase the value of North Dakota-grown ag commodities and grow rural economies.
- What it funds:
- Market research, feasibility studies, and commercialization plans
- Equipment and process improvements for value-added products
- Prototype development and technology applications
- Diversification into non-traditional crops, livestock, or agri-tourism
- Technical assistance for ag-related business growth
- Funding amount: Grants typically cover up to 75% of eligible project costs, with a required 25% match (cash or in-kind). Most awards range up to $25,000 for technical or diversification projects.
ADD Grant: This grant helps North Dakota farmers, ranchers, and ag-related businesses invest in value-added agriculture projects that strengthen the state’s economy. It’s designed to support the launch or expansion of businesses that increase farm profitability, create jobs, and develop new ag markets.
- What it funds:
- Equipment purchases for processing, manufacturing, or product development
- Facility construction or upgrades tied to value-added production
- New ventures or expansions that use ND ag commodities in innovative ways
- Projects that demonstrate economic feasibility and long-term sustainability
- Funding amount: Grants are competitive and can be awarded up to $500,000, based on project scale. Funding is reimbursement-based and typically requires a detailed business plan, financial projections, and proof of matching funds or other capital commitments.
Apply Today with Lasso
Need help applying for these grant opportunities? Contact nicole@joinlasso.com or molly@joinlasso.com to get started. Lasso can help you prepare a competitive proposal and guide you through the application process. Reaching out early will give you the best chance of success.
Lasso Grant Showcase: Olmar Farms
Learn how Compass Rose Creamery, a start-up venture owned by Jill Nelson and her family in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, worked with Lasso to secure two grants and a total of $100,000 in grant funding to grow their creamery business.