Business Investment Recipients
Business Investments are one of two focus areas of the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, with 2018 grants ranging from $5,000-$50,000 for new and growing agriculture, forestry, and forest products enterprises. For the Fiscal Year 2018, the Business Investment area received 55 applications with a total request of $1.4 million in funds. Fifteen businesses were awarded over $314,000 and leveraged more than $421,000 in matching funds, with a median match of $19,000 per business.
Business Investment Grantees
(12) Agriculture and (3) Forestry Recipients
Addison County
Champlain Valley Creamery, Middlebury
$14,266 for small-scale bulk milk tankering to increase production capacity
Full Belly Farm, Hinesburg
$5,869 for cold storage capacity and low tunnel Infrastructure
Caledonia County
Stannard Farm Vermont Maple Syrup, Starksboro
$19,000 for increasing capacity for maple retail marketing in the Northeast Kingdom
Small Axe Farm, Barnet
$9,000 for solar installation/new washroom
Chittenden County
Vermont Land Trust, Colchester
$35,000 for improving slaughter capacity at Pine Island Community Farm
Rutland County
Walnut Hill Farm, Pawlet
$9,750 for freezer storage
Northeastern Vine Supply, Inc., West Pawlet
$19,700 for increasing market competitiveness through transition to virus-certified grapevine nursery stock
Washington County
Fairmont Farm, LLC, East Montpelier
$16,000 for Life on the Farm Camp
Burtts Apple Orchard, Cabot
$10,000 for pick your own and retail operation
Sawyer Made, Woodbury
$20,000 for facilities upgrade
Vermont Salumi, Plainfield
$50,000 for improving market access with an automatic meat slicer
Rhapsody Natural Foods, Calais
$20,000 for annex and walk-in cooler/freezer
Windham County
Food Connects, Brattleboro
$50,000 for building a southeastern VT multi-use hub for new regional partnerships and Increased local food sale
Sustainable Timber Investment Exchange, Brattleboro
$16,000 for Vermont mass timber ceiling prototype
Windsor County
Clear Lake Furniture, Ludlow
$19,978 for genuine Vermont made showroom