The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is accepting applications from Massachusetts farm owners who wish to participate in one of the Department’s Farm Viability grant programs in Fiscal Year 2027 that provide business planning and technical assistance. The Request for Responses (“RFR”s) containing program details and the application form are posted on CommBuys and can be accessed through a link on each program website below. If you would like an application mailed to you, contact the program coordinator listed below.

The due date for all three of these applications is 4:00PM on Tuesday April 14, 2026.

Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) – for established farms. This program provides business planning and technical assistance to owners of established commercial farms that own and operate on farmland that is not protected by an APR or other restriction. Operators may be eligible for grants to implement capital projects on the farm that have been identified in the business plan completed through the program in return for a short-term covenant to keep the land in agricultural use. Grant levels are up to $90,000, $130,000, or $175,000, depending on the size of the farm and acreage protected, in return for a 10-year or 15-year term covenant. Examples of recent grant projects include livestock barns, equipment repair and storage buildings, wash/pack/storage facilities, farmstand improvements, and the purchase of tractors and hay equipment.

The RFR with FVEP details and application is available at: Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) | Mass.gov or contact Melissa Adams at Melissa.L.Adams@mass.gov or 857-276-2377.

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APR Improvement Program (AIP) – for APR farms. This program helps sustain active commercial farming on land that has already been protected through the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program. AIP provides business planning and technical assistance to farmers selected to participate in the program and grants may be available to APR owners to implement identified capital improvements on the farm to increase productivity and profitability. Grant levels up to $80,000, $125,000, or $150,000, depending on the size of the farm and acreage under APR, may be available on a cost reimbursement basis with a 10% match contribution. AIP funds are used primarily for capital improvements to farm infrastructure such as new or improved buildings for equipment, hay storage, livestock housing, farm stores or processing facilities; or resource improvements for agricultural use, such as orchard renovations or perimeter fencing.

The RFR with AIP details and application is available at: APR Improvement Program (AIP) | Mass.gov or contact Jess Camp at Jessica.Camp2@mass.gov or 617-823-0871.

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Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) - for beginning farms. MEGA assists beginning farms in business at least one (1) and no more than ten (10) years with the goal of developing their farm into a commercially viable operation. Applicants who do not own the land that they are farming must have secure access to the land through a written agreement. This program provides business planning and technical assistance, and grant funds may be available on a one-to-one matching cash reimbursement basis. Grant levels are up to $15,000, $20,000, or $30,000, based on the number of years the farm has been in business, minimum gross income, and whether the farm has received a prior MEGA award. Funds may be used for equipment, infrastructure, or other capital improvements identified through the business planning process that will have a positive impact on the viability of the farm business. Common uses of MEGA grant funds include, but are not limited to, greenhouses, barn renovations, tractor implements, chicken coops, farmstands, and refrigerated trucks.

For more information and a MEGA RFR with application, go to: Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) | Mass.gov or contact Jess Camp at Jessica.Camp2@mass.gov or 617-823-0871