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e grants are awarded on a national level, where applications are
requested through a notice in the Federal Register and the website,
www.Grants.gov. e Value-Added Producer Grant is part of the Local
Agriculture Market Program, created in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Montana RancHers LLC also received a Rural $6,000 Women's Impact
Grant from the Montana Women's Business Center at Prospera Business
Network. is grant is given to women-owned businesses in Montana
to use the funding for marketing, signage, staffing, trailers, or leasehold
improvements, according to the website.
"We used the funds to purchase canvas grocery bags with our logo,
stickers, and magnets with cooking temperatures and our logo on them
to give out when we do events," says Majerus.
Local Grants Also Help New Businesses
Big Sky Processing Plant near Moore, Mont., received a Workforce
Training Grant through Fergus County to help fund employee training,
says owner Nicole Wines.
"e grant helps offset the costs of training my employees on
the job and more intensive training from outside sources," says
Wines, who employs an average of 12 people and plans to hire more
this summer.
ere is a wide variety of grants available to Montana businesses.
A quick online search yields numerous federal, state, and local
grant opportunities.
"Grants help people with side businesses inject money into their
businesses so they can grow themselves," says Majerus. "ere are a
lot of good grants available to Montana producers."
S
MT
Shannon Ruckman has enjoyed writing
about Montana agriculture and rural life
for 16 years. She has an agricultural
communications degree from Kansas State
University. She and her family live in rural
central Montana and are active in 4-H
and FFA.
Photo
by:
Shannon
Buckman
Big Sky Processing, LLC. is located in central Fergus County and is federally
inspected and compliant with industry standards.
