Three Grant Opportunities for PA Dairy Producers

Take advantage of one of these opportunities on your dairy operation this spring:

1. Dairy Innovation Grants – Pre-applications due by March 18
2. Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) Grants – First-come, first-served funding
3. Team Program Grants – First-come, first-served funding

Are you looking to invest in an activity monitoring system for your dairy operation to improve herd health and reproduction efficiency? The Center for Dairy Excellence is now accepting pre-applications for Dairy Innovation Grants. The PA Department of Agriculture introduced the PA Ag Innovation Fund to support investments that embrace technology to improve efficiency and data analytics on dairy operations; enhance production; and increase energy efficiency on the farm or in ag processing. The Center for Dairy Excellence is planning to submit an application.

How does it work? 

The Center for Dairy Excellence would qualify for a Regional Impact Grant through the PA Ag Innovation Fund and plans to pursue grant funding to award Dairy Innovation Grants toup to 20 dairy farm operations that are wanting to invest in technology to enhance their operation. If accepted, it would allow the Center to award up to $25,000 in matching funds to those farms. Farms that are successful in our pre-application process would be included with the Center’s application as a Regional Impact Project to the PA Ag Innovation Fund.

Disclaimer: Due to the nature of this process, there will not be any funding awarded unless the Center’s application is approved. Pre-applications are being accepted through March 18 to be included with our proposal to the PA Ag Innovation Fund. However, even if the farm is selected to be submitted with our application, any funds awarded will be dependent upon the Center for Dairy Excellence’s application being awarded funding from the Ag Innovation Fund.

What types of projects are applicable?The Center plans to pursue grant funding to award Dairy Innovation Grants to up to 20 dairy farm operations that want to invest in activity monitoring systems. This technology would improve herd health and reproduction efficiency and the overall efficiencies of the farm. We narrowed the focus of this grant to activity monitoring systems to strengthen our application for the grant funding. If accepted, it would allow the Center to award up to $25,000 in matching funds to up to 20 dairy farms. Potential projects cannot be started prior to notification of farm’s award.

What is the timeline?

This is a competitive grant program, and dairy producers must apply by March 18 by 3 p.m. to give the Center enough time to submit its application to the Pennsylvania Dairy Innovation Fund. Successful farms would be notified of their acceptance into the pre-application period in April 2026 but would not know whether the funding is awarded until the announcement of the Pennsylvania Ag Innovation Grant Awardees.

> Click here to submit your pre-application by March 18.