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Cooperative Grants – Due March 19th
2010 Initial and Advanced Assistance Grants Applications are now available! The UNL-Nebraska Cooperative Development Center (NCDC)is providing mini funding grants to new and existing cooperatively owned businesses to complete the critical stages in business development and expansion. It is often critical to have professional services when beginning or expanding a business venture and the NCDC is equipped to provide grants to cooperatives and groups who are in need of assistance in obtaining legal services, accounting, consulting, and other development services.
Two Types of Grants Available
Initial Assistance Grants are available to unincorporated cooperative groups or steering committees and can be awarded for amounts up to $2,000. The grant is designed for groups or steering committees, and others who are exploring a business idea and will conduct exploratory research.
Advanced Development Grants are available to incorporated cooperatively owned businesses (LLCs, Cooperatives, etc.) and can be awarded for amounts up to $3,500. The grant is designed for groups who are ready to hire professional services (i.e. legal/ financial) or develop marketing materials.
2010 Timeline
- Call for Proposals: February 5, 2010
- Applications Due: March 19, 2010 by 4:00pm Central Time
- Expected Awards Made: April 9, 2010
- Grant Activities Completed no later than September 30, 2010
- Final Reports submitted to NCDC by October 29, 2010
- Approximately six months to complete grant.
NO EXTENSIONS
These are competitive grants. Funding is limited so not all grants will be funded. Grant applications will be reviewed by Nebraska Cooperative Development Advisory Board members.
For an application, visit the NCDC website. Questions can be addressed to Jim Crandall, jcrandall3@unl.edu and Elaine Cranford, ecranford2@unl.edu
November Deadline Quickly Nearing for Value-Added Producer Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the availability of $18 million for the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. The deadline to apply is November 30, 2009. To view more information on this grant click on the pdf file below.
November-Deadline-for-Value-Added-Program
Contact: the article’s author, Traci Bruckner, Assistant Policy Program Director for the Center for Rural Affairs at 402.687.2103 x 1016 or tracib@cfra.org. You can also check out a fact sheet on the program at http://www.cfra.org/resources/vapg/fact_sheet. This article is from the Center for Rural Affairs’ October 2009 monthly newsletter.