Payment and Financing
Financing & Financial Assistance Options:
Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund
HOW IT WORKS
The application for the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund opens once per year at which time eligible veterans are given no less than four (4) weeks to submit a fully completed application. Applications will be accepted annually.
Once the application period ends, an advisory panel of agricultural industry professionals convenes to review submissions. The application review process can take up to two months with awardees usually being notified in the Spring.
Farmer veterans who are selected as Fellowship recipients have six (6) months to use their award as outlined in their application or risk losing it to another deserving farmer veteran.
Upon notification of their award, Fellowship recipients may begin seeking out third-party vendors to make their purchase. All third-party vendors must be approved by the Fellowship Fund manager prior to purchase.
After an approved third-party vendor has been selected, the Fellowship Fund manager makes the payment on the farmer veteran’s behalf.
THE APPLICATION
The application, which consists of both short answer and essay questions, is comprised of five main focus areas: military service, educational background, prior farming experience, business and financial planning, and short-term and long-term goals.
Applicants are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Farm training/experience and/or transferable skills
- Personal investment in their farm business
- Strength of funding request and ability to show how an award will help grow their farm business
- Vision and goals for the future of their business
- Community involvement
Required Documents
Throughout the course of completing the application you will be required to upload the following additional document:
- A business plan
AWARDS
2016 | Prairie Grove Farms
Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 and some of the most common purchases include:
- All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV)
- Beekeeping equipment
- Breeding livestock
- Bulk feed
- Fencing
- Scholarships
- Storage freezers
- Tractor implements
- Walk-behind tractors
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
- Must be a member of Farmer Veteran Coalition. Click here to join now.
- Have served or are currently serving in any branch of the United States Military.
- Received an ‘Honorable’ characterization of service upon discharge from the military. Other characterizations of service may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
- Currently serving service members must provide a letter of support from their commanding officer or designated representative attesting to their characterization of service.
- Must have an agricultural business in operation and a business plan.
- Previous Fellowship recipients are eligible to re-apply.
- Must be willing to fully participate in the Fellowship Program, which includes periodic progress reports, mentoring other farmer veterans and a desire to make a positive impact on the farmer veteran community
Learn More About the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund
Beacon Hill Funding
Need Equipment Financing?
We’ve partnered with Beacon Hill Funding to offer simple, fast, and flexible equipment financing options.
✔ Simple Application – Only to $250,000
If your financing need is less than $250,000, all you need to complete is a one-page application.
✔ Flexible Terms
Terms typically range from 24–60 months. You can explore more options on Beacon Hill’s Programs page.
Apply for financing by clicking the link below:
https://beaconhillfunding.com/apply-for-equipment-financing/
Cal MacDonald
Finance Manager, Beacon Hill Funding
Direct/Fax: 781-609-7197
Cell: 781-799-8646
6 Eastman Place, Suite 103
Melrose, MA 02176
Apply Now With Beacon Hill Funding
LEAF Commercial Capital
LEAF is a great fit for both new and established operations. Backed by M&T Bank, they’ve got decades of experience helping businesses in farming, food, and hospitality get the equipment they need — with room to grow. They offer flexible options like step payments and 90-day deferred start plans, so you can put your equipment to work before payments kick in.
They work with startups too, and the process is quick — you’ll even get notified when your customer applies so there are no surprises.
Download LEAF Financing Flyer (PDF)
Apply Now with LEAF Commercial Capital
Contact:
Robert Wasson
Vice President – Hospitality & Retail Finance Group
Office: 410-933-8135
Cell: 410-977-2607
rwasson@leafnow.com
leafnow.com
Value Added Producer Grants
The VAPG program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products.Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the goals of this program. You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative, or are proposing a mid-tier value chain.