DBIA Grant Period Opens August 19

Midwestern dairy businesses can prepare now to apply for a total of up to $4 million across two direct-to-business grant programs offered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), opening August 19. The funding will be available to small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, manufacturers, and processors in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  

The Dairy Business Builder and Dairy Industry Impact grant programs are administered by DBIA, a partnership between Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) and the Center for Dairy Research (CDR). Applicants interested in diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, or enhancing dairy byproducts are eligible to apply for the $3 million Dairy Business Builder program. Applicants pursuing projects related to exports or sustainability can apply for the $1 million Dairy Industry Impact grant program. Applicants may apply to both grant programs and are eligible to receive awards of up to $100,000 from each offering.

Application materials for both grant programs will be available online at cdr.wisc.edu/dbia beginning August 19. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. (CT) on October 23. Prospective applicants are encouraged to register now for an informational webinar hosted by DBIA staff at 1:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, August 21. The webinar will be recorded and accessible throughout the application period.  

The DBIA is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was created in the 2018 federal Farm Bill. Since then, the DBIA has awarded 213 grants totaling more than $16.5 million to dairy businesses in its 11-state service region. The program also offers technical assistance, education, and mentorship to dairy farmers and processors in the region.