Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC) Technical Assistance Grant

Grant AMOUNT (UP TO):

$25,000

DETAILS:

Grants of up to $25,000 to North Dakota businesses for services to enhance markets for agricultural products. Funding is intended to expand and maintain the state's existing value-added businesses. Eligible activities include those that assess, develop, and implement improvements to help companies become more competitive, productive, and profitable.

The Technical Assistance Grant is designed to help value added businesses: (1) assess their needs; (2) develop plans for improvement; (3) implement those improvements; and (4) measure the benefits of those improvements.

Examples of issues, opportunities or problems that companies may address through these improvements include:

  • Bringing new products to market

  • Improving cash flow

  • Developing more profitable sales

  • Addressing owner and/or key manager succession

  • Reducing costs

  • Conserving floor space

  • Improving lead time to customers

  • Improving employee safety

  • Increasing manufacturing capacity

  • Improving product quality

  • Improving processes

  • Reducing inventory levels

  • Reducing maintenance costs and downtime

  • Improving employee productivity

  • Improving the retention of workers

  • APUC will only fund technical assistance services that are part of an agreed-to scope of work between the value-added business and the third party contractor/consultant.

ELIGIBILITY:

An eligible candidate for this grant is an existing company located, operated, and registered in North Dakota that adds value to agricultural products. As per the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS – pronounced “nakes”) used to categorize business; this would include companies who have a primary or secondary industrial code of 311 (food manufacturers) or 312 (beverage manufacturers).

Applicants must arrange for a fiscal agent – an organization (e.g. economic development organization, regional council, accountant, or bank) who can receive funds directly from APUC and release those funds to the company upon proof of

expenditures related to the funded project.

At its discretion, APUC may consider applications for technical assistance from other value added businesses such as NAICS 111 (crop production) or 112 (animal production). To find the NAICS for a company, use the keyword search on the U.S. Census Bureau website at http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.

DEADLINE:

  • 4/1/2024

  • 7/1/2024

  • 10/1/2024

General, Industry SpecificKelsey Curfman