MDAR grants are the funding programs run by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to help farms and food-system organizations in the Commonwealth pay for infrastructure, equipment, climate adaptation, business planning, and food-access projects. Individual awards range from a few thousand dollars for small equipment purchases up to $1,000,000 for large food-system infrastructure projects, depending on which program you apply to. Most solicitations are posted through the state’s COMMBUYS procurement portal, and each one publishes its own Request for Responses (RFR) with the eligibility rules, deadlines, match requirements, and scoring criteria that govern that cycle.
Who Qualifies
Every MDAR grant requires the applicant to be based in Massachusetts and engaged in an activity that counts as farming under state law. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 128, Section 1A defines farming broadly to include soil cultivation, crop production, dairying, aquaculture, floriculture, horticulture, forestry, and the raising of livestock, poultry, bees, and fur-bearing animals.1General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 128 Section 1A – Farming, Agriculture, Farmer; Definitions The definition also reaches preparation for market, delivery to storage, and transportation, so value-added producers and farm-direct distributors generally qualify.
Who else can apply depends on the program. Commercial farmers are eligible for most offerings. Several programs also accept applications from municipalities, nonprofits, public health institutions, and tribal entities. Many programs ask for property ownership or a long-term lease on the land where the work will happen, and some want a Farm Service Agency farm number to confirm the land’s agricultural status with the federal government.
The Current Program Lineup
Climate Smart Agriculture Program
The Climate Smart Agriculture Program (CSAP) is the reorganized successor to the Agricultural Climate Resiliency & Efficiencies (ACRE) program. It reimburses Massachusetts farmers for projects that help agriculture adapt to climate change, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and advance goals in the Massachusetts Local Action Food Plan.2Mass.gov. Agricultural Climate Resiliency and Efficiencies (ACRE) Program
CSAP is organized into categories covering food safety improvements, environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, and composting. Projects can receive up to $50,000 in each category, with a maximum of $150,000 across all categories combined. Applicants must contribute a 20 percent match of the total project cost, and grant funds are paid as reimbursements after work is finished, not up front. For the current cycle, applications are due by May 7, 2026. Typical projects include water management infrastructure, soil health work, renewable energy installations, and cold storage upgrades. If your main goal is on-farm food safety for federal produce safety compliance, use the food safety category inside CSAP.
Farm Viability Enhancement Program
The Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) pairs business planning assistance with capital grants for infrastructure improvements. Participating farms get one-on-one technical help in areas like financial tracking, marketing, and family succession planning before becoming eligible for grant funds.3Mass.gov. Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) Awards can reach up to $90,000, $130,000, or $175,000, depending on the tier.
In exchange, the farm owner signs an agricultural covenant committing the property to agricultural use for a 10- or 15-year term. The covenant is a deed restriction recorded against the property, so it runs with the land even if ownership changes. Eligible uses include building or renovating barns, farmstands, wash-pack facilities, fencing, wells, and purchasing farm equipment. If you plan to sell the property or convert any portion within the covenant term, FVEP is not the right program.
Food Security Infrastructure Grant
The Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) supports projects that strengthen the local food supply chain through improvements to production, processing, and distribution capacity. FY2026 awards ranged from $10,000 to $1,000,000, which gives FSIG the widest funding range in MDAR’s portfolio.4Mass.gov. Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program
Eligibility is broad. Agricultural and seafood producers, processors, distributors, municipalities, tribes, nonprofits, and other food-system entities can all apply. The emphasis is on equitable access to locally grown, raised, harvested, and caught food, so projects that serve communities with limited food access tend to score well. The full application requirements are published in the RFR posted on COMMBUYS each cycle.5Mass.gov. Apply to the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) Program
Urban Agriculture Program
The Urban Agriculture Program funds commercial farming projects in densely populated areas, with a focus on increasing access to fresh, affordable produce in low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods.6Mass.gov. Apply for the Urban Agriculture Program Eligible applicants include municipalities, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public or nonprofit educational and public health institutions, and established urban farmers with more than three years of commercial urban farming experience. That three-year threshold is strict. If your urban farm is newer, partnering with a qualifying municipality or nonprofit is often the better route.
Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture
The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) program offers smaller awards of up to $15,000, $20,000, or $30,000 on a dollar-for-dollar matching reimbursement basis.7Mass.gov. Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) The 1:1 match means you spend your own money first and then get reimbursed for up to half the total project cost. MEGA targets farmers looking to grow revenue, and because the awards are smaller, the application process tends to be less competitive than FVEP or FSIG.
Agricultural Preservation Restriction
The Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program is not a traditional grant. MDAR pays the farmland owner the difference between the property’s fair market value and its agricultural value in exchange for a permanent deed restriction that blocks non-agricultural development.8Mass.gov. Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program Details The restriction is permanent, unlike the time-limited covenant in FVEP.
To qualify, a farm must have at least five acres of land with suitable soils, must have been actively devoted to agriculture for the two preceding tax years, and must produce at least $500 in gross sales per year for the first five acres. MDAR also weighs the degree of development threat and the land’s long-term viability for farming. APR fits landowners who want to cash out their property’s development premium while continuing to farm.
Finding and Submitting Applications on COMMBUYS
COMMBUYS is the official procurement system for the Commonwealth’s executive departments, and it is the central hub for MDAR grant solicitations.9Mass.gov. Find Grant and Contract Opportunities on COMMBUYS Procurement System Each opportunity is posted as a bid solicitation containing the full RFR, application forms, and required attachments. You can search active solicitations without an account, but submitting applications and receiving notifications about new opportunities requires a registered vendor profile.
Registering a vendor profile with your organization’s Tax Identification Number is a practical prerequisite for nearly every MDAR grant, so handle that well before any deadline. You will designate an account administrator during registration. COMMBUYS will reject the registration if another vendor profile already exists under the same Tax ID, so if your organization has applied for state contracts in the past, contact the help desk before starting a fresh profile.
Not every MDAR program accepts applications through COMMBUYS itself. Some solicitations require submission to a dedicated email address listed in the RFR, and at least one past cycle accepted mailed hard copies. Check the specific RFR for the submission method, accepted file formats, and size limits. After submitting, you should receive an automated confirmation. Save that receipt as your proof of timely filing.
What to Prepare Before You Apply
The RFR for each program spells out exactly what to submit, but certain documents come up across nearly every MDAR application. Plan on a project narrative that explains the scope of work, how it meets the program’s goals, and what outcomes you expect. Financial documentation like federal tax returns or profit-and-loss statements is commonly requested to show your operation’s financial standing. A detailed project budget should break costs into line items for equipment, labor, materials, and any contracted services.
Programs that reimburse rather than pay up front, including CSAP and MEGA, often require third-party price quotes for major purchases. Get those quotes early. Propose a realistic project timeline that fits inside the state’s fiscal year, since MDAR grants generally need to be completed and funds expended within that window.
Where a matching contribution is required, document how you will fund your share. CSAP requires a 20 percent match. MEGA requires a full dollar-for-dollar match. Your match can often include in-kind contributions like labor, but the RFR will specify what qualifies. Reviewers score applications using a rubric published in the RFR, so read the scoring criteria before writing your narrative and structure your answers around the highest-weighted factors.
After You Receive an Award
An award letter is the first step, not the last. Before money flows or project work begins, you must execute a Commonwealth Terms and Conditions Contract and a Standard Contract Form issued by the Office of the Comptroller.10Legal Information Institute. 815 CMR 2.06 – Contractual Requirements for Grants and Grant Amendments The Standard Contract identifies the award amount, duration, scope, and any fiscal or programmatic reporting requirements. Starting work before the contract is fully executed can disqualify those expenses from reimbursement.
Once the project is underway, keep meticulous records of every expense. Reimbursement-based programs require you to submit invoices, receipts, and proof of payment before you see grant dollars. MDAR may also require progress reports at intervals specified in your contract. At closeout, expect to file a final financial report and a final programmatic report documenting what the grant accomplished. If the grant involved purchasing property or equipment, the contract will dictate how that property must be handled going forward.
For programs involving agricultural covenants (FVEP) or deed restrictions (APR), your obligations continue well past the grant period. Violating a covenant’s terms can trigger repayment of the full grant amount and legal action by the Commonwealth.