The goal of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) Planning Grant program is to support Virginia agriculture and forestry by:
Funding innovative local efforts to assist agriculture- and forestry-based businesses, and
Encouraging local governments and the ag/forestry community to work together on better integrating these
industries their community’s overall economic development efforts.
Planning Grant awards may also promote or support agriculture and forestry through one or more of the following activities:
Develop strategic plans, feasibility studies, business or marketing plans, or local ordinances
Generate policies or programs for the preservation of working lands.
Create local plans or initiatives supporting agriculture and/or forestry based businesses
Fund innovative entrepreneurship and business development efforts
Invest in the development of local agricultural development boards
Types of Projects
AFID Planning Grant Program awards may support one or more of the following activities:
Implement innovative marketing or market development programs or strategies that assist agriculture or forestry-related businesses.
Develop a strategic plan for agriculture or forestry economic development.
Develop local policies or ordinances that better support agriculture or forestry-based business or agritourism.
Create new plans, policies, or programs that will lead to the preservation of working lands.
Fund feasibility studies, business plans, or other predevelopment work for projects that will have a significant and lasting positive impact on the local agriculture or forestry sector.
Develop local initiatives supporting agriculture or forestry-based businesses, such as those promoting agritourism, local food systems, or biomass heat or those addressing food deserts, etc.
Invest in the development of local agricultural development boards.
Fund innovative entrepreneurship and business development efforts assisting Virginia agriculture or forestry-related businesses.