Michael's cidery was capacity-constrained at 2,000 cases/year because of an undersized pressing line. He needed $65K for a larger press and 200 new heritage apple trees.
GrantsForYou matched him to the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Grant — a state program funding agriculture-adjacent value-added producers. AI drafted the working-lands-economy narrative; he added orchard plans and supply-chain analysis.
Award week 13. Bought a larger press and planted 200 trees. Production capacity tripled to 6,000 cases/year. Trees will mature in 4 years for further capacity.
"Production tripled to 6,000 cases. We'll triple again when the new trees mature."
Why Vermont punches above its weight on agriculture grants
Vermont's Working Lands Enterprise Initiative funds value-added agriculture producers explicitly to keep working lands productive. New England, Pacific Northwest, and Upper Midwest states have the densest concentration of these programs.
Long-time-horizon investments and grant fit
Some grants — like Working Lands — are willing to fund multi-year investments (orchards, livestock, perennial systems) that traditional debt won't touch.
How to write supply-chain-impact narratives
Working Lands grants weight in-state supply-chain commitments. Michael committed to sourcing 80%+ of apples in-state, which significantly boosted his score.