Grant's

[TheNamelessPoet]

A few years ago at the CT maple meeting in January, someone spoke about getting grants.

He received grants for just about everything in his sugar house, I THINK including the sugar house. I am just a little guy, hoping some day to get bigger, but I was wondering exactly HOW and where to go to get grants for everything from the building to a new pan and an RO. I figure it is worth a shot since I need it all anyway, I might as well see if my tax money will pay for it in this state.

I know there is this https://portal.ct.gov/DOAG/Marketing/Marketing/Specialty-Crop-Block-Grant---FB-Program
I feel like there was a lot more than that one grant however. Obviously it was a few years ago so the same grant's may not be there, but does anyone have an idea of where to start?

Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post it here as well.

[TapTapTap]

My 2 cents

I assume that grants are only available for projects involving research, initiating commercial growth of a new market/industry, increased employment in disadvantaged areas (for the general public, not just for grant recipient), education, etc.

I wouldn't expect taxpayer funded grants to further a hobby or business enterprise as the grants main objective. And, I'd be disappointed in the use of my tax dollars if it did.

Ken

[bill m]

Check with the Dept. of Ag. in your state or your state maple association. They will have all the info you need. With 19 taps and only 2 years under your belt you have a long way to go before the state will be giving you any money. Also most grants are reimbursement grants meaning you have to spend the money first before they give you any.

[mapleack]

Apparently the NRCS has very generous grants directed at energy efficiency that many sugarmakers have received. I'm going to start looking into them this year.

[Sugar Bear]

My 2 cents

I assume that grants are only available for projects involving research, initiating commercial growth of a new market/industry, increased employment in disadvantaged areas (for the general public, not just for grant recipient), education, etc.

I wouldn't expect taxpayer funded grants to further a hobby or business enterprise as the grants main objective. And, I'd be disappointed in the use of my tax dollars if it did.

Ken


In addition to your wise words of wisdom I would add that giving away money drives inflation.

It has the same effect as counterfeiting money.

Our government has been giving away way way way too much money lately.

And then we have the nerve to go say ... "Why is everything getting so expensive?"

Perhaps cause nobody wants to work and everybody wants and or gets free money from the government.

Even the kids these days that go to fancy colleges and get degrees in things like "Economics".

I am beginning to understand why old friends are retiring to countries like Ecuador, even though such countries still run the risk of a Coup Detat at any given moment in time.

They could still be better off there then here.

[ecolbeck]

In addition to your wise words of wisdom I would add that giving away money drives inflation.

It has the same effect as counterfeiting money.

Our government has been giving away way way way too much money lately.

And then we have the nerve to go say ... "Why is everything getting so expensive?"

Perhaps cause nobody wants to work and everybody wants and or gets free money from the government.

Even the kids these days that go to fancy colleges and get degrees in things like "Economics".

I am beginning to understand why old friends are retiring to countries like Ecuador, even though such countries still run the risk of a Coup Detat at any given moment in time.

They could still be better off there then here.


Please make an effort to keep this site maple oriented and reasonably apolitical. I like this site because I see it as a respite from highly controversial views and opinions. There are plenty of other places on the internet for this kind of content.

[Sugar Bear]

Please make an effort to keep this site maple oriented and reasonably apolitical. I like this site because I see it as a respite from highly controversial views and opinions. There are plenty of other places on the internet for this kind of content.

You are correct ... so lets go back to maple ... and take the other approach.

"He received grants for just about everything in his sugar house, I THINK including the sugar house."

Now wouldn't that be super cool if it were you or me?

Or perhaps it could be.

[TapTapTap]

Full confession - I do receive grant money through the State of Vermont to be certified organic. The grant for reimburses me for 50% of my annual fee, but it does not provide any direct funds for equipment. I believe all organic producers are eligible.

So - yes, its okay since I'm a beneficiary of the grant!

Ken

[Sugar Bear]

Full confession - I do receive grant money through the State of Vermont to be certified organic. The grant for reimburses me for 50% of my annual fee, but it does not provide any direct funds for equipment. I believe all organic producers are eligible.

So - yes, its okay since I'm a beneficiary of the grant!

Ken

To be honest its OK that I received my stimulus checks, but to me it would be more appropriate if in order to receive them I had to prove something. Something like I worked at a restaurant and lost my job because of the pandemic or something even closely related to that. If I had to do that I would not have received them and I am OK with that.

I'm OK with Grants given to people in the maple sugar industry so long as some reasonable and proven criteria are met.

Such as something like.

1) We offer a perpetual outreach program to youth at our sugar shack. We teach then to not look at their phones for more than 5 minutes at a time. BINGO! Grant granted!

OR

2) We do massive amounts of research at our sugar shack and provide the results of our research to the general public. Yes, I did give TP's outfit the best possible ratings they could be given and I hope they got their money for more research.

OR

3) I was born on a farm and inherited the farm and 92 acres with it. If I can't find a way to make money on it, I am going to have to sell it and my bank accounts will verify that. The land will have to be sold to Home Depot for their new World Headquarters Campus. Can you help me with a Grant?

Certified Organic Maple Syrup? ... I don't know it very well but perhaps granting it has a reasonable benefit.

This is not about politics, it's about being objective and fair and reasonable.

That's all.