Acer Access and Development Program

The Acer Access and Development Program is a federal grant opportunity offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to promote the domestic maple syrup industry. The grant supports eligible applicants, including state agencies, tribal governments, and research institutions, to conduct activities such as research and education, natural resource sustainability, and market promotion for maple syrup and related products. The evaluation criteria focus on alignment with program objectives, technical merit, achievability, expertise and partners, and fiscal plan. Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET on May 21, 2024 and must be submitted through Grants.gov.

The program has approximately $6 million in available funding, with individual awards ranging from $200,000 to $500,000 for projects up to 3 years in duration. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms, beginning farmers, historically underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities. The grants are associated with the Acer Access Development Program under CFDA 10.174.