Department of Agriculture
Ken Givens, Commissioner

1. Complete & submit TAEP Agricultural Producer Association Grant Application.
2. The application will be evaluated & ranked by a committee of the TDA.  Applicant will be notified of approval or disapproval. Only projects approved in advance by TDA will be eligible for grant assistance. Approved projects must be completed & invoices submitted by the project deadline (May 1, 2010).

1. The overall soundness of the proposed activity's goals, objectives, project management & work plan. The project should have clearly identified & quantifiable performance measures.
2. Priority is placed on activities that directly impact the greatest number of producers & increase agricultural economic opportunity.
3. Applicant must demonstrate ability & financial capacity to conducts activity; successful & timely implementation & documentation of previous TDA grants is a factor in proposal evaluation.
4. Only applications that are complete & contain sufficient information will be considered for evaluation.
5. As part of the evaluation process, a meeting with the applicant &/or a visit to the applicants enterprise may be required.

Applicant will be required to address the following questions:

1. Describe your organization
   1. Year established, Number of employees - Full, Part-Time, Seasonal, Annual Budget
   2. Number of members - 2007, 2008, 2009
   3. Organizational goals
2. Have you applied for funding through TDA previously?
   1. Program name: TAEP or TN Ag Development Fund (Ag Tag)
   2. Fiscal year
   3. Brief description of project
   4. Amount approved
   5. Amount paid
   6. Results of past project(s)
3. Describe your proposed project(s)
   1. List each proposed project individually
   2. Indicate the specific need, opportunity, or problem you will address with grant funding
   3. Describe how this project will provide opportunities for increasing Tennessee farm income. Provide details of producer participation.
4. Outline the steps and time frame for completing your proposed project. *Projects and reimbursement paperwork must be completed by May 1, 2010.
5. Provide a detailed, line-item budget for each proposed activity. Indicate which items will be involved in grant funding. Maximum amount of request is $5,000.

1. Consider each funding request on a case by case basis
2. Reject any or all requests
3. Provide partial funding for specific activity components that may be less than the full amount requested
4. Provide funding contingent on receiving additional information or testimony from the applicant
5. Waive or modify minor irregularities in requests
6. Require the applicant to work with TDA to complete all aspects of the application & reporting requirements

1. A Grant Contract will be issued by TDA for each approved application. Funding is not considered approved until the applicant receives an approval letter & a fully executed copy of this signed contract. The Grantee will be required to submit various information including Substitute W-9 (tax identification) & ACH (Automated Clearing House for direct deposit) forms when the contract is approved.
2. Any changes to the executed contract, including changes to the approved budget, must be submitted in writing & approved in advance by TDA.
3. The staff of TDA will monitor & evaluate each funded activity. TDA reserves the right to make site visits relating to the performance of the activity during & following completion.

Following the completion of the approved grant activity, the applicant will complete a Project Summary & return it to TDA. The format of this report will be specified by TDA. This report must include:

1. Activity Summary
   1. Brief description of the completed activity & its objectives
   2. Financial impact of activity to farm income & the community
   3. Other benefits of the activity.
2. Documentation (if applicable)
   1. Receipts of actual expenses as outlined in activity budget
   2. Proof of payment of expenses (i.e., cancelled checks)
   3. Photographs of activities, equipment or facilities, built, purchased &/or installed
   4. Copies of marketing materials produced with grant funding
3. Forms
   1. Invoice for actual amount of reimbursement based on amount authorized
   2. The invoice must clearly related each expenditure to corresponding approved items in the application

Following TDA review of the materials submitted, & if no additional information or site visits are required, the Department will process payment to the applicant.

Please direct any questions concerning this program to:

Jan Keyser, Ag Growth Marketing Specialist
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Attn: Agricultural Producer Assn. Grant Program
P.O. Box 40627, Holeman Building, Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 837-5346, Ag.Growth@Tn.gov, www.PickTnProducts.org