04/14/2025
CT DoAg Announces Recipients of 2025 Agricultural Enhancement Grants
CT DoAg Announces Recipients of 2025 Agricultural Enhancement Grants
$559,625 Awarded to 21 Projects Addressing Gaps in Industry Releases Agricultural Enhancement Grant to Address Gaps in Industry
HARTFORD, CT – Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Agricultural Enhancement Grant to directly impact or foster industry viability through eligible Connecticut municipalities, regional councils of government, and/or agricultural non-profit organizations. Twenty-one projects have been selected to collectively receive more than $559,625 in state funds.
CT DoAg received a total of 39 submitted applications for the competitive grant review,
with funding requests of more than $1.3 million for total project costs exceeding $4.2 million. Of the awarded funds, six projects fall into Tier 1 and will receive up to $5,000, and 15 projects are in Tier 2 with awards up to $49,999.
“Through the Agricultural Enhancement Grant awards, we are able to support innovative projects that strengthen our current needs and support future growth and innovation across all of our funding priorities,” said Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. “I’m especially pleased to see the increased number of projects focused on youth agricultural education. Our support of these initiatives reaffirms the state’s commitment to advancing awareness of agriculture among future generations and providing them with opportunities to explore their connection to agriculture.”
The fiscal year 2025 Agricultural Enhancement Grant awardees are:
Applicant | Project Location | Project Description | Funding Award |
Holcomb Farm, Inc. | West Granby | Construction of a year-round post-harvest storage and processing facility. | $49,999 |
Flanders Nature Center Inc. Van Vleck Farm | Woodbury | Repair and restoration of sap house, purchase and installation of sap collection equipment, development of new curriculum (K-12) around the science and production of maple syrup. | $21,670 |
New Britain ROOTS, Inc. | New Britain | Installation of cedar composting bins at two urban growing sites, construction of raised garden beds, upgraded irrigation and replacement of plastic skin on high tunnel. | $5,000 |
Westport Farmers Market/Fiscal sponsor for CT Farmers Market Association | Westport | Creation of a virtual map and printed brochure of all farmers markets. Display nutrition benefit information for redemption of FMNP and SNAP, plus three professional development sessions for market managers | $9,000 |
Green Village Initiative Inc. | Bridgeport | Construction of raised beds, reinforcement of hoop house, collaboration with All Our Kin to offer educator training sessions for ECE providers, and integrate culturally relevant lessons on growing and using fresh food. | $49,999 |
South Windsor Board of Education | South Windsor | Installation of shade cloth, repair of exhaust systems/fans, and installation of four motorized shutters at the SWHS greenhouse. | $5,000 |
Groton Public Schools | Mystic | Creation of signage and informational materials in school cafeterias acknowledging farm partners, Farm-to-School hands-on activities for students, and transportation for farm field trips. | $5,000 |
Hartford County 4-H Camp, Inc. | Enfield | Refurbish two existing horse barns to enhance equine youth agricultural education opportunities. | $43,850 |
University of Connecticut/CT Sea Grant | Storrs | Purchase of six mobile battery-operated refrigerated storage units to test and expand direct-to-consumer and farm-to-chef market opportunities for CT aquaculture farmers. | $47,835 |
Partners for Sustainable Communities, Inc./The Farmer's Table | Litchfield | Completion of an interactive website for Northwest CT farmers by centralizing resources and fostering connections through a digital hub. | $26,670 |
New Connecticut Farmer Alliance | Vernon | Creation and administration of a new farmer microgrant program to promote farm business expansion through infrastructure, marketing, and technical assistance. | $49,999 |
Town of Wethersfield | Wethersfield | Creation of two curricula for an agriculture-themed summer day camp focusing on youth grades 3-5 and 6-8 at Kycia Farm. | $5,000 |
KNOX, Inc. | Hartford | Promotion of existing urban agriculture training and resources available from various service providers to increase participation of new and beginning, and urban farmers in expert-led training opportunities, regional and local conferences, and virtual/in-person courses to increase agricultural skills and technical knowledge. | $48,750 |
nOURish BRIDGEPORT, Inc. | Bridgeport | Purchase of equipment to enable mushroom production, enhance growing operations, and facilitate student learning through hands-on hydroponics experience. | $49,999 |
Town of Brooklyn | Brooklyn | Installing electric, plumbing, and climate-control connections in the Brooklyn Public School greenhouse to enable year-round cultivation of students agricultural skills. | $26,800 |
Town of Easton | Easton | Enhance raised beds and install a a greenhouse to extend the season for agricultural growing/learning at the elementary and middle school. | $5,000 |
City of Groton Parks and Recreation | Groton | Growing the City of Groton farmers market through advertising, EBT machine costs, and match program, as well as re-establishing and promoting the City of New London farmers' market. | $15,600 |
Litchfield County Cooperative Extension Service Assoc. | Torrington | Purchase of agricultural equipment and supplies to provide hands-on learning experiences for students ages 5-13 attending Arethusa Farm 4-H Camp. | $25,000 |
Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Association | Waterbury | Implementation of innovative AI-based insect monitoring systems in CT greenhouses to collect realtime data on accuracy of AI versus human pest scouting and resulting effectiveness of targeted treatments. | $16,000 |
South Windsor Farmers Market | South Windsor | Creation of a part-time position to develop lessons and implement hands-on educational activities for The Power of Produce Club youth program. | $3,400 |
North Stonington Agricultural Fair | North Stonington | Improvements to livestock facilities including cattle, rabbit/poultry, and sheep/goat barns at the fairgrounds. | $49,999 |
Agricultural Enhancement Grant is authorized by and funded through the State of Connecticut Public Act 05-228, An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation. Additional information about the program can be found at www.CTGrown.gov/grants.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state's economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov.
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