Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program (DBI) Fiscal Year 2026
FY 2026 USDA AMS funding for the four named existing Dairy Business Innovation initiatives to subaward projects that diversify dairy markets, support dairy business development, encourage regional milk production, and can include equipment and infrastructure costs.
RESTRICTED TO: SINGLE NAMED INSTITUTION
⚑ Only the four named existing DBI initiatives are eligible to apply directly; other universities may participate only if funded through a named initiative’s subawards. · AMS strongly encourages equipment and infrastructure activities; allowable construction/equipment are governed by DBI specific terms and conditions. · Program is administered as grants to existing initiatives rather than open competition to all eligible universities.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 35 weak | technical depth: substantial; funds other (capped) |
| IPPRA | 21 weak | outside portfolio topics; signature methods: policy analysis; social/behavioral work is minor; funds other — not a research fit; university can only partner, not lead |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 5 none | not openly competed |
Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for fiscal year (FY) 2026 from existing initiatives of the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives Program: the California State University Fresno Foundation, the University of Tennessee, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and the University of Wisconsin. These initiatives serve to:
• Diversify dairy product markets to reduce risk and develop higher value uses for dairy products; • Promote business development that diversifies farmer income through processing and marketing innovation; and • Encourage the use of regional milk production.
Approximately $12.65 million is available to fund these initiatives. In the FY 2025 application cycle, AMS funded four applications from the existing initiatives awarding a total of $11,040,000. AMS strongly encourages DBI initiatives to prioritize subaward funding for projects that request equipment and infrastructure activities in their proposals for these FY2026 funds. See the DBI Specific Terms and Conditions for guidance on allowable equipment and construction costs. Equipment and infrastructure investments are critical to strengthening the dairy industry and overall dairy businesses capacity and DBI is currently uniquely positioned to offer such targeted funding opportunities.
Eligibility
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 only from the existing four initiatives of the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives program: the California State University Fresno Foundation, the University of Tennessee, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and the University of Wisconsin.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Agricultural Marketing Service <IPPGrants@usda.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · USDA NIFA conventions SEE A USDA EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — USDA NIFA's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.