Show-Me Entrepreneurial Grants for Agriculture (SEGA) Innovation Grant Program
Description
The SEGA Innovation Grant Program provides partial funding in the form of grants to producers, businesses, organizations, and cooperatives for facilities, equipment, upgrades, and services directly related to increasing value-added agriculture.
Applications will be considered to fund up to 75 percent of eligible project expenses including:
- Expansion of existing facilities
- Construction of a new facility
- Equipment purchases for new or existing facilities
- Consulting services, including the formation of a production or marketing cooperative
How Does the Program Work?
Proposals will be selected on a competitive basis. Each proposal will be evaluated and rated using the following criteria:
- Agriculture Economic Development Potential
- Credibility and Near-Term Impact
- Merit
Who is Eligible?
- Applicant must be at least 18 years old
- Missouri resident
- Applicant may be groups of individuals, cooperatives, businesses, and organizations related to agriculture whose proposed value-added agricultural business concept is based in Missouri
Grant Amount and Terms
Grant applications will be considered to fund up to 75 percent of eligible project expenses.
The minimum grant award is $50,000 and the maximum grant award is $250,000.
Applicants are required to meet a minimum 25 percent cash match for a funded project.
Restrictions
The program does not provide funds for:
- Operational costs such as payroll, supplies, utilities, inventory, insurance, and travel
- Paying off existing debt
- Salary for owners or current employees
- Reimbursement for anything purchased prior to the date of grant award
- Substituting existing efforts already underway
- Indirect expenses
- Buying land
- Marketing and advertising
- Pre-harvest production expenses
- Payment of fines or penalties, bad debts, and lobbying or entertainment expenses
Application Timeline
Application Deadline: An electronic or hard copy application must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. September 19, 2025. Applications must be submitted to:
Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority
P.O. Box 630
3600 Country Club Drive, Ste. 2004
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Email: masbda@mda.mo.gov