Winery & Vineyard Economic Development Grant Program

To view this information directly please visit: https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/Pages/Businesses/Tax_Credits/Winery-and-Vineyard-Grant-Program-(WVEDG).aspx

Winery and Vineyard Economic Development Grant Program (WVEDG)
Maryland’s Winery and Vineyard Economic Development Grant Program provides financial assistance to individuals and corporations to establish a new winery or vineyard in the State or complete capital improvements at an existing winery or vineyard. Commerce will provide a grant to an individual or corporation for 25% of “qualified capital expenses” (as defined in Ch. 358 of 2022).

BENEFITS
A Maryland Winery/Vineyard may be qualified for a grant equal to 25% of qualified capital expenses.

ELIGIBILITY
A qualified winery is defined as an establishment licensed by the Comptroller of Maryland as either a Class 3 or a Class 4 winery pursuant to Article 2B, §§ 2-204 and 2-205, Annotated Code of Maryland.

A qualified vineyard is defined as agricultural lands located in Maryland consisting of at least one contiguous acre used solely to grow grapes and other plants that will be used in the production of wine by a winery licensed by the Comptroller of Maryland.

Qualified capital expenses must be made in connection with the establishment of new wineries or vineyards, or capital improvements made to existing wineries or vineyards in Maryland.

“Qualified capital expenses” include expenditures made by the taxpayer for the purchase and installation of equipment or agricultural materials for use in the production of agricultural products at a vineyard or in a winery. Qualified capital expenses do not include the cost of construction or installation of buildings or structures. Specifically, qualified capital expenses include:

Barrels
Bins
Bottling equipment
Canopy management machines
Capsuling equipment
Chemicals (vineyard only)
Corkers
Crushers
Destemmers
Fermenters or other recognized fermentation devices
Fertilizer and soil amendments
Filters
Forklifts
Fruit harvesters
Fruit plants
Hoses
Irrigation equipment
Labeling equipment
Lugs
Mowers
Poles
Posts
Presses
Pruning equipment
Pumps
Refractometers
Refrigeration equipment
Seeders
Soil
Small tools
Tanks
Tractors
Vats
Weeding and spraying equipment
Wine tanks
Wire

APPLY
For a winery or a vineyard to receive a grant, an individual or corporation on behalf of the winery or vineyard must apply to and be certified by the Maryland Department of Commerce (Commerce). The winery or vineyard must submit an application to Commerce by January 15, 2025.

The total Winery and Vineyard Economic Development Grant Program approved by Commerce may not exceed the appropriation for any calendar year. If the total amount of funding applied for by all businesses exceeds the appropriation, funds will be approved on a pro-rata basis.

WVEDG Application Materials
WVEDG Online Application
Application Guidelines
Exhibit A

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RESOURCES
Statute

CONTACT
For more information about WVEDG contact:

Liz Fitzsimmons, Managing Director
Maryland Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism
elizabeth.fitzsimmons@maryland.gov
(410) 767-6331