USDA High Tunnel Grants for Greenhouses: How We Help You Apply

If you grow crops for sale, the USDA may help pay for your greenhouse. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) runs a high tunnel initiative under its EQIP program that provides cost-share assistance to producers who build high tunnels — which is exactly what our commercial greenhouse kits are.

What is a high tunnel?

A high tunnel is a simple, unheated greenhouse: a steel hoop frame covered with greenhouse plastic, tall enough to walk and work inside. Growers use them to extend the season, protect crops from wind and heavy rain, and get produce to market earlier. Our regular greenhouse kits — galvanized steel hoops, roll-up sidewalls, 6 mil film — fit the standard high tunnel design.

Who qualifies?

The program is for agricultural producers: farmers and ranchers growing crops. Each state NRCS office sets its own ranking criteria and application windows, and funding is competitive — not every application is approved. Start by contacting your local NRCS office or visiting your local USDA service center. They will tell you the current sign-up dates and what your state requires.

What does the grant cover?

Typically it is a cost-share payment toward the high tunnel structure itself — the frame and covering. The exact payment rates and caps vary by state and change year to year. Your NRCS office can give you the current numbers for your area.

How we help you apply

We have worked with growers through this process before. Here is what we do:

Quotes and specifications. NRCS applications need real numbers. We provide written quotes with frame specs, dimensions, and covering details for the exact kit you plan to build.

The right size. We help you pick a kit size that fits both your operation and the program's requirements — common grant-funded houses run 30 feet wide and 70 to 100 feet long, all sizes we stock.

Documentation after purchase. Invoices and delivery records, which you will need when the project is inspected.

One note: grant timelines and kit delivery timelines are separate things. Apply early, and talk to us about current delivery scheduling so your project stays on track.

How the application process usually works

Every state runs it a little differently, but the shape is the same:

1. Contact your local NRCS office. Tell them you want to apply for high tunnel assistance under EQIP. They will confirm the current sign-up period and eligibility rules.
2. Site visit and planning. NRCS staff typically visit your operation and help you plan the project — size, location, and conservation purpose.
3. Application and ranking. Applications are ranked against each other; funding is competitive, so a complete application with real quotes scores better.
4. Contract, then build. If approved, you sign a contract and build the high tunnel to the agreed specs.
5. Inspection and payment. NRCS inspects the finished structure, and the cost-share payment follows.

The whole cycle can take months, which is why starting early matters. Talk to NRCS first, then come to us for the quote and specs.

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying before you apply. In most cases the structure must be approved before construction starts. Get the contract first, then order the kit.

Vague quotes. "One greenhouse, $X" is not enough. NRCS wants dimensions, frame specs, and covering details — exactly what our quotes include.

Wrong size for the program. Some states have minimum or maximum size requirements. Confirm with your NRCS office before you pick a kit, and we will match the size to the requirement.

Ready to start?

Call Henry at (630) 408-2201. Tell us your growing plans and your state, and we will put together a quote with the specs your NRCS application needs.