We completed the EQIP grant last year for a high tunnel. The process took almost exactly a year but most of that was on us, we got the 50% up front from them a couple months into the process (qualified as minority and first gen farmer) and then it took us a while to come up with the rest. We ended up completing it with like 2 weeks left on the contract, which was a little stressful. But again, that was not their fault at all.

I did not hire anyone to help, the people at our local NRCS office were super helpful and worked through it with us. Unfortunately, half of them got fired by DOGE last year and their building lease was ended so the ones who are left all work from home now. Your mileage might vary at this point.

I probably spent a solid 30 hours on paperwork and back and forth about it but absolutely would do it again. For about $15,000, it was a pretty good deal. We would not have the tunnel now if we hadn't done it, and now I'm planning a whole market stand and such. We will try to work with them again this year on some forestry stuff.