TOLEDO, OH—As she prepares for the busy season, Alissa Vieira, owner of Swanky Scoops, is grappling with the uncertainties of federal funding amid shifting political dynamics.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently paused reimbursements for Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) programs nationwide, impacting 420 dairy businesses, including 88 in the Midwest. Among those affected was Vieira, whose Toledo-based artisan ice cream business relies on the funding for expansion and equipment upgrades.
Vieira learned of the funding freeze on Feb. 25 via an email from the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, one of the organizations administering the federal grants. Having received a portion of her $74,000 grant since December 2023, she was still awaiting approximately $24,000 in reimbursements when the funding was halted.
Determined to advocate for the release of funds, Vieira organized a letter-writing event at Swanky Scoops on March 2. Community members and employees wrote more than 50 letters to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, emphasizing the importance of DBIA support for small and mid-sized dairy businesses.
“We wanted to highlight how these programs help small businesses like ours and urge the USDA to release the funds,” Vieira said.
A breakthrough came on March 7 when the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association informed Vieira that the USDA had resumed reimbursements.
“The release of this critical grant funding comes as an enormous relief to dairy farmers and processors—like Swanky Scoops—who had already made business improvements with these funds,” said Grace Atherton, communications director for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.
Impact on Small Business Growth
Vieira, a former fine dining professional in New York and Boston, founded Swanky Scoops in Toledo, where she crafts small-batch, handmade ice cream. The DBIA grant has enabled her to invest in equipment, scale production, and plan for regular retail hours at her downtown location on 10th Street.
While the shop does not yet have set retail hours, it hosts occasional pop-up events and operates an ice cream cart for private and public functions. Swanky Scoops products are also available at local retailers, including Walt Churchill’s Market in Maumee and Perrysburg.
The abrupt funding freeze underscored the precarious nature of federal grants in the evolving political landscape.
“I was shocked when I got the news that the funding was reinstated, but there was no explanation as to why it was paused in the first place,” Vieira said.
Despite the uncertainty, Vieira remains optimistic, noting that the resumption of funding will allow Swanky Scoops to expand its team in time for summer.
“The goal of our grant project was to grow our business and create jobs,” she said. “This funding helps us support other small businesses and our local community.”
Community and Industry Support
Swanky Scoops prioritizes locally sourced ingredients, partnering with Bench Farms for sweet corn ice cream and the Dollop Shop café and bakery for mix-ins. The importance of grants like DBIA’s is not lost on fellow business owners.
“It hits you hard as a small business owner because grants like this are how we survive,” said Claire Cameron-Ruetz, co-owner of the Dollop Shop. “I was so excited when Alyssa got the grant because I knew what it meant for her.”
Lindsay Williams, marketing director for Swanky Scoops, co-wrote the grant proposal and played an active role in navigating the funding freeze.
“We’re in unprecedented times,” Williams said. “The DBIA says we can continue business as usual, but we still don’t have clarity on why the freeze happened.”
She emphasized the importance of advocacy in securing future funding. “If we raise our voices and make our concerns heard, Washington is more likely to listen,” she said.
Among the 88 Midwest businesses funded by DBIA, half have five or fewer employees, highlighting how essential these grants are for small business sustainability.
“All we can do is stay informed and work together as a community,” Williams said. “We want a vibrant local economy with farmers and small businesses, and that takes collective effort.”
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