The application deadline is March 4, 2022.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The department will accept grant requests up to $200,000 from nonprofit organizations, academia, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges, and universities.
Proposals are due February 24, 2022.
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is accepting proposals for grants to enhance the competitiveness of Michigan’s specialty crops. The grants have a maximum award of $100,000 for research proposals and $125,000 for marketing, training, and education proposals. Program priorities are listed online. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations; local, state, and federal government entities; and for-profit organizations.
Applications received by January 31, 2022, will be informed by February 7, 2022.
The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program has limited funds available to support conferences and educational events relevant to sustainable agriculture. To qualify, events should occur within six months of the application deadline and specifically serve the 12-state North Central Region or be national events that are being offered within the North Central Region states. Most funding support will be $1,000 to $2,000 per event.
Applications are due January 28, 2022.
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for Specialty Crop Block Grants. State and/or local organizations, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply. Applicants must submit a full proposal for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through nutrition education, technology and trade innovation, conservation, pest and disease management research, food safety or food security enhancement, good handling practices, or organic and sustainable practices. Requests may be made for a minimum of $20,000. Funds shall be used for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and benefit the specialty crop industry as a whole.
Concept proposals are due by February 7, 2022.
Colorado Department of Agriculture is accepting concept proposals for $700,000 in Specialty Crop Block Grants available through USDA funding. Priorities for Colorado’s specialty crop program include supporting the next generation of farmers and ranchers, scaling‐up high‐value agriculture and diverse market opportunities, and promoting and incentivizing soil, water, and climate stewardship. Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and local organizations, educational institutions, and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.
Scholarships will be awarded on a first come, first served basis to eligible farmers until funding is depleted.
Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) awards scholarships of up to $400 for livestock and poultry farmers to attend educational events— including virtual events—to learn knowledge, skills, and best practices related to humane animal management, business and farm finance, and/or value-added production processes. Specific conferences are listed online, or applicants can propose other events for consideration.
The deadline for applications is February 15, 2022.
The Alliance’s Resilience Fund helps Illinois local food producers invest in critical infrastructure to scale and adapt their businesses to improve the capacity and resiliency of the local food system. A total of $175,000 will be awarded to local food producers for investment in critical infrastructure to increase the capacity and resiliency of the local food system. Farms and farm collaborations have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $10,000. Funding priorities are listed online.
Proposals are due by February 22, 2022.
The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is accepting proposals for Graduate Student Grants in Sustainable Agriculture for 2022. Funded projects must contain both research and outreach components on a sustainable agriculture topic. Any graduate student enrolled at an accredited college or university in the Western region who is proposing to conduct research and education relevant to farmers and ranchers may apply. Western SARE Graduate Student Grants provide a maximum of $30,000 (including Indirect Cost) for up to two years.
The proposal deadline is February 7, 2022.
The National Grazing Lands Coalition offers grants to facilitate the following: (1) establishment of conservation partnerships, leadership, and outreach; (2) education of grazing land managers, professionals, youth, and the public, through grazing conferences; and (3) improvement in the understanding of the values and multiple services that grazing lands provide small acreage operations and tribal operations. Projects must relate to grazing lands sustainability or Climate Smart Agriculture and include at least one of the following components: conservation planning, workshops, or conferences. Any State, Tribal, public, or private entity, association, group, or individual is eligible to apply.
The application deadline is February 22, 2022.
Businesses and non-profit entities seeking to expand access to fresh food in low-income, low-access communities are encouraged to apply for the second round of the Virginia Food Access Investment Fund (VFAIF). With funding awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, VFAIF grants can be used to support business development, construction, rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, or expansion of grocery stores, small food retailers, or innovative food retail projects that improve food security in low-income, low access communities. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) administers the program and works with applicants to develop projects.
The deadline to apply is January 31, 2022.
The FruitGuys Community Fund offers grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for projects that align with one or more of the core ideals detailed in its Sustainable Farming Manifesto. Applicants must be owner/operators of small to medium-size existing farms who have long-term access to the land and are looking to improve current operations. Community outreach is required, and grants do not fund labor costs.
Concept proposals are due by January 28, 2022.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture is accepting concept proposals for the 2022 cycle of the Fertilizer Research and Education Program. This year’s priorities include demonstrating and/or validating management practices that optimize fertilizer and irrigation water use, addressing challenges and barriers to adoption of management practices, technical education, filling knowledge gaps in nitrogen management for specific crops, research on the role of organic input materials in soil nutrient management, understanding nitrogen movement, and investigating mitigation strategies to reduce nitrogen loss.
Applications are due by February 14, 2022.
The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund is a small grant program of the Farmer Veteran Coalition that provides direct assistance to veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching. The Fellowship Fund does not give money directly to the veteran, but rather to third-party vendors for items the veteran has identified will make a crucial difference in the launch of their farm business. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000. Veterans of any branch of the U.S. Military from all service eras and those currently serving are eligible to apply if they have an agricultural business in operation and a functional business plan.
Proposals are due by February 1, 2022.
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (Western SARE) is inviting proposals for projects that enhance effective outreach and engagement among the agricultural community of the West and Pacific Islands. Overall project objectives are to: 1) Evaluate existing learning styles information and develop a white paper or guide that identifies and synthesizes effective methods, best practices, and science-based techniques for producer-relevant outreach and engagement that best serve traditional and underrepresented agricultural producer groups across the West and Pacific Islands, and 2) Develop an educational resource (such as a handbook and/or web-based program) from findings in objective 1 that can inform SARE projects region-wide. The budget for this project is not to exceed $65,000.
Apply by the February 18, 2022, ranking date to be considered for this year’s funding.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is offering a new assistance opportunity for agricultural producers through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts will be targeted to include socially disadvantaged producers operating on Montana’s seven reservations and in Blaine, Cascade, Glacier, and Hill counties. The 2018 Farm Bill created the new Conservation Incentive Contracts option to address high-priority conservation and natural resources concerns. Through contracts lasting five to 10 years, producers manage, maintain, and address important natural resource concerns and build on existing conservation efforts. Conservation Incentive Contracts were piloted in select states in fiscal year 2021, and the opportunity is now available nationwide.
Funds are available on a first-come first-served basis until depleted. The deadline to apply is August 1, 2022.
Through USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding administered by South Carolina Department of Agriculture, farmers who are covered by the Produce Safety Rule can receive reimbursements up to $2,000 per year per farm for on-farm food safety improvements. Examples of improvements that may be eligible for funding include handwashing stations, worker training resources, and harvest bins. This program is designed to help farms make needed improvements and comply with the requirements of the federal Produce Safety Rule.
Proposals are due by February 11, 2022.
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is accepting applications for Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Stimulus Funding. This funding, made possible by H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations act of 2020, is available for projects designed to enhance the competitiveness of Utah-grown specialty crops. This grant is open to producers, private businesses, schools, trade associations, non-profits, farmers markets, farming and ranching co-ops, etc. headquartered in Utah.
Up to four projects will be awarded within one or more of the following categories:
• Innovative Distribution of Specialty Crops
• Training the New Generation of Specialty Crop Farmers
• Improving Consumer Recognition of Specialty Crops in the Marketplace
• and/or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification Vouchers
The application deadline is January 31, 2022.
There is $3 million available through the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program (Ag-CWIP) grant opportunity to local and regional partners for the reduction of agricultural nutrient runoff throughout the State of Vermont. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) Water Quality Division is requesting proposals from businesses, organizations, or individuals to work with farms to support the improvement of water quality across the state of Vermont through education and outreach, technical assistance, organizational capacity development, and conservation practice surveys. There are two priority outcomes: Regulatory Compliance and Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Reduction, and Economic and Environmental Viability on Vermont Farms.
The deadline to submit applications is February 15, 2022.
The Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (SAREP) invites proposals for small grants to fund pilot projects and research projects that support California’s farmers, ranchers, and land stewards, and/or rural, urban, and Tribal communities to plan, implement, or evaluate sustainable agriculture or food systems strategies. Eligible applicants include farm or food system businesses operating in California; nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations operating in California; state and local government agencies; tribal governments; and California public and private institutions of higher education. Program priority areas are available online. Total funding will be approximately $80,000. Individual grants will be limited to a maximum of $10,000, with one Applied Research Grant up to $20,000.
The application deadline is February 14, 2022.
The Grain Train Natural Foods Market, Oryana Community Co-op, and Crosshatch have partnered to support the local food and farm economy in Northern Michigan by providing microloans for farmers and food entrepreneurs. This project aims to enhance an existing local food or farming venture or to help start a new one in Northwest Lower Michigan. The ideal candidate will propose an idea that would boost a farm or food business and elevate the region’s local food system. Applicants using sustainable practices are strongly encouraged, but proposals are not limited to particular practices or scale. Applicants may request $500 to $10,000, based on evidence of project potential, with negotiable repayment terms and 0% interest.
Applications are due by March 10, 2022.
The Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program provides approximately $665 million in Consolidated Appropriations Act funds to provide grants to State agencies, Tribal entities, and nonprofit organizations with experience in providing support or relief services to farmworkers or meatpacking workers. Awards will generally range from $5 million to $50 million. Entities receiving awards will then distribute relief payments to frontline farmworkers and meatpacking workers who incurred expenses preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. USDA strongly encourages small organizations to partner together or to partner with national organizations in submitting applications to ensure this support has the broadest reach and distribution possible to America’s farm and food workers. In 2022, workers will apply to grant recipients to receive funds.
Applications will be reviewed and awarded in the order the applications were received, based on eligibility.
American Farmland Trust administers the Brighter Future Fund to provide direct support to farmers and ranchers across the country. In 2021, funding will be allocated to help farmers 1) Improve farm viability; 2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland; or 3) Adopt regenerative agricultural practices. This year, the Brighter Future Fund will focus on providing resources to farmers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+). Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $5,000 per project. As funding remains, awards will be made an ongoing basis to eligible applicants that fulfill all application requirements and meet selection criteria.
Applications are due by February 4, 2022.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of $12 million in funding to support historically underserved farmers within the Gulf of Mexico watershed through the Farmer to Farmer grant program. EPA plans to award four cooperative agreements, with up to $3 million of funding each. Grant awards may be issued for a project period up to five years, beginning in May 2022. Successful applicants will be responsible for administering a competitive subaward grant program to directly collaborate with underserved farmers on projects in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. Project activities can include surveys, studies, research, investigation, experimentation, education, training, and/or demonstrations. The proposed projects must include collaboration and sustainable and resilient agriculture operations. Additionally, the proposed projects must be focused on at least one of the following activities: water quality, habitat, or sustainable forest management. Eligible applicants include state agencies, federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia, any agency or instrumentality of local governments, nonprofit organizations, interstate agencies, and colleges and universities.
The application deadline is February 1, 2022, but applications are reviewed upon submission.
The Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership offers the Technology, Innovation, and Excellence (TIE) Award program for farmers in Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties of Massachusetts. This program encourages local farmers to trial new equipment, implement new farm systems, and address challenges farmers in the region collectively face. The TIE Award is intended to lower the economic barriers to innovation, with grants ranging from $500 to $3,000, depending on the merits of the project.
Applications are due by January 28, 2022.
The National Young Farmers Coalition is partnering with Chipotle to offer $5,000 grants to 50 young farmers and ranchers to support them in building careers in agriculture. Forty-five awards will go to businesses already in operation, and five to projects starting in 2022. Grant funding may support completing a project, purchasing a new piece of equipment, covering operating costs such as seeds and compost, building new infrastructure, attending a farmer training program or conference, hiring additional farm labor, or covering personal finances that stand in the way of farm success, including but not limited to childcare, housing, or student loan payments. Funds, once awarded, may be used to match other grant opportunities. National Young Farmers Coalition commits to providing a minimum of 50% of the grants to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, and 50% of grants to female-identifying, non-binary, and trans farmers.
Applications are due by January 31, 2022.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) receives grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance the competitiveness of Oregon’s specialty crops. ODA accepts competitive applications for specialty crop grant funds annually. Approximately $1.5 million is expected to be available to agriculture industry associations, producer groups, processors, commodity commissions, non-profits, for-profits, and local government agencies in Oregon. Funding priorities are listed online.
Applications are due January 24, 2022.
Minnesota Department of Agriculture will award a total of $60,000 in 80:20 cost-share reimbursement for costs of approved practices to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. Eligible expenses for the grant program include any or all of the following items: Purchase of guard animals; Veterinary costs for guard animals; Installation of wolf-barriers which may include pens, fladry, and fencing; Installation of wolf-deterring lights and alarms; Calving or lambing shelters; and Other measures demonstrated to effectively reduce wolf-livestock conflicts. Eligible producers must live within Minnesota’s wolf range, as designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or on property determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture to be affected by wolf-livestock conflicts.
Applications are due by February 4, 2022.
USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative is offering financial assistance to organic and transitioning producers and handlers through the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). This program will provide up to $20 million to help eligible applicants cover expenses paid during the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years. Eligible expenses include organic certification fees, transitional expenses, soil testing, and educational event registration fees.
Applications are due by November 1, 2021.
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is accepting applications for its farmer-rancher grant program. For this grant, a farmer or rancher (lead) and an agricultural professional (technical advisor) work together to develop a project that conducts both research and outreach on a sustainable agriculture topic. The maximum grant is $25,000, or $29,900 for a project with three or more producers. Projects are one to two years in scope.
Applications are due by November 1, 2021.
Organic producers and handlers can now apply for USDA Organic Certification Cost-Share Program funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. This program provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the USDA’s National Organic Program. For 2021, OCCSP will reimburse 50% of a certified operation’s allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 for each category of certification.