Grants for Agriculture

Every state should have some grants for agricultural programs through their Department of Food and Agriculture. There is technical assistance and conservation cost share programs for individual landowners through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and your local conservation districts.

Become familiar (and involved) with your local conservation district if you are involved with agriculture. Such districts may be called Resource Conservation Districts or Soil Conservation Districts or even Soil and Water Conservation Districts. In a complex arrangement with federal and state agencies under both federal and state laws, conservation districts often identify priority conservation issues for their state down to the local level for USDA. Working with a conservation district can enhance your prospects of getting funded for agricultural field projects.

Individuals can go for grants in agriculture through both the Conservation Reserve Programs (CRP) and USDA Cooperative State Research Education and Economics Programs (CREES). Funding availability varies widely between states. Demonstration projects often are favorably reviewed and may involve multiple individuals as well as organizations. Projects do not necessarily have to be about crops, as water quality issues, wildlife habitat, forestry and even biomass may all fall under the blanket of 'Agriculture'.

If you are looking at a project involving a larger area, say a portion of a watershed or a wildlife habitat project, think in terms of both building alliances and gaining a project 'champion'. Government agencies often ask staff at a local level if they know of you, your organization or your project. The same is true of Nonprofit organizations and foundations that make grants. If you have discussed the project with local agency/organizational contacts, then they can lend weight and credibility to your proposal.

Building alliances can increase your chances of getting funded. Grant reviewers are looking for maximum support of projects at a local level, and applicability of the project results to the larger scheme of things. Make friends for your project and develop project partners and you increase your chances of getting funded.

Some funding entities, like government agencies, now put on workshops for prospective applicants for specific programs. The key here is to attend the workshops. Often proposals will not be accepted from applicants who have not attended a workshop. Find out if there is a 'required' workshop before you spend a lot of time putting together a proposal.

TIP: Talk to your prospective grantor. Find out if they like projects of a certain size or dollar amount. Get as much information as you can about the goals and objectives of the funding agency or organization. Funders want to make grants for good projects that meet their objectives. Make sure your project fits before applying.
 

Sampling of Funding Sources:

* If a grant deadline is past, get on their mailing list for the next round. Here is a sample of grant funding resources:

America The Beautiful Foundation

The America The Beautiful Foundation is offering free seeds. Each year, Operation Green Plant collects donations of surplus seeds from the major seed companies and distributes them to thousands of volunteer projects that use them to aid and uplift their communities. The seeds are used to grow food for the hungry and homeless, for emergency food banks, for church pantries. But just as importantly, the seeds are used in projects that teach people how to grow their own food and manage their own gardens. Some community gardens thrive and become multi-acre farms supporting hundreds of families through winter, while other gardens supply food stands that raise money for the needy. Still other seed donations go to projects that teach low-income families participating in the WIC program how to grow nutritional food and eat healthily.
 

Center for Invasive Plant Management

Weed Information and Contacts in Western States and Provinces, which may lead to funding sources and project partners.
 

Private Landowner Network

Promote conservation activities, habitat protection or restoration on your land through grants, cost share, or technical assistance.
 

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) project grants from EPA. PESP Project Grants are administered by the National Foundation for IPM Education (NFIPME) through a cooperative agreement with U.S. EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division. These grants support the overall goal of PESP which is to reduce the risks from the use of pesticides in agricultural and non-agricultural settings in the U.S. EPA also funds the Regional Initiative Grants for pesticide risk reduction activities. These grants are unrelated to PESP and are administered through EPA's Regional Offices. Information on these grants is available on the EPA web site .
 

National Sustainable Agriculture

Funding opportunities targeting sustainable agriculure are listed.
 

USDA Farm Service Agency

Farm Service Agency has been given broader duties. Make sure you are familiar with this website, and the various cost-share programs available for landowners and resource projects.
 

USDA-NRCS Agricultural and Conservation Programs

The Natural Resources Conservation Service manages numerous programs related to agriculture, wildlife habitat, and wetlands. They also have extensive technical resources for landowners.
 

USDA CSREES Funding Opportunities

Cooperative State Research Education and Economics has numerous project areas. Proposals are requested in several areas, including agriculture, water resources, pest management, natural resources and more. Check funding availability before starting your proposal.
 

Farm Foundation

Farm Foundation seeks program ideas that further its mission to improve the economic and social well-being of U.S. agriculture, the food system, and rural communities by serving as a catalyst to assist private and public sector decision makers in identifying and understanding forces that will shape the future.
 

SARE

Sustainable Agriculture Network administers three separate grant programs, each with its own priorities and audiences, in four separate regions. The process begins with the release of Calls for Proposals for each of the programs.
 

Organic Research Grants

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)now offers educational and outreach grants. Review their new education and outreach RFP and application guidelines
 

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