Partnership Grant

About the Partnership Grant Program

The Partnership Grant program fosters cooperation between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers to catalyze on-farm research, demonstration, and education activities related to sustainable agriculture. 

Examples of appropriate projects include developing a curriculum on food storage for farmers and processors, on-farm testing of cropping system strategies or grazing systems, cooperative efforts to develop new marketing approaches, or investigations into new approaches to processing and/or adding value to sustainably produced farm products. 

• Partnership Grants are for on-farm research, demonstration, and/or educational projects funded for up to 24 months.
• Partnership grants can be up to $50,000.
• About 20 projects are funded each year.
• An Agricultural Professional serves as the grant applicant and project coordinator.
• Typically, three or more farmers or ranchers are expected to be substantially involved in the project.
• Each farm/ranch must be an independent and separate/distinct operation.
• NCR-SARE uses an online grant application system for this program. More information is available in the call for proposals.
• The NCR-SARE Administrative Council makes Grant-making decisions.
• This eligibility quiz will help you decide if your idea is a good fit for this program.
• A sample call for proposals is available throughout the year, but you should always consult the current call for proposals when applying.
• The portfolio of research grants is reviewed and awarded on the annual timeline.
• Take a look at grants that have been previously funded.
• View the grants funded in the last grant cycle.
• This NCR-SARE Grant How-To Video Series aims to help more people feel equipped to apply for a SARE grant.

Any agriculture/natural resource professional in the North Central region may apply. These professionals are:

• University educators, including extension agents and specialists
• NRCS field staff
• Agricultural consultants (individuals who actively consult with farmers and ranchers as certified crop advisors, soils consultants, ranching consultants, etc.)
• Nonprofit or agency staff assisting farmers and ranchers at the local level.

NCR-SARE's regional Administrative Council makes funding decisions after receiving feedback from a review committee. The Administrative Council includes farmers, ranchers, university representatives, nonprofit representatives, Extension and NRCS staff, other government employees, and agribusiness representatives. This group sets research priorities and recommends projects for funding.