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NCR-SARE Grants

About our Grants

NCR-SARE's Grant Programs

NCR-SARE's Grant How-To Video Series

This NCR-SARE Grant How-To Video Series aims to help more people feel equipped to apply for a SARE grant.

View the Videos

North Central Region SARE administers several grant programs, each with specific priorities, audiences, and timelines. 

NOTE: The Youth Educator Grant Program will open in January. Subscribe to our mailing list to be notified when the Calls are released.

  • three people, one is holding seeds, the other two are looking at the seeds

    Partnership Grant

    grants for cooperative projects between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers

  • several people gathered for a field day in a corn field at harvest time

    Farmer Rancher Grant

    grants for farmers and ranchers to explore sustainable solutions to problems

  • group of people in a field of crops

    Research and Education Grant

    grants for researchers and educators

  • Professional Development Grant

    grants for training agricultural educators

  • Youth Educator Grant

    grants for youth educators to encourage youth to try sustainable practices. The Youth Educator Grant Program will open in January, 2026.

  • Graduate Student Grant

    grants to fund graduate student projects

The focus for all of NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and/or education/extension. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, its relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals. NCR-SARE's grant program Review Committees review proposals and make recommendations to the Administrative Council.

Grant Program Timelines

Some of NCR-SARE’s timelines have changed for the 2025-2026 funding cycle.

See each grant program’s Call for Proposals for details, or contact NCR-SARE at ncrsare@umn.edu.

Subscribe to our mailing list to be notified when the Calls are released.

Farmer Rancher

August - Call for Proposals Released
December - Proposals Due
February - Funding Decisions
April-May - Funds Available to Recipients

Graduate Student

February - Call for Proposals Released
April - Proposals Due
July - Funding Decisions
October - Funds Available to Recipients

Research and Education

August - Call for Preproposals Released
October- Preproposals Due
January - Full Proposals Invited
March - Full Proposals Due
July - Funding Decisions
December - Funds Available to Recipients

Professional Development Program

February - Call for Proposals Released
April - Proposals Due
July - Funding Decisions
November - Funds Available to Recipients

Youth Educator

August - Call for Proposals Released
November - Proposals Due
February - Funding Decisions
April/May - Funds Available to Recipients

Partnership

August - Call for Proposals Released
October - Proposals Due
January - Funding Decisions
March - Funds Available to Recipients

*Timelines are subject to change. See call for proposals for current dates.

Apply for a Grant

Are you interested in becoming a project coordinator for an NCR-SARE grant? If so, and if you live in the North Central region, consider applying for an NCR-SARE grant.

Manage Your Grant

If you are a grantee or a member of a project team, you can use this section to find out about how to manage your SARE grant. You may also want to read this section to understand SARE's expectations before submitting a grant application.