NCR-SARE's 2025 Farmer Rancher Grant “Call for Proposals” is now available with information about how to apply for this funding.
Farmers and ranchers in the North Central region are invited to submit grant proposals to explore sustainable agriculture solutions to problems on the farm or ranch. Sustainable agriculture is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible. Projects should emphasize research or education and demonstration. Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture practices and how they will share project results with their peers.
There are two options available for Farmer Rancher grants:
- Individual grants ($15,000 maximum)
- Team grants for two or more farmers or ranchers who are working together ($30,000 maximum)
NCR-SARE expects to fund about 40 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region with this call. A total of approximately $720,000 is available for this program.
NCR-SARE is accepting online submissions for the Farmer Rancher Grant Program. More information about the online submission system can be found in the call for proposals.
Interested applicants can find the call for proposals online as well as useful information for completing a proposal at https://northcentral.sare.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant/farmer-rancher-grant/. You can find more information about sustainable agriculture at http://www.sare.org/.
Deadline
Proposals must be received online or in the NCR-SARE office by mail or e-mail by 4:00 p.m. Central Time on December 5, 2024.
Farmer Rancher Grant Zoom Session
A Zoom meeting on applying for a Farmer Rancher Grant will be held at 4:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, October 3, 2024. We will cover details about the grant and how to apply. NCR-SARE plans to record the zoom session and post it online here. Register for the zoom online at: https://umn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Yf1PuAKKTWWq5sMX4aWvOw
New this Year: Online Office Hours!
Liz Brownlee will be hosting a series of online informal Q&A sessions for potential applicants. Bring your questions; big or small, someone else is probably wondering about the same question. The dates and times for these sessions are listed below:
- Thursday, October 10, from 7-8pm Central. Register at: https://umn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OLsASnR9STGinkaEco8Fag
- Thursday, October 17 from 4-5pm Central. Register at: https://umn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_O3ZSz2FnQSya1ZDJvzX4xQ
- Thursday, October 24 from 12-1pm Central. Register at: https://umn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N_8LObifRy2C7AttpMKf_Q
Questions
Applicants with questions can contact Liz Brownlee, Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, at brow7263@umn.edu or (812) 405-5681. Applicants should also contact Liz Brownlee if they need a hard copy or an email version of the call for proposals. We revise our calls for proposals each year, so be sure to use the most recent call.
Each state in SARE's North Central region has one or more Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator who can provide information and assistance to grant applicants. Interested applicants can find their State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator online at https://northcentral.sare.org/state-programs/state-coordinators/.