NCR-SARE is pleased to announce the projects recommended for funding for the 2026 Partnership Grant Program.
For the 2026 Partnership Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $1 million to 22 projects. NCR-SARE's 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. Those selected to receive funding included (in alphabetical order by state):
- Ethan Book with the Iowa Organic Association in Des Moines, IA was awarded $49,984 for the project, “Integrating Livestock Into Organic Production: A Transition Guide Captured in Case Studies.”
- Jennifer Studebaker with Women, Food, and Agriculture Network (WFAN) in Ames, IA was awarded $49,863 for the project, “After the Harvest: Winter Season Mentoring and Ongoing Farmer Networking.”
- Bonnetta Adeeb with Steam Onward in Bryans Road, MD was awarded $49,918 to work with North Central region farmers on the project, “Developing On-Farm Trials and Demonstrations to Support the Creation of Regional Seed Hubs.”
- Mariel Borgman with Michigan State University Extension in West Olive, MI was awarded $49,998 for the project, “Michigan First-Generation Farm Mentors.”
- Madelyn Celovsky with Michigan State University Extension in Jackson, MI was awarded $37,521 for the project, “Camelina: Investigating Cover Crop Options Before Corn.”
- Amanda Danielson with Intentional Agriculture in Traverse City, MI was awarded $50,000 for the project, “Guiding Regenerative Opportunities for Working-farm Economic Resilience (The GROWER Initiative).”
- James DeDecker with Michigan State University AgBioResearch and Extension in Chatham, MI was awarded $49,998 for the project, “Optimizing Tarping and Cover Crop Management Practices to Enhance Soil Health and Vegetable Crop Performance.”
- Joshua Miranda with Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI was awarded $50,000 for the project, “Advancing Sustainable Weed Management in Grapes through Electrical Weed Control.”
- Susanne Hinrichs with the University of Minnesota Extension in Brainerd, MN was awarded $50,000 for the project, “Marketing for Farm Viability: Virtual Trainings and Implementation Support for Sustainable Farms.”
- Jane Jewett with Grand Rapids Farmers' Market in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $48,947 for the project, “Node Development for a Local and Regional Food Distribution System.”
- Jenna Pollard with Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)-USA in Finland, MN was awarded $48,059 for the project, “Future Farmer Program: Farmer-Led Training and On-Farm Education Combined with Online Crop Production Coursework for Aspiring Organic Growers.”
- Courtney Tchida with Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $49,434 for the project, “Demonstrating the Power of Songbird Nest Boxes for On-Farm Pest Control.”
- Albert Kwarteng with Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO was awarded $49,949 for the project, “Integrating Grass-Clover Systems for Weed Management in Vegetable Production: Rotation and Alley Strategies.”
- Thiago Martins with the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO was awarded $49,997 for the project, “Refining the Reproductive Tract Scoring for More Assertive Selection of Beef Replacement Heifers.”
- Nicki Morgan with Gateway Sustainable Farmers Alliance (Known and Grown STL) in Saint Louis, MO was awarded $49,990 for the project, “Known and Grown's Knowledge Commons: An Innovative Approach to Traditional Knowledge-Sharing.”
- Alicia Bongue with Muddy Fork Farm in Wooster, OH was awarded $50,000 for the project, “Financial and Ecological Viability of Wool Felt Mats for Weed Control and Water Management in High-Value Crops.”
- Haley Linder with The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH was awarded $48,403 for the project, “Mapping Regional Mineral Status in Ohio Beef Cattle.”
- Krysti Mikkonen with Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society in Frederick, SD was awarded $49,913 for the project, “Agronomic and Culinary Value of Determinant Devyatka Buckwheat.”
- Mason Prescott with Grace Place Farm and Gardens in Sioux Falls, SD was awarded $49,978 for the project, “Portable Poultry Processing: A Farmer-Led Design for Sustainable Small-Farm Production.”
- Beth Stropki with FairShare CSA Coalition in Madison, WI was awarded $49,119 for the project, “Strengthening a Peer Network for Ohio’s Advanced Organic Vegetable Farmers.”
- Beth Summers with Valley Stewardship Network in Viroqua, WI was awarded $49,973 for the project, “Farmer Led Native Vegetation Plantings for Gully Erosion Mitigation, Runoff Control, and Habitat Enhancement at Cropfield-Woodland Edges.”
- Sydney Widell with the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council in Coon Valley, WI was awarded $49,198 for the project, “Expanding Agroforestry in the Coon Creek Watershed to Protect Water and Provide a New Crop to Farmers.”
Read descriptions of these projects online at https://projects.sare.org/
The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.
NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. The AC includes a mix of regional agricultural stakeholders. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofits.
Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are economically viable, ecologically sound, and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.