Photo credit: Lindsey Scalera
With spring on the horizon, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a number of funding opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This blog post outlines the funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements for a range of food and farm system grants funded through USDA that are currently accepting applications.
The funding opportunities listed below are broken down into three categories:
- Research and Education
- Local Food (including urban and rural-focused programs) and Nutrition
- Climate, Conservation, and Energy
The Requests for Applications (RFA) in this post are organized by category and then by application date, from earliest deadline to furthest out. Many deadlines are rapidly approaching in February and early March!
For more detailed information on these and other USDA grant programs, see NSAC’s Grassroots Guide to Federal Food and Farm Programs.
Research and Education Programs
Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
Deadline: February 15, 2025
The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) is a competitive grant program operated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding projects that integrate research, education, and outreach activities that will assist farmers and ranchers who have already adopted organic practices to expand their production of high-quality agricultural products and their marketing strategies. The program focuses on projects that deliver research-based information in a practical way to farmers and ranchers. This year, NIFA announced the availability of $ 44 million for OREI grants.
Those eligible to apply include: state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; research institutions and organizations; federal agencies, national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; individuals; or any combination of the groups listed above. Apply here.
Risk Management Education Partnership Program
Deadline: March 4, 2024
The Risk Management Education Partnerships Program (RMEPP) provides funding for partners to develop training and education tools to help farmers and ranchers, especially those traditionally underserved or with limited resources, learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges. This year, Risk Management Agency (RMA) is making $ 3 million available in cooperative agreements funds to help organizations provide risk management education and training. This is a great opportunity for organizations working with underserved farmers and ranchers to obtain support for providing information on Whole Farm Revenue Protection and other risk management tools. Apply here; more details here.
Organic Transitions Program
Deadline: March 7, 2024
The Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is a competitive grant program that supports the integration of research, higher education, and extension programs to address the challenges of transitioning to organic agriculture. Projects funded by ORG help farmers transitioning to organic agriculture by providing research and education resources that improve the competitiveness of organic operations, offer guidance on understanding the economic and environmental benefits of organic agriculture, and share culturally-relevant alternatives to substances addressed by the National Organic Program. This year, NIFA announced the availability of $ 7.5 million for ORG grants.
Those eligible to apply include colleges and universities (including research foundations at a college or university); 1862 Land-Grant Institutions, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and Hispanic-Serving agricultural colleges and universities. Apply here; additional details here.
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
Deadline: April 4, 2024
Created in the 2018 Farm Bill as part of the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO) Program, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) is the only USDA program focused on funding projects that provide technical assistance, education, and training for the next generation of farmers in the United States. The program supports local, state, and regional partnerships that create opportunities for beginning farmers to learn and develop business and farm production skills. The estimated total amount of grant funding available for BFRDP this year is $ 24 million.
Those eligible to apply include collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally based networks or partnerships of qualified public and private entities. Apply here. A technical assistance webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 21 at 2pm EST, details – including office hours – available here.
Local Food and Nutrition Programs
Rural Business Development Grants
Deadline: February 28, 2024
The Rural Business Development Grant Program (RBDG) supports the development and growth of rural small and emerging businesses with fewer than 50 employees and less than $ 1 million in gross revenues. The program awards grants on a competitive basis to towns and other governmental entities, Native American Tribes, rural cooperatives, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations for planning, technical assistance, job training, and acquisition of land, capital, equipment and other business development needs. Support is available in the form of either enterprise or opportunity grants. Apply here; additional details for applicants here.
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – Produce Prescription Program
Deadline: February 28, 2024
Originally created in the 2014 Farm Bill, and later expanded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, or GusNIP, is a competitive grant program that funds nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects that increase the purchases of fruits and vegetables for low-income consumers by offering incentives. One of the funding opportunities under this program offers “prescriptions,” or other financial and education incentives, for healthy produce for consumers who either have or are at risk of developing diet-related diseases. By offering these incentives, GusNIP hopes to increase healthy food consumption, and reduce food insecurity and healthcare costs. NIFA announced $ 5.28 million available for the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program this year.
Those eligible to apply include nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Eligible applicants are encouraged to partner across the food and healthcare system. Apply here; additional details are here.
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – Nutrition Incentive Program
Deadline: May 14, 2024
Originally created in the 2014 Farm Bill, and later expanded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, or GusNIP, is a competitive grant program that funds nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects that increase the purchases of fruits and vegetables for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients by offering incentives. The Nutrition Incentive Program embodies the original goals of the program with three distinct program area priorities: pilot projects, standard projects, and large-scale projects. NIFA announced approximately $ 36.3 million available for the Nutrition Incentive Program this year.
Those eligible to apply include nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Eligible applicants are encouraged to partner with public or private, non-profit, or for-profit entities, and may offer subgrants to a wide variety of entities. Apply here; additional details are here.
Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program
Deadline: April 9, 2024
First announced and funded in fiscal year 2020, the Urban Agricultural and Innovation Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program made competitive grant funding available for projects that support the development of, and innovation in, urban agriculture projects. Operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the program offers two types of grants: planning project grants and implementation project grants. Planning projects initiate or expand the efforts of farmers, citizens, governments, or schools in urban and suburban areas working to develop urban agriculture to address food access issues, business start-up costs, or development of zoning policies. Implementation projects provide funding to accelerate existing urban or community agriculture spaces and practices that improve local food access. Competitive projects include the collaboration of multiple partners to support infrastructure, education, and policy implementation that reaches networks of growers. NRCS announced approximately $ 6 million available for UAIP projects this year.
Those eligible to apply include county governments, nonprofit organizations with or without a 501(c)(3) status, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribes, special district governments, schools serving students in grades K-12, soil and water conservation districts, and city or township governments. Apply here; additional details for applicants here.
Value-Added Producer Grant
Deadline: April 11, 2024
The Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program, part of the umbrella Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), provides competitive grants to individual agricultural producers, groups of independent producers, producer-controlled entities, and farmer or rancher cooperatives to create or develop value-added, producer-owned businesses. Proposed projects must demonstrate creating or expanding into a market and an increase in farm revenue. These grants may be used to fund business and marketing plans and feasibility studies, or to acquire working capital to operate a value-added business venture or alliance. This year, there is approximately $ 30 million available for VAPG grants. In addition to priority given to beginning, socially-disadvantaged, small or medium-sized and family farms, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and mid-tier value chain projects, USDA Rural Development is newly prioritizing projects create more and better markets, advance racial justice and place-based equity and opportunity, and address climate change and environmental justice. Apply here; additional details for applicants here and Rural Development priorities here.
Climate and Conservation
Working Lands Climate Corp
Deadline: March 8, 2024
A brand-new initiative, the Working Lands Climate Corp (WLCC) – a collaboration between USDA, AmeriCorps, and the National Association of Conservation Districts – is a workforce training and service initiative that will place at least 100 individuals with host organizations across the country to expand programming in support of Climate-Smart Agriculture & Forestry practice adoption. Eligible host organizations, who can apply through the request for proposal, may include organizations that operate at the state and local level in cooperation with NRCS to provide conservation assistance and other climate-smart agriculture programs, including outreach and education to reach new farmers and ranchers across the country. Application details and application portal here.
Rural Energy for America Program
Deadline: March 31, 2024 (also June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2024)
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loans to farmers and rural businesses interested in making energy efficiency improvements. The program also supports the purchase of wind, solar, or other renewable energy systems, and provides grants to help farmers with energy audits and renewable energy development. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided significant additional funding for REAP through Fiscal Year (FY) 2031, including $ 180.28 million per year from FY2023 through FY2027. This funding can cover up to 50 percent of the cost of a project and double the existing grant-based cost-share level of 25 percent. Interested applicants should contact their State Energy Coordinator. Additional program details here.
The post RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.