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$5.9 Million Available For Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Projects, Deadline To Apply Aug. 6

Three Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) programs are now accepting proposals for $5.9 million in sustainable agriculture project funding. Proposals are due August 6.

The grant programs include Research and Education, Research for Novel Approaches, and Professional Development.

Q&A Sessions will take place June 18 and 26 and July 10 and 16 to help applicants determine which program is right for their project. These sessions are a great opportunity to build community understanding around Northeast SARE grant programs and procedures.

Click Here to register for the Q&A sessions.

The Professional Development Grant Program funds projects that develop the knowledge, awareness, skills and attitudes of agricultural and other service providers about sustainable agriculture practices to teach, advise or assist farmers.

A service provider is a professional who assists farmers as part of their work.

Projects that develop the ability of other service providers (for example, real estate agents, bankers, and attorneys) to work with farmers are also eligible.

These service providers then use what they’ve learned through participation in project activities in their work with farmers.

The Research and Education Program funds projects that result in gains in farmer knowledge, awareness, skills, and attitudes that are then applied to make measurable on-farm changes leading to greater sustainability.

The focus on farmer behavior change is a key requirement of this grant program.

All proposals must include an education program for farmers that seeks to achieve a “performance target” that describes the changes in practices, behaviors or conditions among farmers expected to result from the proposed project.

Proposals may be submitted with or without an applied research component supporting the education program.

The Research for Novel Approaches Program funds “proof of concept” applied research projects intended to confirm the benefits and/or feasibility of new practices and approaches that have high potential for adoption by farmers in the near future.

These practices and approaches may be related to production, marketing, business management, human resource management and other social issues, or other topics related to sustainable agriculture.

Northeast SARE funds projects in a wide variety of topics, including marketing and business, crop production, raising livestock, aquaculture, social sustainability, climate-smart agriculture practices, urban and Indigenous agriculture and more.

Decisions are driven by Northeast SARE outcome statement: “Northeast agricultural communities honor the holistic connection among land, water, air, and all living beings. Agriculture in the Northeast is accessible, sustainable, and just, addressing historic and current inequities so all farmers and farm employees can steward resources to ensure sustainability, resilience, economic viability, and a high quality of life.”

Northeast SARE serves the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education website.

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