By Andi Anderson
The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program is offering grant funding to farmers, ranchers, researchers, educators, and organizations interested in advancing sustainable agriculture.
The grants aim to improve sustainable practices across 12 states in the North Central region, including Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
NCR-SARE currently has four open grant programs designed to support research, education, and the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. Associate Director Betsy Wieland encourages potential applicants to explore past projects on the SARE website to understand what types of initiatives have been funded.
“We look for projects that have farmers and ranchers involved in the process, from designing to implementing and sharing the results of their projects,” she said.
The four open grant programs are:
- Research and Education Grant Program: Supports researchers and educators working on sustainable agriculture projects. Preproposals are due by October 10, 2024.
- Partnership Grant Program: Focuses on cooperative projects between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers or ranchers. Proposals are due by October 17, 2024.
- Youth Educator Grant Program: Aims to encourage youth to explore sustainable practices. Proposals are due by November 7, 2024. A webinar about this program will be held on October 2, 2024.
- Farmer Rancher Grant Program: Designed for farmers and ranchers to pursue sustainable agriculture projects. Proposals are due by December 5, 2024, with a webinar scheduled for October 3, 2024.
Grants are awarded based on how well projects address sustainable agriculture challenges, their relevance to the region, and alignment with NCR-SARE’s goals of environmental soundness, social fairness, and economic viability.
To learn more about the grants, visit the NCR-SARE website at northcentral.sare.org. The site offers detailed information on eligibility, proposal guidelines, and previous project successes. NCR-SARE has awarded over $100 million in competitive grants to support sustainable agriculture across the North Central region.
These grants offer an opportunity for agricultural professionals to innovate, collaborate, and make a positive impact on the future of farming in their communities.
Photo Credit: pexels-karolina-grabowska
Categories: Indiana, Sustainable Agriculture