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The 2027 North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals is now available with information about how to apply for this funding.
About this Program
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 farming and ranching that is ecologically sound, economically viable, and focused on community wellbeing.
This grant program helps farmers and ranchers explore innovative ideas and share what they learn with others. Farmers and ranchers can explore regenerative solutions to problems through on-farm research or demonstration / education projects. These grants are meant to fuel innovation for the whole farming and ranching community, and so grantees report on what worked, what didn’t, and what you would recommend for other farmers and ranchers pursuing similar solutions.
There are two options available for Farmer Rancher grants:
- Individual grants ($15,000 maximum)
- Team grants for two or more separate and distinct farm/ranch operations who are collaborating ($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.
To Apply
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 as well as useful information for completing a proposal online.
Learn more about sustainable agriculture and see past funded projects.
Eligibility
Wondering if your idea is a good fit for an NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant? NCR-SARE's Farmer Rancher Grants Program supports farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. Review the basics of the grant, then take an eligibility quiz to find out.
Deadline
Proposals must be received online or in the NCR-SARE office by mail or e-mail by December 3, 2025 at 12pm Central Time.
Attend a Webinar
A webinar on applying for a Farmer Rancher Grant will be held at on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 12pm Central Time. We will cover details about the grant. NCR-SARE plans to record the zoom session and post it online here.
Register for the webinar online at:
https://umn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T8uFPo3yTuiGpDUPpTeRxg
Funding Decisions
NCR-SARE administers each grant program with specific goals, audiences, and timelines. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, its relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, farmer-rancher engagement in the project, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals.
A regional Administrative Council (AC) makes funding decisions, with review from a grant review committee.The Administrative Council is a collection of producers, university representatives, nonprofit group interests, Extension and NRCS people, other government employees, and agribusiness representatives. This group sets NCR-SARE’s priorities and recommends projects for funding.
Awards made under this Call for Proposals are contingent upon NCR-SARE receiving federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA).
Assistance
Contact Sarah Zeiler at szeiler@msu.edu or Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu for more information or grant writing assistance from Michigan SARE. Applicants can also contact Liz Brownlee, Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, at North-central-fr@sare.org or 612-626-3658. 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.
NCR-SARE’s Grant How-To Video Series aims to help more people feel equipped to apply for a SARE grant. View the videos below to have your frequently asked questions answered.
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