SARE Professional Development grant webinar
March 3, 2026 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Contact: Contact Sarah Zeiler at szeiler@msu.edu or Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu for more information.
SARE Professional Development Grants
Farm educators and agriculture professionals can team up with three or more farmers to apply are invited to apply for SARE Professional Development Program (PDP) Grants up to $120,000. These grants support training programs that strengthen educators’ ability to help farmers improve sustainability. Proposals should address all three aspects of sustainability, including:
- Farmers’ economic viability
- Natural resources and regenerative farming practices
- Quality of life of farmers and their communities
Each proposal should clearly outline project outcomes, training methods, expected educator behavior changes, evaluation plans, and anticipated regional impact. Farmer involvement is strongly encouraged, with recommended compensation of $25/hour or more (P. 5).
To prepare a strong proposal, carefully review the Request for Proposals (Word or PDF), especially:
- Allowable expenses (p. 5 - 6)
- Selection Criteria (p. 6 - 7)
- Proposal section descriptions (p. 9–13)
- USDA-NIFA priorities (p. 15)
Join the webinar on March 3 at 2 p.m. ET that will offer insights into applying for the Partnership grant and will allow for Q & A with SARE grant program coordinators. The North Central SARE Grant How-To Video Series is another excellent resource to prepare you for writing a competitive grant proposal.
Deadline: April 2, 2026, before Noon Central Time (Cover Page, P. 1)
Project Start Date: October 1, 2026 or later (P. 1)
Funding Rate: NCR‑SARE expects to fund 10–11 projects this cycle; recent success rates have ranged from 30% or above, with 16% in the most recent round due to unusually high application volume (P. 2).
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