SARE supports sustainable agriculture learning opportunities for Tribal communities
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EmailTwo programs are available through Tribal SARE. The $5,000 mini grant supports workshops, conferences and demonstration projects on Indigenous food sovereignty, and travel funds provide $500 for Tribal educators to attend sustainable agriculture events.
Tribal SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) offers several opportunities for Tribal governments, Tribal members and 1994 Tribal Colleges to access funds, including the Tribal SARE Mini Grant Program and the Tribal SARE Professional Development Travel funding. Travel funds can support numerous events including the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Summit in East Lansing, Michigan on April 6–8, 2026.
Tribal SARE mini grants
The Tribal SARE Mini Grant Program provides support up to $5,000 for food sovereignty-related activities in Michigan and Wisconsin. Examples of Indigenous food sovereignty events and projects include:
- Field days
- Farm tours
- Workshops
- On-farm research trials
- Demonstration plots
- Other efforts with an associated outreach component will be considered as well
Apply for Tribal SARE mini grants
Tribal SARE Professional Development Travel Funding
Tribal SARE Professional Development Travel funds up to $500 in travel costs for sustainable agriculture educators, professionals and practitioners supporting Tribal communities to attend professional development opportunities that increase their knowledge, enhance their work and develop communication skills. This grant funds travel and registration to events, including:
- MOFFA Organic Intensives 10, 2026, in East Lansing, Michigan
- Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference March 5–8, 2026, in Cohasset, Minnesota
- Michigan Farmers Market Conference February 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan
- Michigan Beekeepers Association Conference 28, 2026, in East Lansing, Michigan
- Upper Peninsula Beekeeping Conference March 28, 2026, in Marquette, Michigan
- Indigenous Food Sovereignty Summit April 6–8, 2026, in East Lansing, Michigan
- Mastering Greenhouse Production Farming Online Course
- Other conferences, field days or online courses that fit your learning goals!
Indigenous Food Sovereignty Summit
The Indigenous Food Sovereignty Summit will be April 6–8, 2026, in East Lansing, Michigan. Attendees can expect “a powerful gathering that celebrates Indigenous food systems, cultural resilience and community-driven solutions for food sovereignty.” The summit welcomes Tribal leaders, farmers and advocates. The event will be an opportunity to share knowledge and learn from others while connecting and planning to take positive action.
Grant assistance from SARE
Tribal SARE coordinator Emily Proctor and Michigan State University Extension educator Katie Brandt are happy to help you brainstorm and review your Tribal SARE proposal or for support with North Central SARE grants. Michigan's SARE coordinator, Sarah Zeiler, and Brandt also work with SARE and would be glad to assist as well. In Wisconsin, you can reach out to Proctor or Wisconsin SARE coordinator Trisha Wagner.
Contact information is below:
- Tribal SARE coordinator for Michigan and Wisconsin: Emily Proctor at proctor8@msu.edu
- Michigan SARE coordinator: Sarah Zeiler at szeiler@msu.edu
- Tribal SARE support and Michigan SARE support: Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu
- Wisconsin SARE coordinator: Trisha Wagner at wagner@wisc.edu
North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC-SARE)
In addition to Tribal SARE grants, Tribal governments and Tribal members can apply for one of many NC-SARE grants to support sustainable farming innovations. Resources, grants, mini-grants and travel scholarships are supported through the following programs. Tribal governments, Tribal members and agriculture educators working with Tribal communities can research the following programs to find support for their important work:
- Youth Educator Grants – Up to $6,000 for “educators to develop and implement innovative programming on sustainable agriculture for youth” (due Feb. 12, 2026).
- Professional Development Grants – Up to $120,000 for training agricultural educators, using farmers as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community (due in spring).
- Graduate Student Grants – Up to $20,000 for master’s and PhD students at accredited colleges and universities to address sustainable agriculture issues in the North Central region (due in spring).
- Partnership Grants – Up to $50,000 for farm educators and agriculture professionals who partner with three or more farmers to research, demonstrate, educate or collaborate on issues important to sustainable farming (due November).
- Farmer Rancher Grants – Up to $15,000 for one farm or $30,000 for two or more farms to design and lead research, demonstration and education projects in sustainable farm practices (due December annually).
- Research & Education Grants – $10,000 to $250,000 for on-farm research, farmer education and other projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems (due December annually).
- Michigan SARE Mini-Grant – Up to $1,500 to organize a conference or workshop addressing environmental, social and financial sustainability for Michigan or regional farmers and educators.
- Michigan SARE Travel scholarship – Up to $500 for agriculture professionals and sustainable farmers to attend a conference, workshop or event to gain sustainable agricultural skills or knowledge.
- Michigan SARE Farmer Forum – $6,000 to host and record an event featuring SARE grantees.
- SARE Tribal Mini-Grants for Michigan and Wisconsin – Up to $5,000 for Tribal agencies and Tribal farmers to organize 1) food sovereignty field days, farm tours, workshops or 2) on-farm research trials or demonstration plots with an outreach plan to share the project with the community.
- Tribal SARE Travel Grants – Up to $500 for Michigan and Wisconsin Tribal farm educators, agriculture professional and tribal farmers to travel for professional development.
This video series by SARE can also help you to write better grants for SARE programs and beyond.
Tribal SARE has just begun in Michigan and Wisconsin. SARE has distributed $11.6 million to fund 342 grant projects in Michigan since 1988. The program supports an inclusive mix of farmers and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program or political beliefs.
