Douglas and Maria Bayer New Initiatives Fund for Sustainable Agriculture

Bayers
Doug and Maria Bayer

The Douglas and Maria Bayer New Initiatives Fund for Sustainable Agriculture was established in 2015 through a $1 million pledge from MSU alumni Doug and Maria Bayer.

As a result of the gift, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is able to provide seed funding to support collaborative research projects in sustainable agriculture and food systems. These projects bring researchers together from MSU and beyond to turn this seed funding into major external grant opportunities.

A request for proposals process is used to select projects for funding. Proposed projects directly support new discoveries and practical applications in sustainable agriculture and food systems in areas such as food security, sustainability and minimizing environmental degradation.

Doug Bayer is a retired software engineer who received a doctorate in nuclear physics from MSU, and Maria Bayer is a retired teacher who earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the university.

2025 RFP

2025 Budget Template

Funded Projects