Grants

The Northeast SARE Farmer Grant program
is calling for proposals.

The Northeast SARE Farmer Grant program provides funds to farmers to explore innovative concepts in sustainable agriculture conducted through experiments, surveys, prototypes, on-farm demonstrations or other research and education techniques.

Farmer Grant projects must:

  • Be led by a farmer who meets Northeast SARE’s definition of a farm
  • Collaborate with a technical advisor.
  • Impact both the farmer Project Leader and other farms in the region.
  • Explore an innovative practice and/or introduce an existing practice to a new audience of farmers.
  • Include outreach activities, or sharing of project impacts and results, to farmers beyond the project team and project participants.
  • Align with proposal criteria

This grant program is open to farmers in the Northeast region.

  • Approximately $800,000 has been allocated to fund projects
  • Projects typically range from $5,000 to a maximum of $30,000
  • Proposals are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on December 9, 2025
  • Projects beginning in March 2026
  • Must take place in Northeast (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.)

Q&A Sessions are taking place from 12-1 p.m. EST on November 4, 11, 18, 25

The Local Agriculture and Seafood Act Grant Application is CLOSED.

The LASA grant program supports Agriculture, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Forestry industries by investing in Rhode Island’s small and beginning farms. The goal is to support the growth, development, and marketing of local food and seafood in Rhode Island.

The 2025-2026 grant round is expected to open in the Fall of 2025.

LASA Grant Program Webpage

 

NEW Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center website!

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center offers grants and contracts for dairy farmers, processors, and service providers.

Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center

jersey cow with yellow ear tag and brown collar

Current Grants:


Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC)

 
 
With a total of $750,000 in funding, this grant will support a wide range of projects aimed at improving farm viability, milk quality, worker conditions, economic sustainability, and climate resilience. 
Grants will range from $15,000 to $100,000 with a 25% in-kind and/or cash match.   
This grant will fund projects that help dairy farmers improve their operations for long-term success. Projects that take a systems-level approach and that show collaboration with experts or technical service providers will be most competitive. Projects that only replace old equipment without broader improvements to farm systems are not eligible. 
 
Dairy farmers across the Northeast are eligible to apply. Producer associations and technical assistance providers applying on behalf of groups of farmers are also eligible, as are milk buyers/processors focusing on on-farm milk production or transfer. 
 
Grants are available to applicants in all 11 Northeast states served by NE-DBIC: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.   
 
Applications are open from October 14 to December 4, 2025 at 2pm. Access the full request for applications here: https://nedairyinnovation.com/grants/farm-improvement-modernization/ 
 
 

Katie Spring (she/her) 
NE-DBIC Outreach & Content Specialist 
Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
116 State St., Montpelier Vermont 05602-2901
Tel: 802-522-3186

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