BURLINGTON — The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program is seeking applications for 2020 Farmer Grant projects. Proposals are due online by Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. Funded projects will be announced and may begin in late February 2020.
Farmer Grants provide research funds for commercial farms to explore new ideas in almost any aspect of production, marketing and other topics that influence successful farming in the 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia. Reviewers look for innovation, potential for improved sustainability and results that will be useful to other farmers.
Application materials, including detailed instructions and supporting documents, are posted on the Northeast SARE website at northeastsare.org/FarmerGrant. Questions about the grant program should be directed to Carol Delaney, grant program coordinator, at [email protected].
Northeast SARE will host a free Farmer Grant webinar on Oct. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. Delaney will provide information on program eligibility, how to apply, types of projects, SARE funds, allowable expenses and more.
She will be joined by Farmer Grant recipient Jordan Kramer of Winnegance Oyster Farm in Portland, Maine, who will share his experiences with the program. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing. To register, visit go.uvm.edu/farmergrant20.
Farmer Grant projects must be conducted in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia or Washington, D.C. Awards are capped at $15,000 and projects may address the wide range of issues that affect farming in the Northeast. To search topics that SARE has previously funded, please access the national database at projects.sare.org/search-projects.
Applicants must work with a technical advisor — typically a Cooperative Extension educator, Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, nonprofit organization employee, private crop consultant, veterinarian or other service provider — who provides support and advice to the farmer applicant.
Northeast SARE, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, offers competitive grants and sustainable agriculture education. University of Vermont Extension houses the program.