Agriculture Research Grant: Soil Biology Special Track is a grant from the Greenacres Foundation that funds researchers, graduate students, and extension professionals studying soil biology and regenerative agricultural practices. Awards range from $100,000 to $400,000 for projects that enhance understanding of soil health on working farms and natural lands.

Eligible applicants must be affiliated with domestic nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and must be willing to share research findings directly with landowners, farmers, and ranchers. Indirect costs are not funded. The foundation is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and manages properties in Indian Hill and Lewis Township, Ohio, and at Michaela Farm in Indiana.

Agriculture Research Grants - Greenacres Foundation Arts Education Internship Environment Education Internship Garden Apprentice Program Livestock Apprentice Program Miami Township Clermont County Greenacres Cultivation Club Transportation Reimbursement Application GAF Funded Research Publications Ecology and Environment Grants Regenerative Agriculture Grants Indian Hill Product Availability Michaela Farm Product Availability Grass-Fed and Finished Beef Grassfed and Grass-Finished Lamb Garden Apprentice Program Livestock Apprentice Program News From Around the Farm Arts Education Internship Environment Education Internship Garden Apprentice Program Livestock Apprentice Program Miami Township Clermont County Greenacres Cultivation Club Transportation Reimbursement Application GAF Funded Research Publications Ecology and Environment Grants Regenerative Agriculture Grants Indian Hill Product Availability Michaela Farm Product Availability Grass-Fed and Finished Beef Grassfed and Grass-Finished Lamb Garden Apprentice Program Livestock Apprentice Program Greenacres Foundation is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and was established in 1988 with the intent of preserving the land for the education and enjoyment of future generations.

The land includes both farmland and woodlands and Greenacres has since grown to encompass 3 properties: Indian Hill, OH; Lewis Township (Brown County), OH; and Michaela Farm, Oldenburg, IN. Greenacres Foundation seeks research proposals that enhance our understanding of agricultural practices identified as “regenerative.

” Regenerative practices lead to positive outcomes for soil, land, water, climate, livestock and farmer/rancher welfare. Research proposals should be systems-level and aim to fill knowledge gaps in the field of regenerative agriculture. Greenacres research grants are intended to support research projects resulting in peer-reviewed scientific journal publications.

Publications are required to be open access. Outcomes of specific interest to Greenacres Foundation are as follows: Linking ecosystem services in regenerative agriculture systems to the nutrient density of food. Using integrated crop-livestock systems to reduce inputs.

Perennial weed control without herbicides or major soil disturbances.

Integrated approaches to reducing biting insects on livestock, including: Organic methods of reducing biting insects on livestock Identification of major QTL (quantitative trait loci) for resistance to insect bites Grant Budget: $100,000 – $400,000 Letter of Intent Opening: anticipated January 2027 Letter of Intent Deadline: anticipated February 2027 Targeted Research Proposals Deadline: April 20, 2026 All general regenerative agriculture proposals must begin with a Letter of Intent.

Targeted Research Opportunity What nutritional value does soil biology add to our food crops? In addition to the general regenerative agriculture grant outcomes, Greenacres Foundation is seeking full research proposals that specifically address the question above. This targeted research opportunity is being solicited outside of the Letter of Intent process .

Important Submission Note A Letter of Intent is not required for this targeted research question. Applicants should submit a full proposal directly using the link below. Click HERE for additional information and to submit a full proposal addressing this targeted outcome.

Researchers, graduate students, and extension professionals from domestic non-profit (501(c)(3)) organizations are eligible to apply. Proposals should support the Greenacres Mission: Greenacres will always reflect the style and grace of founders, Louis and Louise Nippert.

Our mission is To preserve for the public an area reflecting the traditional environment of Indian Hill and its historical significance by preserving Greenacres in its current state of woodland and farmland. To encourage conservation and appreciation of nature by providing the public, particularly children, opportunities to study plant and animal life in their natural settings.

To encourage appreciation of music and culture by providing facilities and an atmosphere that will encourage artists to display their talents for all age groups. Applicants must have an interest in sharing knowledge with land owners, farmers and/or ranchers. Translational research projects that include both researchers and practitioners will be prioritized.

Projects are preferred to be completed within 36 months of funding date. This funding opportunity is a two-step process in which applicants will first submit a one-page Letter of Intent (LOI) to Greenacres describing the proposed project. All letters will be reviewed within three weeks of the LOI due date.

For projects receiving additional consideration, applicants will receive a link to complete a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) due within 8 weeks. Please verify your grant eligibility status before submitting a one-page LOI through our application form. The LOI should describe the research question and its significance, the approach that will be used to answer the proposed research question, and an overall budget estimate.

Note, indirect costs are not funded by Greenacres and should not be included in overall budget estimate. Greenacres has land available for research projects by request, and applicants should indicate their interest in using Greenacres’ land for their project in the LOI. Preferred browsers for proposal submission are Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Before you submit, please review the Letter of Intent scoring rubric. Please use the contact form if you have questions or comments. © 2025 Greenacres Foundation and respective content owners.

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