Call for Proposals (General Priority Areas) is sponsored by Common Fund for Commodities (CFC). The CFC invests in transformative, high-impact projects that empower smallholders and strengthen their communities. Their goal is to align commercial success with environmental regeneration and social inclusion, enabling farmers to access high-value markets, adopt climate-smart practices, add value locally, and protect biodiversity. Priority areas include Trade Finance for Companies - Connecting Smallholder Farmers with Global Markets, Regenerative Agriculture & Biodiversity Protection, Local Value Addition with Low Environmental Impact, Agtech and Digital Tools for Inclusive, Sustainable and Transparent Value Chains, Improving Financial Access for Smallholder Farmers, and Women Entrepreneurship and Business Solutions with a Gender Lens.

The USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program is a competitive program that drives public and private sector innovation in natural resource conservation through projects that develop new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies for application on private lands. The program has three components: CIG Classic for national-scale innovation projects, CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for field-testing new conservation approaches with farmers, and state-level CIG for localized innovation. CIG is increasingly funding AI and precision agriculture technologies, including machine learning-based irrigation scheduling, AI-enhanced soil health monitoring, precision application systems, drone and satellite-based crop monitoring using computer vision, and predictive analytics for conservation planning. Recent awards have included a $2.4 million University of Hawaii project for an AI-enhanced weather-based irrigation scheduling tool that uses machine learning to optimize water use. The program specifically targets innovative technologies not yet commonly adopted, making cutting-edge AI agricultural tools a strong fit. Projects must demonstrate on-the-ground conservation benefits addressing water quality, air quality, soil health, or wildlife habitat while improving agricultural operations. The 2026 cycle deadline has not yet been announced but typically falls in spring-summer, with announcements on Grants.gov. All projects require at least 1:1 non-federal matching funds, and NRCS evaluates proposals based on innovation, conservation impact, scalability, and partnership quality.

USDA NIFA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for AgTech Precision Agriculture and AI is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The USDA's SBIR/STTR program administered by NIFA funds small businesses developing innovative agricultural technologies including AI-driven precision farming, crop and soil monitoring using machine learning and remote sensing, autonomous harvesting robots, and smart sensors for…

USDA SBIR Phase I – AgTech (including precision farming, drone‑based technologies) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA‑NIFA). USDA SBIR Phase I – AgTech is a grant from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) that funds early-stage research and development in agricultural technology, including precision farming, drone-based technologies, and other innovations that strengthen U.

USDA NIFA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for AgTech Precision Agriculture and AI is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). USDA's SBIR/STTR program, administered by NIFA, funds small businesses developing innovative agricultural technologies including AI-driven precision farming, crop and soil monitoring using machine learning and remote sensing, autonomous harvesting robots, smart sensors for pathogen detection, pest identification systems, and food supply chain analytics.

The Klarna AI for Climate Resilience Program funds organizations developing practical AI solutions to help vulnerable communities in lower-middle-income countries adapt to climate change. The program supports three categories of projects: (1) harnessing and elevating local knowledge by using AI to organize and analyze community insights into concise, actionable information; (2) developing novel AI applications for climate adaptation in real-world settings such as smartphone-based AI advisory systems for smallholder farmers and AI-powered climate-risk assessments for vulnerable regions; and (3) enhancing existing AI climate solutions through improved adoption, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, or by contributing open datasets and benchmarks. The program is administered through Milkywire and encourages early-stage ideas that need support to refine technical or implementation details. Currently funded projects include disaster resilience and compensation systems, water security and quality improvement using AI, agricultural adaptation and precision irrigation, climate advisory services, environmental data collection, and conservation access. The program represents a significant corporate commitment to deploying AI technology for climate adaptation where it is most needed.

Agriculture is a grant and economic development resource from PA Dept. of Community & Economic Development that supports Pennsylvania's thriving agriculture sector, which generates over $132 billion annually and employs more than 593,000 workers. The program offers a range of funding and technical assistance tools including the First Industries Fund for low-interest loans, the Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, and the PA Preferred branding program. It also promotes AgTech adoption, organic farming, and food manufacturing growth statewide, making it a key resource for farms, agribusinesses, and startups looking to scale operations or access state investment.

Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program - AI applications at the intersection of agriculture and energy is sponsored by DOE Biological and Environmental Research. This program funds AI applications at the intersection of agriculture and energy, including feedstock optimization, biomass supply chain modeling, and machine learning for bioenergy crop yields. Starting in FY2026, the program shifted to an open call model, allowing researchers to propose AI-agriculture-energy crossover projects on a rolling basis.

Rainbow Crops Grant for Climate-Resilient Crops is sponsored by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. A grant awarded to Rainbow Crops, a Belgian agtech company, to support research on climate-resilient crops for global food security, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The funding will expand research efforts to develop crops performing better under extreme environmental conditions.

USDA's SBIR/STTR program administered by NIFA funds small businesses developing innovative agricultural technologies including AI-driven precision farming, crop and soil monitoring using machine learning and remote sensing, autonomous harvesting robots, smart sensors for pathogen detection, pest identification systems, and food supply chain analytics. Relevant SBIR topics include Plant Production and Protection (8.2), Plant Production and Engineering (8.13), and Management of Natural Resources (8.4). Proposals evaluated on scientific merit (40%), commercial potential (30%), and team qualifications (30%). Expect solicitations in the May to June 2026 window. Companies developing agricultural sensor systems, drone platforms, or AI-driven crop analytics are encouraged to prepare topic-specific proposals.

USDA NIFA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for AgTech Precision Agriculture and AI is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). USDA's SBIR/STTR program administered by NIFA funds small businesses developing innovative agricultural technologies including AI-driven precision farming, crop and soil monitoring using machine learning and remote sensing, autonomous harvesting robots, smart sensors for pathoge…

Drones Uplifting California Communities (DUCC) is sponsored by CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) at University of California, Santa Cruz (funded by California Jobs First initiative via California AgTech Alliance). This program expands workforce development programming to prepare Californians for drone-related careers, including training teachers and instructors to reach over 2,000 students in precision agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, and environmental monitoring.

Missouri Technology Corporation Physical Infrastructure Grants is sponsored by Missouri Technology Corporation. These grants are aimed at small businesses looking to expand physical infrastructure, such as commercial office space. It can also be used for the expansion of biotech or agtech companies looking to expand wet lab space or greenhouses.

H.A.R.V.E.S.T. AgTech Accelerator is a program from the Yield Lab Institute that funds and accelerates for-profit startups in the AgTech and CleanTech sectors developing solutions to transform agrifood systems. The program provides a non-dilutive award of $250,000 combining direct funding with access to technical research validation, field trials, and connections to a global network of ecosystem partners, research institutions, and investors. Eligible applicants are visionary startups with innovations promoting sustainability, efficiency, and resilience across the agricultural value chain, from early-stage concepts to technologies ready for on-field validation. International companies are welcomed. Research partnerships include the University of Nebraska, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Hugh Victor McKay Fund is a co-investment fund from LaunchVic and Agriculture Victoria that provides up to $200,000 to Victorian AgTech startups building farming technology. Of the total investment, up to $30,000 is provided as a non-dilutive grant directly to the startup, with the remainder taken as equity. The fund is structured as a co-investment vehicle — local and international investors with active deals in Victorian AgTech startups apply on behalf of their portfolio companies, with the fund relying on the investor's due diligence. The total fund size is $2 million, and the Investment Committee meets bi-monthly to assess applications.