Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs (Phase I) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The USDA SBIR/STTR programs focus on transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial potential and/or societal benefit in agriculturally-related areas. This can include app development for agricultural technology, rural development, and smart farming. Phase I aims to demonstrate technical feasibility.

AI in Agriculture Research Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program funds research projects applying AI to improve agricultural practices, examining the contributions and impact of AI on agricultural market structure, international trade, production and resource use, consumer behavior, food safety, food waste and loss, farm labor, and policy. It also supports efforts to create and examine innovative approaches for advancing economic opportunities for rural entrepreneurs and communities.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs (USDA NIFA) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The USDA SBIR and STTR programs offer competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses for high-quality research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program supports various initiatives in education and workforce development related to agriculture. While not exclusively focused on international students or Kenya, it includes fellowships for predoctoral and postdoctoral candidates, and training for undergraduate students in research and extension, which could potentially apply to Kenyan students studying in the U.S. or through collaborations.

AFRI Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The SAS program supports fully integrated research, education, and extension projects that aim to develop and improve agricultural practices. Key priorities include promoting soil health to regenerate long-term productivity of land. Innovations in slow-release, biodegradable fertilizers would be highly relevant to this focus.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development is sponsored by National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA. This program focuses on developing the next generation of professionals in food and agricultural sciences through various initiatives, including professional development for K-14 educators, non-formal education for youth, and workforce training at colleges. It addresses workforce shortages and aims to strengthen the workforce pipeline, with an encouraged focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a foundational skill.

AFRI Education and Workforce Development: Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education (FANE) is a grant from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) supporting non-formal education programs that cultivate interest and skills in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Eligible applicants include universities, community organizations, and nonprofits developing programs such as 4-H, extension education, and hands-on agricultural learning experiences. Grants strengthen the pipeline of future agricultural professionals by engaging youth and adult learners outside traditional classroom settings.

The Agriculture Systems and Technology priority area within USDA's flagship Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is the dedicated funding home for precision agriculture, robotics, data science, and sensor technology applied to farming systems. Part of the FY2026 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science program making $445.2 million available across six priority tracks. Supports AI-driven crop and soil monitoring using machine learning, remote sensing, satellite imagery, and drone platforms; autonomous harvesting and planting robots; smart sensor networks for pathogen and pest detection; variable-rate application systems for fertilizer, pesticide, and irrigation; and AI decision support tools for farm management. Strongest proposals validate technology in real production environments. Projects integrating research, education, and extension receive preference in review.

The USDA NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS) program awards large-scale integrated research, education, and extension projects addressing complex agricultural challenges. USDA anticipates awarding 10-12 grants ranging from $2.5 million to $10 million per award. The program supports projects incorporating AI, machine learning, and data science to strengthen food production, agricultural sustainability, and rural community resilience. Projects may address precision agriculture, autonomous systems, climate-smart farming, supply chain optimization, and workforce development in agricultural technology.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development is sponsored by USDA NIFA. This program within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative offers opportunities for international partnerships or engagement, travel, research, and student international experiences. It aims to support workforce development and education in agricultural and food sciences.

AFRI Strengthening Agricultural Systems is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program supports transdisciplinary approaches to transform the U.S. food and agricultural system, with a priority area in 'Artificial Intelligence for K-12 Food and Agricultural Sciences'. While primarily focused on the U.S., digital innovation in agriculture can have global implications, and projects may involve international collaborations.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development – Postdoctoral Fellowships (A7201) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program area priority helps to develop new scientists and professionals to enter research, education, and/or extension fields within the food and agricultural sciences within the private sector, government, or academia.

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is sponsored by Arkansas Department of Agriculture (funded by USDA). This program enhances the competitiveness of the Arkansas specialty crop industry. While not exclusively food security, it supports projects that benefit specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, horticulture, floriculture, and tree nuts), which can contribute to local food systems and access to nutritious food.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) is sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACEP-WRE helps private and tribal landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands that have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses. This program provides financial and technical assistance to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands.

Delta Health Care Service Grant Program is sponsored by USDA – Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Eligible applicants are a consortium/group of three or more entities that are Regional Institutions of Higher Education, Academic Health and Research Institutes, and/or Economic Development Entities, located in the Delta Region, with at least one year of prior experience in addr…

Watershed Rehabilitation Program (REHAB) is sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Watershed REHAB program provides assistance to local project sponsors to rehabilitate aging dams and/or build or augment existing water supplies. These efforts address public health and safety concerns, improve wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, and supply.

Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program competition for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026 is sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This program provides funding to state and Tribal governments to create or enhance programs that encourage private landowners to open their land for public access for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-dependent recreation. Up to 25% of the funding can be used for wildlife habitat improvement on enrolled lands.

Food for Peace, Title II Program is sponsored by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. The Food for Peace program provides emergency food assistance to address famine, food crises, and acute food insecurity by furnishing bulk and formulated U.S. agricultural commodities. It aims to deliver life-saving emergency food assistance while ensuring U.S. strategic priorities are met and reducing long-term dependency on foreign aid. Eligible countries include El Salvador, Guatemala, and Haiti.

Food for Peace, Title II Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). This program provides immediate emergency food assistance using U.S. agricultural commodities to food-insecure populations overseas. For this specific Notice of Funding Opportunity, USDA will accept applications for programs in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Haiti, among other countries.

The USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) 2026 provides $175 million in annual funding for research addressing the needs of the specialty crop industry, with a groundbreaking new $20 million set-aside for mechanization and automation research. For the first time, the SCRI Notice of Funding Opportunity explicitly funds AI-driven automation technologies to help specialty crop growers reduce labor costs, which have been among the most persistent financial pressures in fruit, vegetable, tree nut, and horticulture production. Priority areas include data-driven predictive tools using artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor technologies, precision agriculture, improved mechanization technologies that delay or inhibit ripening, decision support systems, management of quarantine pests, and cybersecurity for agricultural systems. The funding increase was enabled by the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, more than doubling the previous SCRI budget from $80 million to $175 million per year. Applications are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on June 15, 2026. This represents the largest federal investment specifically targeting AI and automation in specialty crop agriculture.

Farmed Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Management and Response Activities Funding Opportunity FY 2026 is sponsored by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). This funding opportunity from APHIS aims to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed cervids (e. g. , deer and elk). The grants support projects that help states, tribes, universities, and other entities in managing and responding to CWD.

Chronic Wasting Disease Management and Response Activities Funding Opportunity FY 2026 (Tribal Nations Wild Cervid) is sponsored by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS is offering competitive funding opportunities to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids on lands owned or managed by Tribal entities.

Specialty Crop Research Initiative is sponsored by USDA NIFA. The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crops industries by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose a unique approach to solving problems facing the specialty crop industry using a systems approach.

Chronic Wasting Disease Management and Response Funding Opportunities FY 2026 (Wild Cervid) is sponsored by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS is offering competitive funding to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids. Eligible projects may include research, testing, surveillance, herd management, environmental response efforts, and educational outreach programs.

TechAccess: AI-Ready America is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This national initiative aims to accelerate AI readiness and adoption across the U.S. by expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and training for individuals, communities, and businesses, especially small and emerging enterprises. It focuses on strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships, and scaling effective approaches. The program supports State/Territory Coordination Hubs to drive AI readiness.

NSF TechAccess AI-Ready America is a major new initiative to establish AI-ready Coordination Hubs in every U.S. state and territory to expand access to AI knowledge tools training and capacity building. Announced March 25 2026 the initiative is a joint effort of NSF USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Department of Labor and Small Business Administration (SBA). Each Hub will connect local partners and coordinate AI deployment scale proven approaches based on state and local priorities and address three key gaps: workforce AI literacy small business and local government AI adoption and hands-on learning pathways. Up to 56 Hubs will be funded at up to $1 million per year for three years selected through three rounds of competition. An informational webinar is scheduled for April 14 2026. This is distinct from NSF ExpandAI which focuses on institutional AI research capacity building and from NSF Expanding AI Career which targets skilled technical workforce opportunities.

PNF McCall SO Lawn Services is sponsored by USDA Forest Service. This is a solicitation for lawn care services for the USDA Forest Service in the Intermountain Region. While not a typical 'grant' for business growth, it represents a direct opportunity for a lawn care business to secure a federal contract.

Micro-Grants for Food Security Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP) assists agricultural agencies or departments in eligible states and territories to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food insecure communities through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operat…

Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The MGFSP assists agricultural agencies or departments in eligible states and territories to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food-insecure communities. This is achieved through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations.

AgrAbility - Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The AgrAbility program works to increase the likelihood that individuals with disabilities, including veterans, and their families engaged in the agricultural enterprise will become more successful. The program supports the provision of assistive technology.