USDA Grants

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland. EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to address resource concerns on land, including water and air quality, soil health, and soil erosion. It can support urban farmers and community gardens in implementing conservation practices like high tunnels, soil health practices, composting, and irrigation.

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II is sponsored by National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA). Phase II funding for prior USDA SBIR/STTR Phase I awardees to advance R&D toward commercialization in agriculture, food, rural development, biofuels, and related areas. Supports scientific excellence and commercial application.

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II (SBIR/STTR) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The USDA SBIR/STTR programs support scientific excellence and technological innovation in the private sector, including in agriculture. Small businesses can engage in research and development with the potential for commercialization. The STTR program specifically stimulates cooperative partnerships between small businesses and research institutions.

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II (USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This Phase II program supports scientific excellence and technological innovation in agriculture through formal cooperative partnerships between small businesses and partnering research institutions (e.g., Universities and Federal laboratories). Eligibility is limited to SBIR/STTR Phase I recipients.

SBIR/STTR Phase II (FY 2026) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This Phase II opportunity is for small businesses that have successfully completed a USDA SBIR or STTR Phase I award. It funds research and development to move a proven concept towards commercialization. Projects relating to animal production and protection, plant production and protection, and food science that involve pilot-scale fermentation are highly relevant.

NIFA AFRI Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems AI Program is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program area A1541 Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems (DSFAS) funds research at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and agriculture.

Joint National Science Foundation and United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Funding Opportunity: Supporting Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) is sponsored by NSF and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This is a joint NSF-USDA collaboration to advance foundational research in agricultural robotics, inviting proposals for pioneering robots with transformative potential in agricultural contexts.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program awards grants to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) that have a minimum of 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment. The grants support activities that promote and strengthen their ability to carry out higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (USDA-NIFA-HSI-011903) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Promotes and strengthens the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)—many of which are located throughout Texas—to carry out educational, outreach, and retention programs in higher education targeted at food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences.

Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) – Farm Bill is sponsored by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Competitively awards funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops (including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops) through collaborative, multi-state projects addressing food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific issues, and marketing/promotion.

Southern SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant is a program from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA) that funds individual farmers, ranchers, and groups of producers in the southern United States to conduct on-farm research and education projects advancing sustainable agriculture practices. Awards of up to $20,000 support producer-led experiments, demonstrations, and outreach that benefit the farming community. Eligible applicants include individual farmers and ranchers or groups of producers across southern states, including Kentucky. Applications are submitted through the SARE Grant Management System following the annual Call for Proposals; the current deadline is December 5, 2026. Proposals are reviewed by regional administrative council committees.

Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program – Phase 3 Invasive Wild-Caught Catfish is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program provides grants to help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity, specifically targeting processors of invasive, wild-caught catfish species to increase processing capacity and opportunities, elevate incomes for fishers and processors, and provide …

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA-FS). This program provides funding for the fee simple acquisition of threatened private forest lands at least five acres in size within portions of the Lake Superior Basin of Michigan and Wisconsin.

TechAccess: AI-Ready America establishes State and Territory Coordination Hubs to help organisations across each state become ready to adopt AI, funded at 1 million US dollars per year for three years with a possible fourth, against total programme funding of 168 to 224 million US dollars and up to 56 awards, one per state, the District of Columbia or territory. NSF runs it in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Small Business Administration, and that partner list is the most informative feature of the solicitation: it signals that AI adoption by farmers and agricultural small businesses, by workers and by small firms generally is a first-class target rather than an afterthought, and it gives hubs in agricultural states a direct line to USDA-NIFA resources. The programme has three components. State and Territory Coordination Hubs, the subject of this competition, act as local coordination entities providing AI readiness support through resource navigation, strategic planning, deployment assistance, training coordination and sector-specific engagement. A National Coordination Lead provides national strategy, hub support, knowledge sharing and deployment network management, funded separately through an Other Transaction Agreement. AI-Ready Catalyst Award competitions, announced separately, will pilot topic-driven approaches for potential national scaling. Three application rounds are planned: Round 1 letters of intent closed 16 June 2026 with full proposals 16 July 2026; Round 2 letters of intent are due 15 December 2026 with full proposals 15 January 2027; Round 3 letters of intent 1 June 2027 with full proposals 1 July 2027.

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.

Disaster Assistance Fund Guidance - Community Facilities is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. Provides funding for community facilities in areas affected by a disaster declared by the President, Secretary of Agriculture, or Governor. This program is part of USDA's Community Facilities Programs, which offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants for public service buildings to improve quality of life and sustain rural America.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational and Applied Science (FAS) Program provides $300 million in total funding for integrated research, education, and extension projects across six priority areas: Plant Health and Production, Animal Health and Production, Food Safety and Nutrition, Bioenergy and Natural Resources, Agriculture Systems and Technology, and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. The Agriculture Systems and Technology priority area specifically supports advanced technologies including AI, precision agriculture, robotics, sensor systems, and data-driven decision-making in farming and food systems. Awards range from $10,000 to $10,000,000 with most falling in the $500,000 to $750,000 range. The program supports both fundamental and applied research that advances agricultural innovation through emerging technologies. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through December 31, 2026.

AFRI Education and Workforce Development Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program supports projects that strengthen the pipeline of future professionals in the food and agricultural sciences, with a focus on education, training, and workforce capacity building. While primarily for the U.S., it can be relevant for collaborations.

USDA AFRI Education and Workforce Development Grants is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This funding opportunity supports projects that strengthen the pipeline of future professionals in the food and agricultural sciences, with a focus on education, training, and workforce capacity building. This can include non-formal youth education in food and agriculture.

Diseases of Agricultural Animals (part of Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's Foundational and Applied Science program) is sponsored by National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program supports projects that develop strategies to understand, diagnose, control, and prevent agricultural animal diseases. Outcomes include, but are not limited to, new and improved vaccines and diagnostics.

The NSF and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have issued a joint Dear Colleague Letter inviting proposals for foundational research in agricultural robotics through the FRR program. This collaboration aims to advance robotics with transformative potential in agricultural contexts, addressing critical needs in farming, crop management, livestock systems, and agricultural sciences. Proposals must present a compelling vision for pioneering robots in agriculture and be clearly justified by important agricultural needs. The program leverages NSF's robotics research expertise with NIFA's agricultural domain knowledge to accelerate innovation in farm automation, autonomous field operations, and intelligent agricultural systems. Awards range from $174,000 to $5,000,000 with rolling submissions.

Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) is sponsored by USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) / USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP).

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program – Education and Workforce Development is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program supports projects that strengthen the pipeline of future professionals in the food and agricultural sciences, with a focus on education, training, and workforce capacity building.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (AWT Program Area Priority) is sponsored by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program area priority within AFRI's Education and Workforce Development program aims to develop a workforce for the food and agricultural sector by supporting new or expanding existing workforce training programs at community, junior, and technical colleges. This includes expanding job-based experiential learning, industry-accepted credentials, and occupational competencies for students. The program supports projects involving biotechnology and other emerging technologies.

Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program (TCRGP) is sponsored by National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Grants to tribal colleges and universities for research projects that address concerns and needs of tribal and reservation communities, including projects that focus on health, food, nutrition, and agricultural production research.

Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program (REDLG) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA provides grants to local utility organizations, which then establish Revolving Loan Funds (RLF). These loans support projects that create or retain rural jobs. USDA also offers loans and grants for elder homeowners in rural towns for repairs of health or safety hazards.

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.

North Central Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center Critical Issues Grants is sponsored by North Central Integrated Pest Management Center (USDA NIFA funded). These grants provide short-term funding to address critical pest issues, including diseases, weeds, insects, and other pests, impacting agricultural crops, livestock, natural ecosystems, urban areas, and human health or safety across the North Central region.

Harvest to Hallways: National School Lunch Program, Equipment Assistance Grants is sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. This federal program provides capital funding to modernize school cafeterias and kitchens, helping schools acquire cold storage, stoves, and specialized equipment necessary to serve more whole, nutrient-dense, and local foods under updated Dietary Guidelines. While state agencies apply directly to USDA, they issue subgrants down to eligible local school food authorities and qualifying nonprofits operating school meal programs.

Harvest to Hallways National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grants is sponsored by USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA). This grant provides non-competitive funding to state agencies to support cafeteria upgrades, including cold storage, stoves, and other equipment, to help schools serve healthier meals and expanded offerings, with a focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods and local sourcing. The grants aim to modernize school kitchens and strengthen the capacity of school meal programs. While the federal application window for state agencies may be closed, state subaward windows for districts run through school year 2026-2027.

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.

Urban Tree Planting Mini Grants is sponsored by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and funded via the Inflation Reduction Act). Provides targeted funding to plant trees in urban census tracts and block groups with low canopy cover (30% or less). Projects must be implemented on public lands, municipal rights-of-way, or public educational institutions.

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Cooperative Agreement is sponsored by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The RFSI program aims to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain, provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses, and support the development of value-added products. Funds support expanded capacity for aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products (excluding meat and poultry).

Colorado Business Builder: Small Grants Program is sponsored by Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center (USDA-funded). Grants designed to support small to mid-scale Colorado food and farm businesses, including value-added food businesses like bakeries. Funds can support business skills development, market expansion, and strengthening of local/regional food supply chains.

America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative: Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund is sponsored by Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Reinvestment Fund, and USDA Rural Development. Provides capital investments and technical assistance to enterprises working to increase fresh, healthy food access and overcome barriers to entry in food retail supply chains within rural and economically distressed areas.