By Blake Jackson
The 2026 Northeast SARE Farmer Grant application cycle is now open, with approximately $800,000 available to support innovative agricultural projects.
Grants of up to $30,000 will be awarded depending on project complexity, and proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. EST on December 9, 2025.
These grants provide farmers with funding to explore new ideas through experiments, surveys, prototypes, on-farm demonstrations, and other research or educational approaches. Projects are designed to address real-world farming challenges while producing long-term, practical results.
Farmer Grants are particularly suited for those new to grant funding. Applicants work with a Technical Advisor who offers expertise in research design, problem-solving, and project promotion.
This mentorship helps first-time grantees navigate their projects more effectively and fosters new connections within agricultural communities across the Northeast.
Eligible projects span a wide range of topics, including crop production, livestock management, aquaculture, hydroponics, silvopasture, and marketing and business strategies.
The program serves farmers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
The Farmer Grant program is exclusively for farmers. Northeast SARE will announce additional grant opportunities for other types of applicants later in the year. To stay updated on upcoming calls and deadlines, interested applicants can join the mailing list at https://northeast.sare.org/mailinglist.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kotenko-a
Categories: New York, Crops, Livestock