Four NCR-SARE grant opportunities to fund farmers, educators and researchers are open for applications
Print
EmailApply by December 3 for Farmer Rancher, Youth Educator, Partnership and Research and Education grants.
The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, or NCR-SARE, is accepting proposals for four grant programs supporting farmer-led research, agricultural education and innovative approaches to sustainability. Funding opportunities range from grants of up to $6,000 for youth education projects to awards of up to $250,000 for collaborative research and education.
Farmers, educators, researchers and agricultural professionals can attend free webinars in October 2026 to identify the program that best fits their work, understand application requirements and learn how to prepare a competitive proposal.
Applications for all four programs are due December 3, 2026.
SARE Farmer Rancher Grants
SARE Farmer Rancher Grants support farmers who want to lead an on-farm research, education or demonstration project. Individual farmers may request up to $15,000, while teams of two or more farmers may request up to $30,000.
Projects should explore practices that strengthen agricultural sustainability by improving profitability, environmental stewardship and quality of life for farmers and their communities. Farmer Rancher Grants offer producers an opportunity to test ideas under real farm conditions and share what they learn with others. About 30% of Farmer Rancher grant proposals were funded in a recent funding year (2023).
Webinar: Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Learn more and register for the SARE Farmer Rancher Grant webinar
Application deadline: December 3, 2026
View the SARE Farmer Rancher Grant deadline information
SARE Partnership Grants
SARE Partnership Grants allow agricultural professionals to work directly with farmers to test and demonstrate sustainable agriculture practices. Agricultural educators and professionals can apply with at least three farmer collaborators for up to $50,000.
Eligible applicants may include Extension educators, conservation professionals, nonprofit staff, crop consultants and others who provide agricultural assistance. Projects should address a specific issue affecting farmers and generate information that can be shared with agricultural audiences. Over half of the partnership proposals in recent years have been funded (data from 2024).
Webinar: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Learn more and register for the SARE Partnership Grant webinar
Application deadline: December 3, 2026
View the SARE Partnership Grant deadline information
SARE Youth Educator Grants
SARE Youth Educator Grants provide up to $6,000 for educators to develop and deliver innovative sustainable agriculture programming for youth. Projects can help young people explore connections among agriculture, environmental stewardship, farm profitability and community well-being.
Teachers, 4-H educators, Extension professionals, nonprofit staff and others who provide agricultural education for youth are encouraged to learn more. In 2025, about 32% of Youth Educator proposals were funded.
Webinar: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Learn more and register for the SARE Youth Educator Grant webinar
Application deadline: December 3, 2026
View the SARE Youth Educator Grant deadline information
SARE Research and Education Grants
SARE Research and Education Grants provide $50,000 to $250,000 for projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible food and fiber systems.
Projects must include a strong outreach component and meaningful farmer, rancher or other end-user involvement. They are generally developed by collaborative teams of researchers, educators, farmers and other agricultural partners. This program may be a good fit for larger projects that combine research with practical education and engagement. This is the most competitive SARE grant, with only about 10% of total pre-proposals funded in 2024.
Webinar: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Learn more and register for the SARE Research and Education Grant webinar
Application deadline: December 3, 2026
View the SARE Research and Education Grant deadline information
Find the right opportunity for your idea
Applicants should begin by considering who will lead the project, who will participate and what the project is designed to accomplish. A farmer-led on-farm trial may fit the Farmer Rancher Grant program, while a project led by an agricultural professional and involving multiple farmers may be better suited for a Partnership Grant. Larger collaborative projects may fit the Research and Education program while programs introducing youth to sustainable agriculture may qualify for a Youth Educator Grant.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend the webinar for their selected program, carefully review the application instructions and begin developing their proposal well before the December 3 deadline.
Get help with your SARE proposal
Michigan SARE staff can help you brainstorm project ideas, identify the appropriate grant program and can review draft proposals.
- Michigan SARE coordinator: Sarah Zeiler at szeiler@msu.edu
- Tribal SARE coordinator for Michigan and Wisconsin: Emily Proctor at proctor8@msu.edu
- Support for Michigan SARE and Tribal SARE: Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu
How competitive are SARE grants?
Based on the most recent funding rounds for which both proposal and award numbers were published, approximately 30% of Farmer Rancher proposals, 56% of Partnership proposals and 32% of Youth Educator proposals were funded. For Research and Education Grants, approximately 10% of initial preproposals ultimately received funding. However, the percent funded each year varies based on the number of applications. This video series by SARE can help you write better, more competitive grant proposals for SARE programs.
Explore additional SARE funding opportunities
Additional opportunities available to Michigan farmers and agricultural educators include Michigan SARE Mini-Grants, travel scholarships, Farmer Forums, Tribal SARE Mini-Grants and Tribal SARE Travel Grants. NCR-SARE also anticipates releasing Professional Development and Graduate Student grant applications in early 2027. Visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/misare/ to learn more.
SARE has distributed $11.6 million to fund 342 grant projects in Michigan since 1988.
