GROWING THE GOOD FOOD MOVEMENT: This funding area supports efforts that build local and regional food systems and connect family farmers directly with consumers.

HELPING FARMERS THRIVE: This funding area supports efforts that provide family farmers with support and resources to start farming, transition to more sustainable farming practices, and/or continue farming in the face of financial crises and natural disasters.

TAKING ACTION TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM: This funding area supports efforts that promote fair farm policies and organize grassroots campaigns to defend and bolster family farm agriculture on a local, regional or national level.

We award grants to nonprofits all over the country that address our funding areas through a variety of approaches. We are especially interested in work that addresses the following priorities, which cut across all three funding areas:

Racial Equity & Social Justice: Organizations or programs led by and/or supporting historically underserved and marginalized agricultural communities—rural and urban; work that supports BIPOC farmers and ranchers; work that fosters the next generation of farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers challenging racial injustice.

Farmer-Led Solutions to Climate Change: Development of agricultural systems and on-farm practices that nurture and safeguard natural resources, food supplies and communities; advancing farm-based solutions to climate change in state and federal policy; work to include farmers and communities most impacted by climate change in decision-making and leadership opportunities.

Building Power for Systemic Change: Efforts that advance grassroots organizing and community building to dismantle corporate control and historical inequities in agriculture; cooperative development or other economic/market solutions; initiatives bolstering local and regional farm and food systems.

To better understand the type of work we fund, click here to see a list of our current grantees.

• Grants or loans to individuals
• Grants or loans for the commercial operation of a farm
• Grants to nonprofits that do not have IRS 501(c)(3) status (or do not have a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status)
• Production of book, film, television or radio projects
• Projects located outside the United States
• Projects directed or substantially funded by federal, state or local government entities
• Legal defense funds
• Capital campaigns, land or equipment purchases, endowments or deficit financing
• Historic preservation of farmland or buildings
• Conferences or academic research projects, unless they are directly connected to ongoing program activities

To better understand the type of work we fund, click here to see a list of our current grantees.

Farm Aid’s grantmaking is generally by invitation only. Our grant cycle is closed for 2021. Check back here in summer 2022 for information regarding applying for a 2022 end-of-year grant.

Our applicant pool is extremely competitive. Each year we find ourselves in the difficult position of having more qualified applicants than available funding. The most competitive proposals are those that clearly demonstrate how their work positively impacts family farmers through approaches that emphasize collaboration with others, strive for diversity, equity and inclusion within the farmer population served, and compellingly address one or more of Farm Aid’s priority areas.

Farm Aid offers general operating support funds for your organization to use in the best way you see fit to achieve your mission. This flexible funding model enables you to address organizational or project needs, take advantage of unforeseen opportunities, adapt to conditions as they change and adjust programmatic priorities as needed.

Farm Aid grants average between $5,000 and $10,000. Please base your 2021 request taking this into consideration.

Funds are typically awarded near the end of the calendar year (November-December). Given that, applicants should base their funding request on work that will be accomplished in the upcoming year (January 2022 and beyond).

Reporting requirements for grantees include a brief progress report (due mid-year 2022) as well as a final report (due end of year 2022). Further details on reporting requirements will be provided to grantees.

Farm Aid can only grant to IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Applicants are required to submit a copy of their IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt verification letter or include the IRS 501(c)(3) letter and authorization from an organization acting as their fiscal sponsor.