Grants for Farmers

Grant & Cost-Share Opportunities

Updated January 14, 2026

January

1/15 - NRCS Application Deadline Extended for 2026

1/16 - Interest letter for NEK Adaptation Planning Group due (VT)

1/21 - Trade Show Assistance Grant application due (VT)

February

2/1 - NH Climate Resilience Grants (same info for all NH Conservation Districts)

2/1 - Cheshire County Conservation Opportunity Fund (NH)

2/1 - Cheshire County MFC Farm Fund grant (NH)

March

3/1 - The Big E Vendor application due

Deadline unclear

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage One Application, USDA (FSA) programs for 2023, 2024 losses from natural disasters.  Contact your Conservation District or FSA agent.

Ongoing

VT - Farmstead BMP

VT - Pasture and Surface Water Fencing

VT - Seeding and Filter Strip

VT - CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs)

Help with Conference or Workshop costs

• For farmers, custom operators, and service providers: is there a conference or event (water quality-focused) that is expensive or far away?  If you would like help paying for a training like that, the VT Agency of Ag can help.  Click here for more information.  For registration fees and/or travel costs.  This is run through the FAP program (Farm Agronomic Practice).

• FACT (Food Animal Concerns Trust) can offer up to $400 to attend a conference or workshop (for registration fees).  Click here for more information.

Good Luck!

Other VT Programs

1. AgCWIP - grants for local and regional partners to work with farms to improve water quality. To help come into compliance with regulations, reduce pollution, improve climate resiliency and/or soil health, improve economic and environmental viability of farms. This includes a wide range of projects! Ask Mike or your Conservation District if you have ideas and aren’t sure if they apply. Due December 20, 4:30 pm. Here for more information.

2. Best Management Practices - technical assistance and cost share to comply with RAPs. Here for more information.

3. Pasture and Surface Water Fencing (PSWF) Program - technical assistance and cost share for pasture improvements and livestock exclusion from surface water. Here for more information.

4. Grassed Waterway and Filter Strip (SWFS) Program - technical assistance and cost share to create perennial vegetated areas (that can be harvested!), grassed waterways, filter strips and critical source areas. Here for more information.

5. Conservation Reserve Enhancement (CREP) - funds to reduce sediment runoff (erosion) and improve water quality, by taking land out of production for vegetated buffers. Here for more information.

6. Goat & Sheep Dairy Supply Chain Development Grants (opens in December?) - funds to develop or expand goat and/or sheep dairy products or markets that will positively impact multiple businesses within the goat and/or sheep dairy supply chain. Projects will increase the exposure and promotion of regionally produced goat/sheep dairy products through supply chain impacts. $15,000 - $50,000 with 25% match. Here for more information.

7. Dairy Food Safety & Certification Grant (opens in December?) - grants for dairy farmers, processors, and/or producer associations to take actionable steps to improve the safety of dairy products. Projects funded through this program will support increased production safety standards with the goal of accessing new markets. Here for more information.

8. Specialty Crop - grants to enhance competitiveness of specialty crops (vegetables, tree nuts, nursery crops, honey, hops, maple, mushrooms…). 2024 Vermont SCBGP Information Session Webinar. Register here for the event on December 12, 2023 at 3:00-4:00 PM. Submit your pre-application in WebGrants by January 14, 2023 at 11:59 PM. Here for more information.

Other Resources

Farm Aid’s Farmer Resource Guides: Resources for farm financing, legal assistance, and beginning farmers.

Funds for Farmers: Funding resource list maintained by Marbleseed.

Understanding Federal Farm Programs: A 2021 guide from FACT about four of the USDA’s main programs for livestock farmers.

Grants and Loans for Farmers: Provided by the USDA, and provides general information federal funding opportunities.

Growing Opportunity – A Guide to USDA Sustainable Farming Programs: A 2017 guide that describes the various government programs available to sustainable farmers. It includes grant, loan, conservation, and cost-share opportunities.

Center for Rural Affairs: Fact sheets in English and Spanish about cost-share and other conservation programs offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Black Farmer Fund: Grants and loans for Black farmers and food business owners in NY and surrounding states.

Foodshed Capital: Low interest loans to help farmers with capital and land payments, with a focus on BIPOC farmers.

Frontera Farmer Foundation: Grants to farms serving the Chicago-metro area.

Organic Farming Research Foundation Grants: Grants to conduct research projects on organic farms.

RAFI-USA Grant Opportunities: Cost-share grants for farmers and groups in North Carolina.

The Carrot Project: Low interest loan and financing opportunities in New England.

The FruitGuys Community Fund: Grants for small farms and agricultural nonprofits for sustainability projects.

12/9/24