The mission of the funder is focused on advancing sustainable agriculture through funding research, demonstration, and educational projects that encourage cooperation between agriculture professionals and farmers/ranchers.
The Farmer Rancher Grant Program offers farmers and ranchers the opportunity to apply for funding to explore and implement sustainable agriculture solutions to the challenges on their farms or ranches. This includes efforts to reduce off-farm inputs, prevent erosion, enhance quality of life, develop marketing skills, and other enhancements to their livelihoods through sustainable practices. The program specifically supports innovative projects that address sustainable agriculture, with award amounts up to $15,000 for individual grants and $30,000 for team grants. Project foci can range across a broad spectrum, including but not limited to, agroecology, alternative grains, beneficial insects, food sovereignty, holistic farming, and renewable energy. The core aim is to foster learning by doing, encouraging grant recipients to share their findings for the benefit of wider agricultural communities.