GRANTS FOR FARMERS

These links will provide you with up to date grants that are available to farmers from various non-profit and government agencies.  Check them regularly to find new grant opportunities!

--NCGA staff offers open office hours every Wednesday from 12-1PM at our Harvest Hub in Arcata (5720 West End Rd, Arcata, CA 95521)-- Please submit this form before coming to open hours so we can have time to review your grant writing goals. This form is not required to come into office hours but it does help us save you time and better understand your grant writing needs                  OPEN HOURS - INFO FORM

CDFA Grant Programs for Farmers Several programs have priority funding available for socially disadvantaged farmers.


USDA grants and programs include Farm Loans, Housing Assistance, Rural Development and Grant Assistance, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program.


The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Farm Bill Programs & Grants
A quick guide to federal farm and food-related programs and grants, organized by issue and by who is eligible to apply or sign up. 


SARE Grants  
SARE offers competitive grants to fund research and education projects that advance sustainable agricultural practices in the United States. 



Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Farmer Funding Opportunities Database: 
​The funding opportunities database allows you to easily see when grants are open for application, which on-farm activities or subjects they fund, paperwork needed for application, and more.

Grant Writing Services: ​

Need additional help writing your grant? Use these links to various agencies that will help farmers write and prepare to apply for agricultural grants.  Also see NCGA staff hours listed at the top. 

Michigan State Online grant writing course: 
This free course is self-paced and available online to provide food and farm business owners with a better understanding of the grant writing process.

Farm 2 Facts: Grant Advising:
Expert grant writers with decades of experience running and partnering with farmers markets and can review your existing application or help you write a new one.

​Grant Writing for Farmers How to Find Funding for Your Farm:
​A comprehensive guide on Grant Application from the Future Harvest Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. 


Grant Loans: 


Many grants do not disburse funds until the grant deliverables have been met. To bridge the gap between grant approval and payment, bridge loans are available from certain agricultural agencies such as...

 Ca Farm Link Loans: 
California FarmLink is a non-profit, mission-based business lender serving farmers, ranchers, and fishers. Certified as a CDFI, CA FarmLink has made more than $70 million in loans since 2012. The CA Farmlink team understands the unique financing needs of agriculture and fishing businesses. CA Farmlink lending aims to be fair and affordable.

American Ag Credit:
"Whether it’s development, construction or continued access to operating funds, we know that your agribusiness has specific day-to-day needs. More than a lender, we are a borrower-owned association and proud member of the Farm Credit System, a national organization that serves the financial needs of agriculture and rural America. We offer financing that is flexible and tailored to the specialized needs of farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. Our operating loan options include:
  • Credit to meet cash flow demands based on your operating schedule
  • Long, intermediate or short-term loan options
  • Leasing options
  • AgDirect Equipment financing
  • Fixed and variable rate products with rate lock options
  • Patronage program that pays borrowers a cash distribution*
    *Paid annually contingent on Board of Directors approval"


Food System 6 EQIP Bridge Loan 
The Soil Health Opportunities & Tools Fund (SHOT Fund) EQIP Bridge Loan program provides landowners and farmers with flexible funding to cover the upfront costs of installing EQIP practices. Designed specifically for recipients of NRCS
EQIP awards, our bridge loans have no fees, no penalties, and no interest. We will work with you to create a custom loan agreement that meets your needs and tracks the same timeline as your EQIP contract.

Workshops:

NCGA hosted a workshop on 3/27/25 titled Small Farm Grant-Writing. A recording of this workshop will be provided here soon.

Find links to all of the provided materials from that workshop here: