Deadline: 7-Oct-21
The North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is seeking applications for its Research and Education Grant Program to explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems.
Topics
Many projects are interdisciplinary and/or multi-institutional, involving a broad range of agricultural interests. Project coordinators in the past have explored sustainable agriculture under the following topics:
- Sustainable pest and weed mgmt.
- Marketing and local food systems
- Water quality and nutrient mgmt.
- Systems research
- High tunnels and season extension
- Crop diversification
- Cover crops and soil health
- Small ruminants/poultry/cattle
- Pastured livestock/grazing systems
- Pollinators and biodiversity
- Urban agriculture
Funding Information
- Research and Education grant awards range from $10,000 to $250,000.
- Projects may last up to 36 months or may choose to propose a long-term project.
- NCR-SARE anticipates funding 10-14 Research and Education projects per year.
- They anticipate that roughly $3.5 million will be available to fund approximately 15 grant projects, with individual grants not to exceed $250,000 total for projects lasting up to three years (36 months).
- In 2021, NCR-SARE received 146 preproposals, invited 33 to be developed into full proposals, and selected 14 R&E proposals for funding. The average size of funded grants was $248,000 and grant lengths ranged from 24 to 36 months.
Outcomes
- Preproposals must address issues of sustainable agriculture of current and potential importance to the North Central Region. NCR-SARE is interested in projects that lead to resilient agricultural systems. Successful projects should contribute to the following NCRSARE broad-based outcomes:
- Improving the profitability of farmers/ranchers and associated agricultural businesses
- Sustaining and improving the environmental quality and natural resource base on which agriculture depends, a
- Enhancing the quality of life for farmers/ranchers, communities, and society as a whole.
- Preproposals should clearly explain:
- Relevancy of the project to sustainable agriculture in the North Central Region, including identifying expected outcomes for the project and how they will assist NCR-SARE in working toward the broad-based outcomes listed above.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Research and Education (R&E) Grant Program provides funds to collaborative teams of scientists, farmers/ranchers, institutions, organizations, and educators who are exploring sustainable agriculture through research projects or education/demonstration projects.
- Pre proposals from any location are accepted, but the pre proposal must convince reviewers that project results will primarily benefit NCR agriculture. Typically, proposals come from university and extension staff, the agricultural nonprofit sector, and from people who work on research farms and experiment stations. There is no requirement that applicants have a specific affiliation, but awarded entities must complete required federal grant protocols when applicable, for example animal care and use protocol verification.
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The North Central Region (NCR) includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
For more information, visit https://northcentral.sare.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant/research-and-education-grant/