The Graduate Student Research and Education grant program, funded by Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), supports full-time graduate students, their academic advisors, and at least one producer in Western U.S. universities. This program is designed to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture, aligning with Western SARE's mission to advance environmental, economic, and social components of sustainable agriculture. The foundation's strategic priority is to foster rigorous research and education that leads to quantifiable benefits for producers and preserves natural and social resources.
The primary beneficiaries of this grant are full-time graduate students enrolled in accredited Western U.S. universities, their principal investigators (typically their major advisors), and producers (farmers/ranchers) engaged in for-profit operations. Students must be full-time and can receive only one Western SARE Graduate Student Grant. Producers must have a primary occupation in farming or ranching with a taxpayer identification number, or be part-time with at least $1,000 documented annual income from these activities. The program aims to empower the next generation of sustainable agriculture researchers and implementers, fostering collaboration between academia and the agricultural community.
The program prioritizes projects that integrate rigorous research and education to advance the three core components of sustainable agriculture: environmental, economic, and social. This focus ensures that funded projects are holistic and contribute to a resilient and equitable agricultural system. The expected outcomes include quantifiable benefits for producers, increased preservation of natural and social resources, and the documentation of findings in scholarly journals, alongside widespread dissemination through educational outreach activities.
The project funding limit is $30,000, including indirect costs, for a period of up to three years. Funding decisions are announced in March 2025, with eligible project start dates between April 1, 2025, and October 1, 2025. This financial support and timeline are designed to facilitate in-depth research and comprehensive project implementation. The Western region, encompassing states like Alaska, California, Colorado, and others, defines the geographical scope for eligible applicants, emphasizing regional impact and relevance.
