Fund-a-Farmer Welfare Improvement Grants

The Fund-a-Farmer Welfare Improvement Grants program is administered by Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting humane and sustainable farming practices. FACT aims to support small to mid-sized farms committed to improving the welfare of food-producing animals. Through its Fund-a-Farmer initiative, the organization provides targeted financial support to help farms implement systems that enhance animal wellbeing and foster more humane agricultural environments. This grant specifically supports welfare-focused improvements on farms, such as transitioning animals to pasture-based systems, increasing access to well-managed pastures, and generally improving the living conditions of food animals. Farmers pursuing or maintaining certification in recognized animal welfare programs may also receive funding. Eligible certification programs include Certified Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) and affiliated certifications by A Greener World, Certified Humane, and Global Animal Partnership (GAP) Animal Welfare Certified (steps 4 to 5+). For certified farms, eligible projects may also include activities related to marketing, sales, and distribution of welfare-certified products. Approximately 60 grants of up to $3,500 will be awarded during this cycle. Farmers are not required to be certified or seeking certification to qualify for funding under the welfare improvement category. However, certification status may influence project scope and evaluation. FACT emphasizes that each individual or farm can receive funding only once every two years. Recipients from the 2025 cycle are therefore ineligible to apply for this round, unless they are pursuing a Systems & Innovation Grant under separate eligibility rules. Applications for the 2026 cycle are due by 11:59 PM ET on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Award notifications will be issued by the end of February 2026, with fund disbursements expected during the second week of March. All funded projects must be completed by June 1, 2027. Applicants may apply for both types of Fund-a-Farmer grants this season; however, if awarded both, only one grant will be issued per applicant. This grant program is made possible through the support of Food:Land:Opportunity, the ASPCA, and other contributors to FACT’s mission. The application includes specific evaluation questions and scoring criteria, though these were not detailed in the summary. FACT encourages all interested farmers who meet the eligibility guidelines to apply within the submission window.

Emphasize measurable animal welfare outcomes and demonstrate strong execution capacity through detailed planning and proven expertise. Prioritize clarity in project impact and steps.