Grants for County governments - Agriculture

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and county Farm Bureaus for educational programs that promote agricultural literacy among K-12 students across the United States.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing the potential availability of funding for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to encourage collaboration with partners in conducting outreach and providing strategic conservation delivery assistance that enhances the ability of the agency to support conservation. The overall intent of this solicitation is to solicit partnerships to help enhance the implementation of key conservation objectives and priorities outlined in this announcement. Proposals will be accepted from eligible entities for outreach and technical assistance in Maine. NRCS anticipates the total amount awarded under this announcement in Federal fiscal year 2024 will be approximately $500,000. Proposals are requested from eligible entities for competitive consideration of agreement awards and projects between For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov. Key Dates Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on April 19, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. The agency anticipates making selections by May 10, 2024 and expects to execute awards by September 6, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

The Massachusetts Food Ventures Program (MFVP) is a grant program designed to enhance access to healthy, affordable food options and generate economic opportunities within low to moderate income communities. It aligns with a broader mission to implement the goals of the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan and contribute to the financial needs of local Massachusetts food enterprises. The program’s strategic approach emphasizes expanding investment to improve access to Massachusetts grown, harvested, or caught food products through the development of collaborations between local agricultural enterprises and private/public entities. The primary target beneficiaries of the MFVP are low to moderate income communities, including Gateway Cities and rural communities within Massachusetts. The program aims to improve commercial food access and distribution in these areas. The expected outcomes include increased availability of Massachusetts-produced foods, creation of new permanent jobs, greater access to affordable fresh food, and year-round access to diverse food production and distribution. The overall impact goal is to strengthen the local food system and foster equitable access to healthy food options. Key areas of investment for the MFVP include food processing infrastructure to meet the needs of the expanding local food system, improved distribution systems to support equitable access to fresh local food, and retail outlet strategies that enhance access to healthy food. Specific project types considered eligible reflect these priorities, such as the creation of commercial food processing infrastructure benefiting low and moderate income households, innovative proposals by commercial food commissaries that connect local farms, proposals for construction or renovation of food co-ops, development of greenhouses and farmers’ markets, and capital for food hubs. Additionally, the program focuses on innovative projects for commercial markets that connect local food producers and partners to develop or renovate large-scale retail markets for healthy, locally produced food. Mobile markets and other innovative market initiatives are also supported to purchase, design, and upgrade vehicles that provide healthy Massachusetts food. Each of these focus areas is intended to directly contribute to the program's theory of change, which posits that strategic investments in food infrastructure, distribution, and retail will lead to improved food access and economic opportunities for underserved communities. Applicants eligible for the MFVP include Massachusetts Municipalities, Massachusetts Non-Profit or For-Profit Organizations, and Individual Residents of Massachusetts. The program specifically excludes funding for audits, feasibility studies, design work, operation or maintenance costs, and reimbursement for already completed projects or staff/consultant time on proposals for completed projects. This ensures that the grants are directed towards new investments and initiatives that directly support the program’s objectives.

The Northeast SARE Professional Development Grant program aims to advance sustainable agriculture practices by enhancing the knowledge, awareness, skills, and attitudes of agricultural and other service providers. This directly aligns with the foundation's mission to support sustainable agriculture through education and professional development. The grant focuses on empowering professionals who work with farmers, enabling them to teach, advise, or assist in the adoption of sustainable methods. The program seeks to create a ripple effect, where trained service providers then apply their learned expertise to help farmers improve their agricultural practices, fostering a more sustainable food system within the Northeast region. The primary beneficiaries of this program are agricultural service providers, including those in non-profit organizations, colleges, universities, Cooperative Extension, and other entities that serve the farming community. Additionally, the program extends its reach to other service providers such as real estate agents, bankers, and attorneys, who can indirectly influence farmers. The overarching impact goal is to cultivate a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape in the Northeast by equipping these professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge. Expected outcomes include increased adoption of sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices by farmers, improved ecological and economic resilience to climate change, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The program prioritizes a wide array of topics, encompassing marketing and business, crop production, raising livestock, aquaculture, social sustainability, urban and Indigenous agriculture, and traditional ecological knowledge. A significant focus is placed on climate-smart agriculture practices, which are intended to improve ecological, social, and economic resilience to climate change. This includes practices such as reduced and no-till farming, cover cropping, prescribed grazing, ruminant feed management, manure management, fertilizer management, and on-farm energy efficiency. The program's strategic priorities are clearly aligned with addressing contemporary agricultural challenges through education and practical application. Northeast SARE actively encourages projects from, or in collaboration with, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Furthermore, it encourages proposals from Minority Serving Institutions and other organizations in the Northeast that work with historically underserved communities, demonstrating a commitment to equity and inclusivity in agricultural development. The theory of change behind these priorities is that by supporting a diverse range of voices and institutions, the program can foster more innovative and equitable solutions for sustainable agriculture, leading to broader and more effective adoption of sustainable practices across the region. The expected measurable results include an increase in the number of service providers trained in sustainable agriculture, a documented increase in farmers adopting climate-smart practices, and the successful implementation of projects that demonstrate improved ecological, social, and economic resilience. Awards typically range from $30,000 to $150,000, with project lengths usually spanning 2 to 3 years, and a maximum allowed duration of 3.5 years. The program's geographical focus is exclusively on the Northeast region, which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., ensuring targeted and localized impact within this specific area.

USDA/FAS will accept applications for projects in the following priority countries: Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi, and Rwanda. Of these, Angola and El Salvador are countries that do not currently have active McGovern-Dole projects. Applicants are advised to refer to Appendix B: Country Specific Guidance for country-specific information on program emphasis and agency priorities. USDA/FAS will also accept applications for non-priority countries; however, it will prioritize funding applications for the identified priority countries. McGovern-Dole projects are implemented in low-income, food-deficit countries globally.

This grant provides over $8 million to U.S.-based individuals and organizations for innovative projects that combine solar energy systems with cattle grazing to promote sustainable land use and support rural economies.

This grant provides funding to Maine-based agricultural producers, processors, and organizations to enhance the capacity and resilience of the food supply chain through the purchase of essential equipment.

This fellowship program supports entrepreneurs in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area who are developing innovative solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, a regional government agency, allocates funds for restoring and enhancing wetland and wildlife habitats along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Grants exceeding $1 million are available for projects lasting up to five years, with a deadline of September 20, 2024. Eligible projects must be located within the nine Bay Area counties—Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma—and align with priorities outlined in Measure AA. These priorities include maximizing positive environmental impacts, ensuring geographic distribution, leveraging additional resources, and benefiting economically disadvantaged communities. The Authority funds various project phases, including planning, construction, and scientific studies, provided they support habitat restoration, flood management, or public access initiatives. Projects must meet specific criteria related to improving water quality, enhancing wildlife habitats, providing flood protection, and improving public access. Eligible applicants include federal, state, and local agencies, tribal governments, nonprofits, and shoreline parcel owners in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority website.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, schools, churches, hospitals, and government entities in Arkansas to improve access to locally grown foods, particularly in underserved areas.

This grant provides funding for research projects that help improve production practices and address challenges faced by iceberg lettuce farmers in Arizona.

The RFSP supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The RFSP focuses on building and strengthening local or regional food economy viability and resilience, and this includes pandemic response and recovery. Applicants will work with their partners to catalyze the development of local or regional food systems. Applicants will coordinate efforts within the partnership to set priorities, connect resources and services, and measure progress towards common goals. Partnerships are authorized to:Determine the size and scope of the local or regional food system in which the projects goals, outreach objectives, and eligible activities are to be carried out,Coordinate with AMS to receive technical assistance, andConduct outreach and education for potential participation in the partnership agreement and eligible activities.Partnerships must bring a variety of financial and technical capabilities, demonstrate experience or readiness to work effectively and collaboratively with public and private entities across sectors, and present innovative, sustainable, and measurable approaches to achieving the projects goals. RFSP grant recipients may apply for other LAMP programs on behalf of producers or eligible entities that desire to participate in eligible activities under the partnership agreement.

The purpose of this research is to systematically evaluate the diastereomeric composition of LEQVIO (Inclisiran), an FDA-approved, N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated siRNA drug, and to understand the biological/pharmacological activity of each diastereomer in LEQVIO through stereo chemically controlled synthesis and biological activity assessment using in vitro and animal models. The proposed studies will focus on 1) synthesis of each diastereomer of LEQVIO (Inclisiran) in stereo chemically pure form; 2) assessment of the biological activity of each stereo chemically pure diastereomer in inhibiting PCSK9 activity using in vitro assays and in a transgenic mouse model; 3) development of analytical methods to identify and characterize the stereochemical structure of each diastereomer in LEQVIO; and 4) assessment of the individual contribution of each diastereomer to the overall pharmacological activity of LEQVIO. Tools developed in this research can also be applied to other similar GalNAc-conjugated siRNAs specifically, and other siRNAs in general. Knowledge gained from this research will also contribute to the sameness evaluation of generic siRNAs, and to the quality control of oligonucleotide drugs.

This program provides funding to organizations that improve bison production and marketing, particularly benefiting small farms, tribal groups, and underserved communities across the United States.

This funding opportunity supports community service programs in New York State that address local needs in areas such as education, public health, and environmental conservation through AmeriCorps initiatives.

This grant provides financial support to individuals, businesses, and organizations in Minnesota to start, modernize, or expand processing operations for meat, poultry, eggs, and milk, with a focus on increasing sales and market access for locally raised livestock products.

The 2024 Austin Film Society (AFS) Grant for Feature Films is now accepting applications, offering financial support to film and video artists in Texas. This grant program aligns with AFS's mission to foster diverse and underrepresented voices in independent film, supporting artists whose work demonstrates promise, skill, and creativity. AFS is particularly committed to providing support to women filmmakers and those who identify with communities of color, aiming to strengthen the artist community within Texas and ensure its continued vibrancy. The grants range from $10,000 to $100,000, with specific awards like the AFS Grant for Features in Production offering up to $15,000 cash, and the AFS Grant for Features in Development providing a one-time, unrestricted $10,000 grant. The grant targets documentary and narrative film projects that are 40 minutes or longer and are in development, pre-production, production, or post-production stages. Target beneficiaries include emerging and established filmmakers residing in Texas, with a special focus on the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the North Texas Pioneer Film Award. This award, totaling $30,000 in cash grants (ranging from $5,000 to $15,000), specifically aims to fund emerging filmmakers with first or second feature films and those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in independent film. The impact goal is to support the creation of compelling cinematic works and cultivate a robust independent film landscape in Texas. Key priorities for the AFS Grant include supporting filmmakers with a current Texas residency who are directors or co-directors of their projects. The program explicitly excludes full-time students outside of Texas, previous Texas residents, out-of-state directors on Texas-based films, and AFS staff or board members. Eligible projects must be single, stand-alone works in various film and video genres, excluding industrial/promotional pieces, music videos, "works-for-hire," and television or web series. For development support, filmmakers must have an established body of work, demonstrated by at least one completed feature-length film, several short films, or a background in television writing and directing, and must provide at least two samples of previous work. Expected outcomes include the advancement of feature-length film projects in Texas, an increase in the number of films produced by diverse and underrepresented voices, and the sustained growth of the state's artist community. While specific measurable results like the number of completed films or festival selections are not explicitly detailed in this description, the grant structure implies that the successful completion and progression of projects through various production stages are key indicators of success. The unrestricted nature of the development grant for career artists suggests a trust in their ability to use funds effectively to advance their projects, with proposals outlining how the $10,000 will aid progress. The foundation's strategic priority is clearly to build a robust pipeline for independent film production in Texas and to champion diversity within the film industry. Their theory of change appears to be that by providing direct financial support and in-kind resources to Texas-based filmmakers, especially those from underrepresented groups, they can stimulate creative output, foster talent, and ultimately contribute to a more vibrant and inclusive cinematic landscape. The emphasis on specific grants for development and production, as well as awards for regional filmmakers, demonstrates a multi-faceted approach to achieving these strategic objectives.

This program provides financial support to local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions in Florida to improve urban forestry initiatives and expand community tree canopies.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) SUMMARY INFORMATION Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Wetland Mitigation Banking Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-WMBP-24-NOFO0001315 Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.933 Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home. SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes. Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) delivers conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world. NRCS provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. NRCS is committed to advancing equity, justice, and equal opportunity to ensure equitable access to programs and services available on private agricultural and forest lands. NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $7 million in WMBP grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from: federally recognized Native American tribal governments; state and local units of government; for-profit entities; nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. Applications will be accepted from eligible entities in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov. Key Dates Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on August 2, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. A webinar for potential WMBP applicants is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (EST) on June 12, 2024. You can participate in the webinar through the following options: Microsoft Teams: WMBP Webinar Link Meeting ID: 235 488 356 751 Passcode: tykaMc Call-In: +1 (202) 650-0123 PIN: 820 732 935# The agency anticipates making selections by November 2024, and expects to execute awards by February 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $100,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $1 million. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period. Federal Financial Assistance Training The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

This funding opportunity provides financial support to public and private primary and secondary schools in New York City to promote hands-on gardening and farming education for students.