Minnesota Agriculture Grants

This program provides funding for farmers and ranchers in the North Central region to develop and share sustainable agricultural practices through research and educational projects.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for construction or major renovations of community facilities in rural areas of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, focusing on projects that promote agriculture, education, and food security.

This program provides funding to agricultural and rural electric cooperatives in Minnesota to develop facilities that produce eco-friendly nitrogen-based fertilizers using renewable energy sources, promoting sustainability and reducing carbon emissions.

This program provides financial assistance to Minnesota farmers for purchasing and installing safety equipment in their grain storage facilities.

This program provides financial assistance to Minnesota farmers and schools for retrofitting or installing certified tractor rollover protection systems to enhance safety.

This program provides funding to newly formed farmer-owned cooperatives in Minnesota to help them develop and expand their operations in processing and marketing local agricultural products.

This funding opportunity assists Minnesota dairy farmers in modernizing their operations and developing strategic business plans by covering half the costs of hiring qualified consultants.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to support initiatives that enhance agriculture education, hunger relief, rural disaster relief, and rural health services in their communities.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations that enhance community development, education, basic needs, and environmental stewardship in the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm Area.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations for projects that improve community development, education, basic needs, and environmental conservation in areas near the Black Oak Getty Wind Farm.

This funding opportunity supports urban youth agricultural education and community development initiatives in Minnesota's urban and peri-urban areas, benefiting a range of organizations including nonprofits, schools, and local governments.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Minnesota to develop and implement trauma-responsive care practices in pediatric health settings, particularly for marginalized communities.

This funding opportunity supports Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers in improving their resilience to extreme weather through the purchase of equipment and supplies.

The City of St. Petersburg is offering Social Action Funding grants of up to $100,000 to social service agencies providing homeless services and/or homeless prevention services. This grant program aims to offer financial support for initiatives that positively influence the lives of homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness within the city. The program aligns with a broader mission to advance the health, economic, or social well-being of persons in need. The target beneficiaries include a wide range of vulnerable populations. Priority is given to agencies serving families with children (ages 0-5 and 6-17 years), elderly individuals over 62, unaccompanied youth, youth aging out of foster care, chronically homeless individuals (as defined by HUD), veterans, and victims of domestic violence. The overarching impact goal is to reduce and prevent homelessness in St. Petersburg by supporting comprehensive social service programs. The program prioritizes agencies that utilize a "housing first" and low-barrier approach. Specific critical services, such as storage units for personal items, call centers for homelessness prevention and assistance, and discretionary funds for street outreach, are also encouraged, allowing agencies to submit additional applications for these services. While there are no bonus points for matching funds or sole source proposals, all agencies are required to enter client data into the Pinellas Homeless Management Information System, with domestic violence providers being the sole exception. Expected outcomes include improved well-being for residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Measurable results will likely involve tracking the number of individuals and families served, successful housing placements, and the overall impact on reducing homelessness within the city. The grant period for projects is from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, allowing for a one-year duration of funded services. This strategic approach emphasizes direct intervention and support for those most in need, with a clear focus on actionable and impactful services.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is offering the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) to advance pollinator conservation. The core mission of this fund is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. This aligns with NFWF’s broader Monarch Butterfly Business Plan, indicating a strategic, long-term commitment to these species. The fund aims to support both technical assistance for private working lands and direct habitat improvement projects. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include monarch butterflies and other at-risk native insect pollinator species, such as the rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. The program also indirectly benefits private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, especially those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by providing resources and incentives for conservation practices on their lands. The overall impact goal is to significantly enhance the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat across eligible states. The Pollinator Fund has two main categories of focus. The first is Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands, which prioritizes increasing voluntary engagement of private landowners in conservation practices through staff resources and targeted outreach for Farm Bill programs like CSP and EQIP. The second category, Habitat Improvement, focuses on on-the-ground restoration and enhancement of pollinator habitat, emphasizing regionally appropriate milkweed and diverse native nectar plants, as well as increasing the supply of native seeds and seedlings. These priorities align with NFWF's strategic goal of fostering sustainable ecosystems through direct habitat restoration and incentivizing private land stewardship. Expected outcomes and measurable results are central to this program. All proposals must demonstrate how they will directly and measurably contribute to the Pollinator Fund's goals, specifically by providing the number of acres restored or enhanced. A minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states must be restored or enhanced. Historically, successful projects have averaged 2,120 acres, indicating a substantial scale for expected impact. The program's theory of change posits that by providing financial assistance and technical support, and by focusing on key geographical areas and species, NFWF can effectively reverse declines in monarch and other native pollinator populations, thereby contributing to broader ecosystem health and biodiversity. The total funding of up to $5.1 million in 2024, contributed by a diverse group of partners, underscores the collaborative and impactful nature of this strategic initiative.

This grant provides financial support to enrolled tribal members and descendants who are artists residing in select Minnesota counties, helping them with costs related to creating and showcasing their artistic work.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering the Fiscal Year 2025 Soil Health Financial Assistance Program, a grant designed to support healthy soil management practices across Minnesota. This program, funded by the 2023 and 2024 Legislative Sessions, aims to enhance agricultural sustainability and environmental health by promoting the adoption of soil health farming practices. The MDA, through its Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division, administers this competitive grant, aligning with its mission to protect and enhance Minnesota's agricultural resources. The program's primary beneficiaries are owners and lessees of farmland in Minnesota, as well as Local Government Units (LGUs) such including cities, towns, counties, soil and water conservation districts, Tribal Nations, and joint powers boards. LGUs that receive grants for equipment purchases are required to make this equipment available for public use, broadening the program's impact. The overarching impact goal is to establish, improve, or accelerate soil health practices statewide, contributing to long-term agricultural resilience and environmental benefits. The core priority of this grant is to provide financial assistance for purchasing and retrofitting equipment essential for implementing soil health farming practices. This includes both new and used equipment, as well as parts and materials for retrofitting existing machinery. By focusing on equipment acquisition, the program directly addresses a common barrier to adopting soil health practices, thereby facilitating their widespread implementation across various farming operations. The MDA anticipates awarding approximately $2.375 million in FY 2025. Applicants can request up to 50% of their project's total cost, with individual grant awards ranging from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $45,000. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number of farms utilizing soil-healthy practices and the availability of specialized equipment for public use through LGUs. The measurable results will be tied to the successful acquisition and deployment of equipment, leading to improved soil health metrics on participating lands, although specific metrics are not detailed in the provided information.

This grant provides financial support to urban farmers in Minnesota for implementing conservation practices that improve environmental health and farm sustainability.

This grant provides funding to organizations and initiatives focused on improving access to newborn hearing screening and services in Minnesota.

This grant provides funding to individuals, farmers, businesses, and organizations in Minnesota to enhance production capacity and market access for value-added agricultural products, with a focus on improving food safety and hemp fiber processing.