South Carolina Agriculture Grants

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Education Grants program is designed to fund education and outreach activities that benefit the sustainable agriculture community. This grant directly aligns with SSARE's mission to promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, agricultural diversification, and best management practices. The core objective is to support projects that develop sustainable agriculture systems or move existing systems towards sustainability. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are farmers and farming communities, including those involved in indigenous agriculture producing for community food systems. Academic institutions, non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 1890 land-grant university faculty/extension cooperators, 1862 land-grant universities, other colleges and universities, and government agencies are eligible to apply, acting as facilitators for these educational initiatives. The impact goals are centered on fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable agricultural sector through knowledge dissemination and practical application. Education Grants prioritize projects that clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom, and how the goals will be accomplished. Focus areas include experiential learning (demonstrations, on-farm tours, field days, workshops), integrative approaches (conferences, seminars, course curriculum), and reinforcement methods (fact sheets, bulletins, videos, online technologies). SSARE also encourages proposals on quality of life topics, such as heirs property, farmers’ markets, food hubs, local/regional processing, and urban agriculture systems, emphasizing the social health of farming systems. Expected outcomes include the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices, enhanced farmer innovation, increased community resilience, improved business success for agricultural enterprises, and greater agricultural diversification. Projects should yield results that are realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to tangible actions and benefits described in the proposal. The grant projects are strictly focused on education and outreach, with no research component, and are paid by reimbursement of allowable expenses. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in the grant requirements, which mandate that project outcomes focus on sustainable agriculture systems and clearly demonstrate how education and outreach efforts will be implemented and evaluated. The theory of change underpinning this program is that by providing targeted education and outreach, knowledge and best practices will be transferred to farmers and communities, leading to the development and widespread adoption of sustainable agricultural methods and improved quality of life within farming systems. Project maximums are $50,000, with a duration limited to two years. Applicants from the Southern region, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are eligible. Farmers involved in these projects must have farming/ranching as their primary occupation or part-time farming with at least $1,000 of documented annual income from their operation, with exceptions for indigenous agriculture.

This funding program provides financial support to community-based organizations that empower youth aged 12 to 20 through established, youth-led urban greening initiatives focused on social and environmental justice in select states.

This funding opportunity provides up to $5,000 to South Carolina law enforcement and code enforcement agencies to improve litter prevention and enforcement efforts.

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation is offering Heal Mini-Grants, a funding opportunity designed to support healthy eating or active living projects. These grants specifically target policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change in community health. The foundation's mission, as evidenced by its past award to Wholespire, is to promote the health of South Carolina’s economically challenged population. The Heal Mini-Grants align with this mission by creating opportunities for equitable access to healthy food and safe places for physical activity, recognizing that individual choices are influenced by available options. The target beneficiaries include community members, students, employees, and devout individuals who will benefit from increased opportunities to make healthy choices and engage in physical activity. The impact goals are to foster healthier communities by addressing systemic barriers to well-being. This is achieved by supporting projects that either serve as seed money for new initiatives, help progress existing ones, or provide the final push to complete ongoing projects, all within a 9-month grant period. The program's priorities and focus areas are exclusively related to healthy eating and/or active living, with a strong emphasis on implementing or supporting PSE change projects. Examples of funded projects include establishing or promoting SNAP/Healthy Bucks at farmers' markets, creating sustainable food-gleaning stations, installing water bottle refill stations, improving playgrounds, supporting active communities with bike racks and crosswalks, and enhancing community trails with signage and amenities. These examples highlight the commitment to creating environments that naturally encourage healthier lifestyles. Expected outcomes include increased access to healthy food options and greater opportunities for physical activity within communities. Measurable results would stem from the implementation of tangible PSE changes, such as the establishment of new programs, improvements to existing infrastructure, or the adoption of supportive policies. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly centered on community health improvement through practical, environmental interventions. Their theory of change appears to be that by altering the policy, systems, and environmental landscape, individuals will naturally be empowered to make healthier choices, leading to a more active and well-nourished population.

The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production in the United States and its territories. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into government technical manuals and guides, or to the private sector. CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches or private forest lands. The CIG program is not a NRCS producer financial assistance program. Project outcomes should benefit a region of a state or the entire state and not just benefit one farm. NRCS will prioritize projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture conservation activities which are targeted to assist agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forestland owners in directly improving soil carbon, reducing nitrogen losses, or reducing, capturing, avoiding, or sequestering carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions, associated with agricultural production. All CIG projects must involve EQIP-eligible producers that meet EQIPs eligibility requirements listed in 7 CFR 1466.6(b)(1) through (3).

The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) is offering its 2024 Infrastructure Grant Program, which aligns with its mission to support the viability and sustainability of historically underserved farmers and ranchers. This program aims to foster projects that enhance farm viability, create new markets for local agricultural products and services, develop innovative uses for existing farm infrastructure, add value to farm products through processing, packaging, or marketing, and optimize the use of on-farm and natural resources. Additionally, the grant supports cultural and heritage projects dedicated to preserving and continuing specific agrarian traditions, reflecting RAFI's broader commitment to a resilient and equitable food system. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are historically underserved farmers and ranchers, as defined by NRCS, who are in at least their fourth full growing season and have operated their current farm for at least two years. The program specifically targets "livelihood" farmers and ranchers who depend on agriculture for their financial support or are pursuing a long-term career in farming. Eligibility extends to individual farmer owners/co-owners or farm cooperatives, provided at least 50% of the cooperative members meet the individual eligibility criteria. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available to farms located in specific states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, or VA. Funding priorities are given to proposals demonstrating a high expected impact on farm viability and sustainability, strong project feasibility, and comprehensive planning, including a clear plan, detailed budget, timeline, and all necessary supporting documentation. RAFI also prioritizes farmers who derive a significant portion of their household income from farm operations, individuals with financial need, or those located in economically disadvantaged areas. Projects that tangibly benefit the surrounding community and farms utilizing agroecological and/or ancestral farming practices are also highly favored, reflecting RAFI's strategic priorities for holistic agricultural development and community engagement. The expected outcomes of the Infrastructure Grant Program include increased farm viability and sustainability for historically underserved farmers, the establishment of new and diversified markets for local products, and the preservation of valuable agricultural traditions. Through these grants, RAFI aims to support projects that lead to concrete improvements in farm infrastructure, expanded income streams for farmers, and a stronger connection between agricultural practices and community well-being. By focusing on these outcomes, RAFI reinforces its theory of change, which posits that targeted financial support and capacity building for underserved farmers will lead to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural landscape.

This funding opportunity supports South Carolina organizations focused on anti-litter initiatives, encouraging collaboration and community involvement to reduce litter and promote environmental stewardship.

This grant provides funding to South Carolina municipalities, litter control organizations, and community groups for litter removal projects, especially in areas that are challenging for volunteers to access safely.

This grant provides $10,000 to exceptional individual artists in South Carolina to recognize their artistic achievements and support their creative endeavors.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofits, government agencies, and educational institutions in the southeastern U.S. to improve aquatic habitats and water quality, particularly for endangered species and key river basins.

This funding opportunity supports producer groups, industry organizations, and community-based groups in South Carolina to enhance the competitiveness and accessibility of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, and horticultural products.

This grant provides funding to local organizations, community groups, and schools in the Inland Empire region of South Carolina to support projects that protect and restore native plant populations while educating the public about their ecological importance.

This program provides financial assistance to historically underserved farmers in the southeastern U.S. for essential infrastructure improvements and support for new farming operations.

This grant provides funding to small farms and agricultural nonprofits in the U.S. for sustainability projects that benefit the community, with a focus on initiatives led by BIPOC individuals.

This funding opportunity supports graduate students in the Southern U.S. conducting research projects that promote sustainable agriculture and address key challenges faced by farmers and agricultural communities.

This program provides financial assistance to South Carolina farmers and forest landowners who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene, specifically targeting damages not covered by other federal programs or insurance.