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Other Grant Opportunities

American Farmland Trust’s New England Farmer Microgrants Program
This grant addresses
key barriers faced by New England farmers: access to land, farm succession and land transfer planning, and adopting regenerative agriculture or soil health practices on livestock operations. The kinds of projects funded by this program and its eligibility requirements vary somewhat from year to year, but these micro-grants are typically capped at $5,000 or $10,000 depending on project type. These grants are typically offered annually, with the deadline in late fall or winter.

Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) Fund-A-Farmer Grants
This program offers grants to livestock farms nationwide for projects that improve farm animal welfare together with increasing the environmental and financial sustainability of farm operations. Types of projects typically funded include: getting animal welfare certifications; transitioning to or improving pasture-based systems, and building animal welfare-certified farms’ capacity and/or markets. Grants are typically capped at $2,500 for an individual farm applicant (or up to $5,000 for joint applicants for a capacity-building project). These grants are typically offered annually, with the deadline in late fall or early winter.

The FruitGuys Community Fund
This nationwide program awards up to $5,000 grants to small farms and agricultural nonprofits for projects that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of their communities. Successful proposals may promote sustainability through water conservation, natural pest control, soil health, pollination, or energy efficiency, or pursue community-building through equitable food access or support for underrepresented farmers, including BIPOC and women farmers. These grants are typically offered annually, with the application deadline in January.

Harold Grinspoon Foundation Local Farmer Awards
The Local Farmer Awards is offered annually to Western Massachusetts Farms.  The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Big Y and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture along other funders, provides grants of up to $2,500 to help fund physical infrastructure improvements.  These grants can be used for projects related to planting, growing, harvesting, and processing.   A farmer appreciation event is held each year for all applicants and awardees to honor and recognize farmers and promote the importance of local farming. In 2023, awards were given to 97 local farmers. These grants are typically offered annually, with the application opening January 1st and closing January 31st.

Massachusetts Farm Energy Program
Provides technical assistance and monetary support for farmers in conducting energy audits and completing the prerequisites and applications for grants focused on energy conservation and renewable energy (including REAP,  EQIP, and the Climate Smart Agriculture Program’s Energy grants). The program also offers farmers up to $5,000 toward energy efficiency upgrades, based on the amount of energy to be saved by the upgrades.

MA Food Trust
The MA Food Trust, administered in central and western Massachusetts by the Franklin County CDC, provides grants, loans, and business assistance (usually together), with the goal of increasing the availability of healthy food in low-income, underserved areas. To be eligible to apply for a MA Food Trust grant, loan, and/or business assistance, a project must expand food access in underserved neighborhoods, fit local community needs, and increase access to affordable healthy food.

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