The Wildseeds Grants program supports projects to enact transformative food and farm systems change in the United States. This must include the institutional racism embedded within those systems and the work to advance racial equity and justice.
Awards are typically $20,000 – $50,000 over a one-year term. Information about the 2025 grant cycle will be announced early in the new year. In 2024 grants opened on February 1st and closed on March 15th.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
Tribal governments
Organizations with a fiscal sponsor
Applicants must also have an annual revenue of less than $3 million dollars or an average annual revenue of less than $3 million over the last 3 years.
Focus Areas
All projects must be focused on one or more of these priorities.
Cultural Organizing
Inclusive Economic Models & Community-Controlled Systems
Reclaiming Democracy
Promoting Indigenous and Ancestral Foodways and Agricultural Practices
The USDA Food & Nutrition Service expects to award 60 grants of $5,000 – $50,000 each for 24 months. There is a 25% matching requirement and applicants must commit to operating one or more federal Child Nutrition Programs. Applications are due by January 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET.
Grantees in the Action Planning Track are required to:
Form and regularly convene a diverse farm to school planning team that represents the community served
Conduct an inclusive and comprehensive action planning process
Draft a plan that identifies at least one community need that the project will address and gather input/feedback from the community
Compile and share a final action plan
Submit a Farm to School Action Plan by the end of the 24 month grant period
Agricultural Education
Grantees in the Agricultural Education Track are required to:
Establish a vision, goals, and objectives for the curriculum, including if and how local foods will be incorporated
Establish the desired outcomes and competencies to be achieved
Identify connected State Standards
Identify the student population who will participate
Develop or procure the curriculum and gather input/feedback from relevant stakeholders
Determine how the curriculum will be integrated into participating CNP sites and then carry out that plan
Develop strategies for maintaining the curriculum in the school/site beyond the grant period
Perform an evaluation of the project
Edible Gardens
USDA Farm to School Grantee: Mancos Conservation District, Mancos, Colorado
Grantees in the Edible Gardens Track are required to:
Form a diverse edible garden team that represents the community served, including school/site food service professionals
Establish a vision, goals, and objectives for the edible garden project, including how you will comply with any applicable Federal, State, and/or local regulations
Create a garden food safety plan
Determine the processing, storage, and ultimate use of school garden foods
Procure supplies, install, and execute the edible garden project
Perform an evaluation of the project
Allowable Expenses
Grant funds may be used for:
Equipment and supplies
Greenhouses
Food – up to 10% of federal share and only for educational purposes
Partnerships – subgrantees, contractors, and others providing a service to the project
Evaluation
Promotional items – individuals items up to $5 each; no advertising or public relations
Have experience in a) community food work, b) job training and business development activities for food-related activities in communities with low incomes, or c) efforts to reduce food and nutrition insecurity in the community
Demonstrate their ability to competently implement the project, manage the finances, collect data, and prepare relevant reports
Demonstrate their willingness to share information with researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties
All projects must meet at least one of the following:
Develop long-term sustainable projects that increase the ability of communities to provide for their own food needs
Develop long-term projects that promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues
Meet specific State, local, Tribal, Territory, or neighborhood food and agricultural long term needs including needs for equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a CFPCGP project
Develop a comprehensive plan for long-term solutions to food and nutrition security.
Develop long term projects that lead to the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and income-eligible consumers
Program Preferences
Preference will be given to applications that include:
Linkages between two or more sectors of the food system
The development of entrepreneurial projects
Innovative linkages between for-profit and nonprofit food sectors
Long-term planning activities and multisystem, interagency approaches with multi-stakeholder collaborations
The development of new resources and strategies to help reduce food and nutrition insecurity and prevent insecurity in the future
Actionable plans or activities to reduce food loss and waste within the local food system
Project Types
Planning Projects
Planning Project funds should be used to develop plans that can be employed to implement successful Community Food Projects. NIFA expects to award 5 Planning Projects in 2025 and 5 in 2026. Requests must be $25,000 – $50,000 over 12-36 months with a required 1:1 match of non-federal funds.
Community Food Projects should focus on long-term solutions to food and nutritional insecurity by working will all levels of food systems, from farmers to consumers. NIFA expects to award 15 Planning Projects in 2025 and 15 in 2026. The minimum request is $125,000 over 12 months; the maximum is $400,000 over 48 months. A 1:1 match of non-federal funds is required.
SeedMoney helps public food garden projects raise funds through their combination grant and crowdfunding Garden Grant Challenge. Applicants have 30 days to reach their fundraising target and receive one of 432 grants ranging from $100 to $1000. The amount of grant funding received depends on how much money is raised in comparison to other applicants.
Applications, which also serve as the fundraising page, are due by November 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. The fundraising period starts on November 15th and ends on December 15th. Participants keep all money raised regardless of whether they reach their goal or qualify for a grant.
Eligibility
This grant is open to public food garden projects anywhere in the world.
Allowable Expenses
Photo by Soo Ann Woon: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-green-vegetables-3265437/
Use of grant funds is quite open with the only stipulation being that money go toward a public garden project. Possible expenses include:
Seeds
Compost
Tools
Irrigation
A greenhouse
Grant Types
It is possible to win more than one grant type.
Challenge Grants
Challenge Grants will be awarded to 288 organizations based on where they rank in amount of funds raised.
Rank
Grant Amount
Awards
1st
$1,000
1
2nd
$900
1
3rd
$800
1
4th – 9th
$600
6
10th – 18th
$500
9
19th – 36th
$400
18
37th – 72nd
$300
36
73rd – 144th
$200
72
145th – 288th
$100
144
Strong Start Grants
Fifty awards of $100 each will be given to the organizations who raise the most money in the first week. An additional $400 will go to the project that raises the most in the first 24 hours.
Geographic Interest Grants
Seventy grants of $150 – $300 will be awarded to organization in either Maine, where SeedMoney is headquartered, or in a developing country. There is no crowdfunding requirement for a GIG award.
Strong Finish Grants
Twenty-three grants of $100 – $500 will be awarded to the organizations that raise the most money in the last 7 days of the campaign.
The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is an early stage deep tech startup competition. Applicants may submit in one of 11 track for the chance to win the €100,000 Grand Prize or €25,000 Second Prize. An additional €25,000 will be awarded to one Emerging Pioneer and customized prizes will be given in the different tracks in cooperation with corporate partners.
Applications are due by September 22, 2024. Eight hundred Deep Tech Pioneers will be announced on October 30 and have until November 15 to update their applications before finalist selection.
Eligibility
This challenge is open to startups that:
Are in early stage development, including before incorporation
Have developed/are developing new technology, a scientific discovery, or a complex engineering process
Have a proof of concept, prototype, solid scientific validation for their product, or are developing one
Have a team of at least 2 people
Are not a subsidiary or offshoot of another, existing company
Expect their product to be economically viable within 15 years
Have the potential to significantly impact their industry, society, or the environment in general
Tracks
https://builtin.com/robotics/microrobotics
Applicants may submit in any of the 11 tracks.
Aerospace
Advanced Computing & Electronics
Industry & Machines
Sustainable Construction & Infrastructure
Energy
Environment & Biodiversity
Food & Agriculture
Industrial Biotech & New Materials
Digital Health & Medical Devices
Medical Biotech & Pharmaceuticals
Award
All 800 Deep Tech Pioneers will be invited to attend Investor Day in Paris on March 12, 2025 where they’ll be able to meet with over 300 venture capitalists and corporate venture capitalists.
Seven finalists per track plus an additional seven finalists for the Emerging Pioneers Prize will pitch their idea during the Global Summit in Paris on March 13 and 14, 2025. The Grand Prize, Second Place, and Emerging Pioneer Prize as well as the corporate prizes will be chosen from these presentations.
The International Foundation supports U.S. based organizations working with communitities in Africa, Latin American & the Caribbean, and South & Southeast Asia. Their focus areas are Agriculture, Education, Environment, and Health.
Letters of Inquiry are due by June 30, 2024. If invited, applications for up to $50,000 will be due by October 31, 2024.
Eligibility
This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations headquarted in the U.S., but working with communitities in Africa, Latin American & the Caribbean, and South & Southeast Asia.
Focus Areas
Applicants may submit requests for one or more focus area.
Agriculture – Projects should focus on helping smallholder farms in countries impacted by population growth and climate change.
Education – Projects may provide formal or informal educational services to rural and underserved populations, especially women and girls.
Environment – Projects may address a range of environmental issues including climate change, air and water pollution, soil degradation, and deforestation.
Health – Projects may extend healthcare services into rural areas, provide maternal and child healthcare, and/or provide health education on topics such as hygiene and family planning.
Grants are available in four categories: Capacity Building, Community Development Training and Technical Assistance, Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, and Turnkey Recruitment and Training. Awards vary by category, but all grants require a non-federal match equal to at least 25% of the requested amount. Applications are due by May 14, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
Agricultural businesses or cooperatives
Producer networks or associations
CSA networks or associations
Food councils
Local governments
Nonprofit corporations
Public benefit corporations
Economic development corporations
Regional farmers market authorities
Tribal governments
Applicants may also subaward or subcontract with partners or collaborators.
Connect and cultivate regional food economies through public-private partnerships
Support the development of business plans,feasibility studies, and strategies for value-added agricultural products and local and regional food system infrastructure
Strengthen capacity and regional food system development through community collaboration and expansion of mid-tier value chains
Improve income and economic opportunities for producers and food businesses through job creation
Simplify the application and the reporting processes for the grants administered under the Program.
Grant Categories
Capacity Building
Capacity Building grants are available for $50,000 – $250,000 over 36 months to increase an organization’s ability to sustain direct producer-to-consumer markets or to expand existing markets. Possible projects include, but are not limited to:
Developing tools and practices that may be replicated
Market analysis and strategic planning
Training and education for local farmers, ranchers, and market managers
Recruitment of historically underserved producers
Community Development Training and Technical Assistance
Community Development Training and Technical Assistance grants are available for $100,000 – $500,000 over 36 months to provide training and technical assistance to producers serving local markets. Possible projects include, but are not limited to:
Creating and sharing tools and practices
Assisting producers with marketing and promotion through training and technical assistance
Creating or expanding producer-to-consumer networks
Helping producers comply with regulations
Turnkey Marketing and Promotion
Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-in-knitted-sweater-and-denim-jeans-sitting-near-the-cart-with-woven-baskets-8540262/
Grants will be awarded in two categories – Education, Extension, and Training (EET) and Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE). Approximately 10 awards will be made in each category. EET applicants may request up to $250,000; RPE applicants may request up to $125,000. There is no matching requirement. All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by March 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.
Education, Extension and Training Grants
EET grants are intended for programs to assist veterinarians, vet technicians, and students gain the skills needed to alleviate the shortage of veterinary services in the United States and Insular Areas.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
Colleges or schools of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association
Departments of veterinary science or departments of comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education
University research foundations or veterinary medical foundations
State, regional, or national organizations supporting food animal veterinary programs.
Allied or professional food animal veterinary organizations recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
State agricultural experiment stations or Research Farms
State, local, or tribal government agencies
Potential Activities
https://vet.purdue.edu/hospital/farm-animal/
Potential uses of grant funds may include:
Training in food safety, public health, or food animal medicine
Modifying veterinary courses, including updates for remote learning and faculty recruitment and retention
Training vet residents, interns, and externs
Continuing education, including remote learning opportunities
Outreach to 11th and 12th grade students on education and career opportunities in food animal medicine
Rural Practice Enhancement Grants
RPE grants will support private clinics in Veterinarian Shortage Situations expand their capacity to provide food/large animal veterinary services.
