Grant Description

Goal of the Sustainable Community Grant program

Northeast SARE, in collaboration with the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, offers competitive grants for projects that strengthen the position of sustainable agriculture as it affects community economic development.

Communities and commercial farmers must benefit from these proposals, and the selection emphasis is on model projects that others can replicate. We also look for projects that are likely to bring about durable and positive institutional change and for projects that benefit more than one farm.

Note: Proposal deadlines are in December with awards announced in March. Feel free to read the 2010 application materials, but do not use outdated materials to apply for funds. A new application for 2011 will be released in the summer of 2010.

Project topics

Proposals must address key issues such as finance, marketing, land use, water use, enterprise development, value-added activities, and labor. Other topics may also be addressed, provided the issue is substantive, farmers and the farm community benefit, and the approach explores new ways to advance sustainable commercial agriculture.

What funds cannot be used for

Specifically excluded are food donation programs, student or public awareness about agriculture, and community gardening projects. Also, grants cannot be used to adopt practices or methods already in use--we do not, for example, fund farmers' market startups.

Fresh approaches to projects

Instead, proposals should break new ground and offer fresh approaches to enhancing sustainable commercial agriculture and community development.

You may find it useful to look at a list of last year's Sustainable Community Grant awards.

Grant awards

Starting with the 2010 award cycle, these grants will be capped at $15,000.