Producer Grants

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

From its inception, the efforts of the SARE program have gone to ultimately benefit the farmer, whether university scientists conduct research, or nonprofit organizations lead training workshops. The implementation of sustainable agriculture practices focuses on farmer profitability, responsible use of the land, and community quality of life.

Recognizing the value and importance of on-the-farm, producer experience in developing solutions to agricultural production challenges, the SSARE Producer Grant program was established in 1994 to give farmers the opportunity to conduct their own research projects. The competitive research grants program is intended to help farmers and ranchers develop sustainable production and marketing practices. The goal of the grant program is for farmers/ranchers to conduct projects to solve challenges and problems they face, and develop information on what works and doesn’t work so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same problems can benefit from the results of the funded project.

Proposed projects must focus on Southern SARE’s program objectives in developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing farming systems toward sustainability, as defined by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill.

A simple way to think about sustainable agriculture is that it involves producing enough food and fiber to satisfy today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. Sustainability as defined by the SARE program embraces three common goals (or pillars of sustainability):

• Profit over the long term;
• Stewardship of our nation’s land, air and water;
• Quality of life for farmers, ranchers, farm employees and our communities.

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Eligibility Requirements

Producer Grant proposals must meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for funding:

• The proposal must be submitted from an individual farmer/rancher or farmer/rancher organization, such as a cooperative. Proposals from NGOs, other community groups or researchers are not accepted.
• Primary occupation is farming/ranching or part-time farming. Producers run their farm alone or with family or partners and have a least $1,000 of documented annual income from the operation, as defined by USDA. Farm workers are eligible to apply as long as the production activity meets the minimum annual value of $1,000.
• There is no restriction on farm size or the length of time an individual has been farming.
• Applicants must be located in the Southern SARE region.
• Per USDA-NIFA, proposals must not promote, support, or take part in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or any other initiatives that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other protected characteristic.
• The proposed project addresses production and marketing issues that promote sustainable agriculture. Proposed projects must focus on Southern SARE’s program objectives in developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing farming systems toward sustainability, as defined by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Applicants specifically should be aware of this definition, as proposals will be reviewed with this legal definition in mind.
• The proposal addresses a research project; Producer Grants are not designed to pay a farmer to “farm.”
• Projects must include at least one cooperator. They can be other farmers, researchers, extension agents, governmental or non-governmental organizations, or others who cooperate in project planning, data collection and outreach of results.
• The proposed project satisfies the requirements of allowable expenses.
• An outreach component is identified in the proposal. Outreach allows the farmer to share his/her project outcomes with the greater farming community.
• Applicants may only submit one Producer Grant proposal per farm per year.
• Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply.

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Who Can Apply?

Producer Grants are open to individual farmers/ranchers or farmer organizations. Only one proposal may be submitted per grant cycle. Primary occupation is farming or ranching or the applicant is a part-time producer. At least $1,000 of annual income from the operation must be documented. Farmer organizations should be comprised primarily of farmers/ranchers and must have a majority farmer representation on their governing board. There are no restrictions on farm size or the length of time an applicant has been farming. Producer Grants, however, are designed for farmers already established in their farming operation, and not for beginning farmers or ranchers.

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Funding Amount

Producer Grant Calls for Proposals open in September and grants are awarded February the following year. Producer Grant project maximums are $20,000 for an individual farmer or rancher, and $25,000 for a farmer organization. Project duration is for 2 years. It is difficult to extrapolate useable, practicable data from one-year projects.

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Grant Writing Tips

Southern SARE Producer Grants are competitive. Each year we receive more grant proposals than we have monies to award funding. Here are some suggestions that might aid in strengthening your proposal:

• Follow the instructions in the Call for Proposal. Failure to follow directions or omit any required information will result in your proposal being rejected.
• Your proposal can fall in one of the following focus areas: Beneficial insects, alternative crops/animals, organic agriculture, sustainable marketing projects, sustainable grazing systems, soil health or water quality, appropriate technology, agroforestry, or increasing sustainability of existing farming practices.
• Only one Producer Grant is allowed by the farmer applicant per grant cycle. If you have more than one idea, we recommend you select your best proposal for submission, and save your other ideas for future submissions.
• Thoroughly research your project before applying. You may have a great idea for a project, but the research related to the topic may already be well established. We look for projects that are new, innovative, generate results that are useful beyond one year and produce information that many farmers can use.
• Successful projects include clear goals and objectives. Due to the small size of the Producer Grants, we recommend developing no more than three (3) objectives in order to complete your project.
• We encourage collaboration and partnerships on grant projects. Cooperators help complement your skills. When you enlist the cooperation of people who have expertise in areas that you don’t, they’ll strengthen your project. Make sure to include cooperators from universities, Cooperative Extension, NGOs, community organizations, or other farmers to add value to your project.
• Make sure you include an outreach plan. Outreach plans can include field days, educational resources, how-to videos, publications, workshops, or presentations are conferences to share research results with other farmers.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to begin your proposal and to submit it to the SARE Grants Management online system. The deadline for proposal submissions is firm. Anticipate technological glitches, budget issues, user error or other issues that might cause delays.
• Be clear on the “what”, “why”, and “who cares” of your research project and how it pertains to sustainable agriculture. This is generally outlined in the “Statement of Problem” portion of your proposal. This is your “hook” for reviewers. Remember, they get to know you through your proposal. Tell your story.
• Seek assistance from other individuals or organizations in writing and reviewing your grant.

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How Your Proposal Will Be Reviewed

Producer Grants are reviewed based on weighted scoring criteria. Upon closure of the grant deadline, proposals receive a technical review by the Producer Grant Committee of Southern SARE’s Administrative Council, the program’s governing body.

The Producer Grant Committee evaluates the proposal using the following criteria:

• Reviewing the qualifications of the applicant. Is the applicant eligible and have the experience, skills, knowledge and resources to complete the project? Does the applicant describe the farm operation and the role on the farm? (5 points)

• Reviewing the Statement of the Problem to ensure that the applicant clearly describes the problem and why the problem needs to be addressed. (15 points)
• Reviewing the Statement of the Proposed Solution for relevance to sustainable agriculture and how it’s an improvement over the current problem. Does the solution contribute to the growth of sustainable agriculture by building on and/or adding to existing knowledge? Is it a band-aid to conventional agriculture or does it move the needle in more sustainable farming practices? (15 points)
• Reviewing the Approaches and Methods to determine if the project experiment is clear, well designed and thought out so that useful and applicable results can be obtained. (25 points)
• Reviewing the timetable to determine if the project can be effectively completed in the time provided based on the research proposed. (10 points)
• Determining the effectiveness of the outreach plan. Is the outreach plan well thought out and a benefit to its intended audience? Are the methods for implementing the outreach plan the most effective way of reaching farmers and ranchers? (20 points)
• Evaluating the project’s budget to determine if the requested amount is reasonable and realistic, and is clear on what the funds will be spent on. Are the requested funds allowable? Are budget items itemized with clear descriptions on how they will be used in the project? (10 points)

Once the Producer Grant Committee completes its technical review, it meets by conference call to discuss fundable proposals, and then again at the February Administrative Council (AC) meeting to select fundable projects. Those are then presented to the full Administrative Council for funding.

By late February or early March you will be contacted regarding the status of your proposal, and a summary of the review comments for your proposal will be provided to you.

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Expectations for Funded Proposals

If the Southern SARE Administrative Council selects your project for funding, you can expect the following:

Notification: Southern SARE selects Producer Grant proposals during its winter Administrative Council meeting February of each year. Applicants will be notified via email soon after regarding the status of their project. All funded projects officially start April 1.

Budget Reviews and Contracting: Proposals selected for funding will undergo a budget review by Southern SARE. Any revisions or changes will be made prior to the proposal sent to University of Georgia (Southern SARE’s host instituion) for contracting. Applicants will receive a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by University of Georgia via email for signature, signifying the project is officially executed.

UGA Vendor Database: All applicants of SARE-funded projects are required to register in University of Georgia’s Vendor Database at https://suppliers.uga.edu as an entity conducting business with University of Georgia. Registering in the vendor database during the budget review process will expedite grant contracting once the budget review process is complete

Invoicing: All project expenses are paid on a reimbursement basis. Applicants will receive an invoice template and be required to submit receipts and invoices during the course of their grant project to be reimbursed for their expenses.

Required Reporting: Producer Grant recipients are required to submit an annual report each year their project is active, detailing the progress of their research. In the year the project ends, recipients are required to submit a final report, documenting their findings, outreach, and project impacts. Reports are submitted online to the SARE Grant Management System. Southern SARE will hold the final invoice submitted for reimbursement until the final report is submitted and approved. Read more about Southern SARE’s Reporting Requirements.

Grant Management Support: Southern SARE staff is available throughout the life of the project to assist recipients on questions or issues related to their grant project. Management guidelines are available for PI changes, budget modifications, and no-cost extensions. Read more about Southern SARE’s acounting and management guidelines.

Acknowledging Funding: As Southern SARE grantees work on their outreach plans and develop project products related to their grant, they are required by USDA-NIFA to acknowledge SARE funding in the materials that are developed. Read more about Southern SARE’s guidelines for acknowledging funding.