Current Funding Opportunities
MAY
MDAR Urban Agriculture Program | Deadline: May 18th
Goals: The purpose of the MDAR Urban Agriculture Program is to advance Commonwealth goals and objectives, leverage collective resources, and support commercial projects designed to increase the production, processing, and marketing of produce grown and sold in urban centers across the Commonwealth. Expenditures will promote strategies to address food insecurity and to increase access of fresh, local produce in urban neighborhoods with a high concentration of low-moderate income residents.
Eligibility Factors: Applicants must be located within Massachusetts and must operate or support a commercial urban agriculture enterprise or community food production initiative. Eligible applicants include municipalities, federal or state recognized Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, public or nonprofit educational institutions, and commercial urban farms with at least three (3) years of documented urban farming experience. Community Garden and Community Food Production proposals may only be submitted by municipalities or nonprofit organizations.
Funding Limitations: Award maximum ranges from $25,000 - $100,000 depending on project area. Commercial urban agriculture and community food production projects require a 25% cash match for requests over $15,000; land acquisition projects require a 25% cash match regardless of amount.
Anticipated Timeline: All projects must be completed by June 30th, 2027. Estimated award date is August 2026.
MDAR Food Ventures Grant Program | Deadline: May 28th
Goals: The overall goal of the Massachusetts Food Ventures Program (MFVP) is to increase access to healthy, affordable food options and improve economic opportunities for low to moderate income communities. The MFVP will provide funding through grants to support food ventures, sited primarily in or near communities of low or moderate income, including Gateway Cities and rural communities.
Eligibility Factors: Massachusetts municipalities, Massachusetts non-profit or for-profit organizations, individual residents of Massachusetts may apply.
Funding Limitations: Awards will range from $25,000 to $250,000. This is a reimbursement grant and requires a 20% cash match.
Anticipated Timeline: Estimated award date is September 2026. All projects must be finished by June 30, 2027.
NATOORA Farm Fund | Deadline: May 31st
Goals: The Farm Fund grants are open to farmers who are 35 and under in Australia, Europe, the U.S. and the UK who are committed to agroecological cultivation methods. Applicants should demonstrate how their project reinforces soil health, cultural & identity, biodiversity, innovation, accessible scale and education, and how a grant would reinforce the long-term resilience and impact of their work.
Eligibility Factors: Applicant must be aged 35 or younger at the time of application and based in Australia, Europe, the U.S. or the UK. Must be farming on a small scale (less than 100 acres) and proposing a horticulture project growing directly in the soil. Previous recipients are ineligible until 5 years have passed since last successful application. Projects must have a clear long term plan.
Funding Limitations: $150,000 total funding available. Grants will be awarded at $30,000, $15,000 and $8,000 levels.
Anticipated Timeline: Finalists will be contacted in late June of 2026. Awards announced October 2026.
June
USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) | Deadline: June 5th
Goals: FMPP funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture programs (CSA), or online sales.
Eligibility Factors: Eligible entities may apply if they support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products. Eligible entities include:
- Agricultural businesses and cooperatives.
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations.
- Food councils.
- Economic development corporations.
- Local governments.
- Nonprofit and public benefit corporations.
- Producer networks or associations.
- Regional farmers’ market authorities.
- Tribal governments.
Funding Limitations: FMPP offers four types of projects, 36-month Capacity Building, 36-month Community Development Training and Technical Assistance, 24-month Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, and 24-month Turnkey Recruitment and Training. Capacity Building projects range from $50,000 to $250,000, while Community Development Training and Technical Assistance projects range from $100,000 to $500,000. Each of the turnkey project options are available for a defined set of activities, with funding amounts ranging from $50,000 and $100,000.
Anticipated Timeline: Funding must be spent in 2-3 years, depending on project type.
USDA Local Food Promotion Program | Deadline: June 5th
Goals: LFPP funds projects that develop and expand local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing such as shared-use kitchens, food hubs, and food incubators.
Eligibility Factors: Eligible entities may apply if they support local and regional food business enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally produced food products. Eligible entities include:
- Agricultural businesses and cooperatives.
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) networks and associations.
- Food councils.
- Economic development corporations.
- Local governments.
- Nonprofit and public benefit corporations.
- Producer networks or associations.
- Regional farmers’ market authorities.
- Tribal governments.
Funding Limitations: LFPP offers four types of projects, 24-month Planning, 36-month Implementation, 24-month Turnkey Marketing and Promotion, and 24-month Turnkey Recruitment and Training. Planning projects range from $25,000 to $100,000, while implementation projects range from $100,000 to $500,000. Each of the turnkey project options is available for a defined set of activities, with funding amounts ranging from $50,000 and $100,000. The program requires cost share contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the total Federal portion of the grant.
Anticipated Timeline: Funding must be spent in 2-3 years, depending on project type.
New England Food Vision Prize | Letter of Interest Deadline: June 5th
Goals: The 2026 New England Food Vision Prize will award up to $1.5 million to collaborative farm to school initiatives and local sourcing efforts across the region. Winning Prizes will increase student access to healthy, locally produced ingredients and build consistent and reliable demand from schools, colleges, and universities.
Eligibility Factors: Primary Applicant
The primary applicant is the lead partner on the Prize and if awarded, will be responsible for managing and distributing funds amongst other partners on the team. The primary applicant is also responsible for providing written and verbal reports to the foundation. Primary applicant must be one of the following:
- K–12 schools, school districts, colleges, universities, and schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status
- 501(c)(3) public charities
- Governmental entities or affiliated organizations that are eligible to receive 501(c)(3) funding
- Federally recognized Tribes
- Indian Tribal governments (IRS, section 7871)
- Organizations applying via a 501(c)(3) public charity fiscal sponsor
Applicant Teams
We encourage collaborative approaches to Prize projects. At least one educational institution (K–12 or higher education) must be identified as both a direct beneficiary and an active partner in the project, and a letter of support from this institution will be required. All applicants and project partners must be based in New England.
Prize applicant teams may include:
- Colleges and universities
- K–12 schools or school districts
- Farms / fishers / producers
- Food hubs and aggregators
- Processors
- Network organizations
- Community-based organizations
- Municipal departments/initiatives
- Additional institutions (ex: healthcare)
- For-profit business (* ineligible to be a primary applicant)
Funding Limitations: $1.5 million total funding available. Prize requests can range from $25,000 – $100,000.
Anticipated Timeline: Application period opens June 30th, 2026; application deadline is August 7th, 2026. Awards will be announced October 2026. Awardees have two years to complete the project.
ROLLING APPLICATIONS, NO DEADLINE
Dairy Promotion Grant for Farmers
Goals: This grant program provides funding to eligible individuals and organizations for activities that improve public perception of dairy farming and/or increase consumption of local dairy products.
Eligibility Factors: Eligible applicants include:
- Dairy farmers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (applicants must be associated with the production of cow’s milk)
- Retired dairy farmers or agriculture advocates, in partnership with an active dairy producer
- Agriculture organizations (FFA, Farm Bureau, 4-H, etc.) within our five state region
Funding Limitations: $2,400 in funding annually is available per farm.
Anticipated Timeline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply at least six weeks prior to your event or activity. Applicants will be notified by email of approval or denial, as well as the total funding amount. You can expect a decision within three weeks of submitting your grant application. Approved applicants will receive funding approximately two weeks after we receive your completed grant paperwork, which includes an LOA, W9, and other documents. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025. Grant recipients are required to submit a grant report after completion of the event or activity to remain eligible in the next calendar year.
Goals: The Black Farmers Learn educational subsidy will pay tuition or registration fees of up to $500 for Black farmers or land stewards who wish to expand their knowledge or skills via a self-identified training program. This program honors education from structured sources available to the public; this includes schools, farming institutions, land or agricultural collectives, and conferences or training that offer to deepen skills and increase farming capacity.
Eligibility Factors: This program is available to Black farmers or land stewards who are members of the Northeast Farmers of Color (NEFOC) Network and are pursuing publicly available, structured education programs.
Funding Limitations: This program will pay tuition or registration fees up to $500.
Anticipated Timeline: Applications are accepted the first week of every month.
Goals: The goal of this award is to support farmers' self-care needs. Examples include dinner with friends and family, deep tissue massage, gym or yoga membership, therapy sessions, family fun day and more.
Eligibility Factors: Farmers and ranchers operating in the contiguous United States, including all U.S. territories, have an annual farming income of $1,000 or more, and have never received a Real Farmer Care self-care award before.
Funding Limitations: Awards are $100 per applicant. Grants will be distributed via Visa/Mastercard e-gift cards.
Anticipated Timeline: Applications will be accepted and reviewed in the order in which they are received. Funds will be awarded when available and award distribution will occur in seasonal rounds. Applications submitted after the initial window or beyond fund availability will be considered for funding in future rounds.
Black Farmer Fund Rapid Response Fund
Goals: The goal of this award is to provide financial support to Black Farmers and Food Business Owners experiencing a one-time emergency.
Eligibility Factors: Black Farmers and Food Business Owners operating in the Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Rhode Island). The business must be in operation for at least one year. The business has demonstrated engagement, work and support with community members.
Funding Limitations: Up to $10,000 awards granted for general emergencies. For 2025 Funding Freeze/Cancellation emergency award maximum is $50,000.
Anticipated Timeline: Four rounds of funding available per year. See website for timeline.
