Compiled by:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center

Updated February 2009

Print PDF version

1. Small Farm Funding Resources
National Agricultural Library, Rural Information Center (RIC).
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/small_farm_funding.htm
RIC has compiled this funding resource from a variety of private, state, and federal online funding databases.

Additional resources for finding funding for all types of activities in rural areas are available at http://ric.nal.usda.gov/ric/fundres.php.

For more information on their resources and/or hardcopy versions of their directories, contact:

     Rural Information Center
     10301 Baltimore Ave., Room 132
     Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
     Toll-free: 1-800-633-7701 (Nationwide)
     E-mail: http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/contact/ask.php

2. Funding Opportunities List
ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
http://www.attra.ncat.org/funding/
This list features sustainable agriculture-related funding information updated weekly and searchable by keyword and date.

Additionally, a guide to Federal funding programs is available from ATTRA:

Building Better Rural Places: Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation and Community Development.
Krome, Margaret, Susan LeVan, and David Zodrow. In cooperation with ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004. 146 p.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/index.html or
http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/resource.pdf (PDF | 1.2 MB)
To obtain a free hardcopy, write:
     ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
     P.O. Box 3657
     Fayetteville, AR 72702
     1-800-346-9140, M-F 7am-7pm CST
     Fax: (406) 494-2905

3. United States Department of Agriculture

• Farm Service Agency
  Farm Loan Programs
  http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=fmlp&topic=landing
  The Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes loans to farmers and ranchers which can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, construct buildings and make farm improvements.
  Contact a FSA Service Center to learn more about programs and information:
  http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=us&agency=fsa
  
  
• Rural Development
  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov
  
  Programs support those in rural areas to develop and maintain public facilities and services, housing, businesses and utilities. Programs for agriculture include:
  • Value-Added Producer Grant Program
    http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm
  • Small Minority Producer Grant Program
    http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm
  
  Local contacts may be found on USDA's Rural Development Web site at:
  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html

• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
  Funding Opportunities
  http://www.sare.org/grants/index.htm
  The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program offers five different types of grants for funding of relevant agricultural research projects. A SARE publication that covers business planning including financial aspects is Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses.
  
  
• Agricultural Marketing Service
  Farmers Market Funding Opportunities
  http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/Consortium/FundingOpportunities.htm
  
  
• Cooperative State Research, Extension and Education Service (CSREES)
  Grant Search
  http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm
  Search for funding opportunities by Emphasis (or topic) and Eligibility to find programs of interest.

4. Grants.gov
http://www.grants.gov
A partnership of Federal Agencies which directs grant seekers to over 1,000 programs offered across 26 Federal grant-making Agencies.

5. Types of State Agricultural Finance Programs
National Council of State Agricultural Finance Programs.
http://www.stateagfinance.org/types.html
An overview of funding programs offered by many state agricultural departments. The Directory of State Programs provides more detail and contacts:
http://www.stateagfinance.org/directory.html

6. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
http://www.agmrc.org/
Addresses marketing and business planning for U.S. agricultural producers.