Compiled by:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center

Updated September 2009

Print PDF version

1. Small Farm Funding Resources
National Agricultural Library, Rural Information Center.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/small_farm_funding.htm
The Rural Information Center (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. ATTRA - the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

• Funding Opportunities
  http://www.attra.ncat.org/funding/
  This list features sustainable agriculture-related funding information updated weekly and searchable by date and keyword.
  
  
• Building Sustainable Places: Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation and Community Development.
  Krome, Margaret, Teresa Maurer, and Katie Wied. In cooperation with Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2009. 118 p.
  http://http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/index.html or
  http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/Building_Sustainable_Places.pdf (PDF | 800 KB)
  
  To obtain a free hardcopy of Building Sustainable Places, please contact
            ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
            P.O. Box 3657
            Fayetteville, AR 72702
            1-800-346-9140, M-F 7am-7pm CST
            E-mail: debbier@ncat.org

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 Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant
    http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ssdpg.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.
    
    
  • Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses
    http://www.sare.org/publications/business.htm
    Business planning guide focuses on how real farm families set goals,
    research processing alternatives, determine potential markets and evaluate financing options.
  
  
• Agricultural Marketing Service
  Farmers Market Funding Opportunities
  http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/farmersmarkets
  Select 'Find Farmers Market Funding Opportunities' from the I Want To menu.
  
  
• National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
  Grant Search
  http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm
  Search for funding opportunities by Emphasis (or topic) and Eligibility to find programs of interest.

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

5. 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.

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