2025 Farmer Grant Question and Answer Sessions

Northeast SARE will pay for equipment that is essential to the project activities. If it is equipment that you are building, we can pay for the materials to build it. If you're buying equipment that has a use after the project is completed, you will have to pro-rate it. Most ag equipment has a useful life of five years, so depending on the length of your project, you can request a portion of the cost of the equipment, based on it's useful life and the length of your project. 

Yes! We highly encourage all farmers and others involved in the project to be paid for their time. We don't have a recommended or required rate, but Northeast SARE compensates farmers who serve on our review panels at  $51.60 per hour. 

Yes, technical advisors and any collaborators or participants can be compensated for their time. 

You can change your budget after it is awarded. You will need to contact the grant administrator before spending the funds on any expenses that were not included in the original budget. So long as the request is reasonable and still serves the intended objective of the project, the administrator will approve the changes to the budget. 

Projects range from 1 to 3 years. You can request up to $30,000 total, and you can spend your budget at any point during the duration of your project. 20% of the total award amount will be held back until your final report is submitted and approved. 

Yes, equipment purchases can be eligible. The equipment must be specific to the project, and can't be something you would use for normal farming operations (such as a tractor bucket). If the equipment will be useful after the end of the project, you will need to prorate the cost of the equipment based on it's useful life (usually 5 years). 

You can be awarded successive grants, but each grant application must stand on its own. This means your first grant application would have to lead to useful results that support farmers. Your application likely will not be competitive if it would not achieve any useful results within the 3 year time period. We recommend looking for short term objectives or looking at a specific piece of the larger tree crop research, such as germination rate, yield, etc. 

We couldn't fund these equipment purchases outright, as they are likely capital expenses. However, if you wanted to test different types of irrigation or study how the new system reduces hay purchases, we could cover a portion of the costs. You would need to prorate them based on their useful life. We recommend focusing your proposal on how the research or educational activities you conduct will benefit farms beyond your own. 

Yes, you can pay for any labor that would not be part of your normal farm operations, and we highly encourage paying farm workers and farm owners for their time. 

When we approve a proposal for funding, we fund the full amount of the requested budget. However, if a proposal is approved with expenses that are ineligible for funding, we will work with the applicant to reallocate the funds to eligible expenses.

We cannot reimburse past expenses. Any costs you would like to be reimbursed for must be incurred after the award date, which will be March 1, 2025. 

Yes, you can include your own time working on the project in the budget. We encourage applicants to compensate all farmers and others working on the project.  

Labor payments do not need to be through a payroll company. You just need to keep clear records of the hours worked by each person who will be compensated and the rate of pay. 

You will need to do a subaward to the university, so you would need to submit two budgets, one for your farm (main award), and one for the university (subaward). The university budget can include the university's indirect rate. When you create a budget, you have direct costs, which are all the exact charges for the project. Some organizations, like universities, have a negotiated indirect rate with the federal government. So, if you have a subaward with a university, the university should create a budget for their costs and include their indirect rate. 

In the budget template (excel sheet) please do not include any costs that will not be paid for by the grant. However, if you have other sources of funding or resources that will support the project , you can include them in your written proposal. 

We prefer that you rent equipment when possible. If you need to purchase it, you should make a strong case that it is necessary for the project. If the equipment has a use beyond the project, you will need to pro-rate it based on it's useful life, which is usually 5 years for farm equipment. 

Northeast SARE does not require or encourage matching funds or in-kind donations, and reviewers do not score projects more highly because they have external support. However, reviewers do need to understand that the project will be successful, so if the funding you request does not cover the full cost of project activities, you should explain how costs that are not included in your budget will be paid for. 

Overestimating budget items is better than underestimating. As long as the amounts are still realistic.

Yes. If there are adjustments to be made during the project we can work together as needed.

If you would like to work with an international collaborator we encourage you to justify why that expertise is not available domestically. There is no payment/reimbursement issues as long as they have the CV and scope of work on file in case of audit.

Three years is the maximum length for a Farmer Grant. Agricultural equipment that needs to be prorated would be at 60% for a three year project.

Work with the individual to estimate the number of trips and miles per trip. Then use the federal mileage rate (currently $0.67/mile) to calculate the totals.

"If equipment to be purchased has a useful life on your farm or other farms that extends beyond the project period, SARE funds should be requested using a prorated share of the total cost based only on the time it will be used for the project. The allowed expense should
be calculated as the purchase price, divided by expected useful life (typically 5 years for farm equipment) times the number of years used for the project."

We encourage you to pay yourself a fair wage, based on the going rate in your area. Northeast SARE compensates farmers who serve on its Administrative Council, review teams, and working groups at a rate of $50/hour.

Yes. We can adjust budgets as needed during the project as long as the goals of your project do  not change and the expense is allowable.

No, they can be anyone with strong experience in the area of your project. For example, a farmer with a lot of experience using a specific technique, a business advisor, a marketing specialist, etc.

Yes, any collaborators and your technical advisor should all submit letters of support. 

You must have one person that is identified as the main technical advisor. However, you can have additional collaborators who act as advisors to you. There is no limit on the number of collaborators a project can have, and reviewers like to see a strong project team. 

We don't have a form letter. We want the technical advisor to authentically share their experience and their role in the project. 

It could be the person who is helping build the machine, or it could be someone else who is advising and supporting you. You just need to make sure the technical advisor has experience to help support your project. 

A technical advisor is someone who will support you throughout the grant. They should be experienced in the topic you are exploring. Examples include an extension agent, an NRCS agent, a veterinarian, a consultant, an experienced farmer, etc. Finding a technical advisor should be one of your first steps in preparing your application. You can review this resource for more information about the expectations for a technical advisor: LINK

You could apply with this set up. However, we do not recommend it as reviewers will be looking for technical advisors who bring expertise and an outside perspective to the project. 

You can request funding for your technical advisor. The rate is up to you as the project leader. You can have a flat rate for their services, provide a travel reimbursement, include an hourly rate, etc. If you plan to request funding for your technical advisor, they should make sure to explain in their letter of commitment what tasks they will complete. 

We always recommend reaching out to your extension office. You can also try your soil and water conservation district, or regional farmer organizations like PASA, NOFA, etc. 

You will need to identify one "official" technical advisor in your proposal. However, you can include additional advisors as collaborators. It is a great idea to have multiple collaborators with experience in different aspects of your project.

While you can only have one named technical advisor in your proposal, anyone who collaborates on the project can and should be paid fairly for their time. We can only reimburse for expenses occurred after the start date, so the technical advisor can't be paid for their time helping to craft your proposal, but they can be paid for their assistance throughout the project. 

View our guide here: https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/FarmerGrantTechnicalAdvisorGuide.pdf

Yes. There is no restriction on technical advisors having current Northeast SARE grants. 

Technical advisors can participate on multiple grants. We suggest you ask the individual for the rate they would like to charge.

Technical Advisors (TA) should not be close friends or family members. This would not deem the project ineligible, but reviewers want to see outside views and collaborations.

See our definition of a farm document here: [LINK]. To be eligible, a farm must have produced and sold (or would have sold) $1000 worth of agricultural products in the previous year. The project leader can be a farm owner or farm employee. Farm employees will need to fill out the grant commitment form and get authorization from the farm owner or organization.

You do not actually need to sell the $1000 of produce. Donation or barter is acceptable, as long as you have records of how much you're donating--for example pounds of produce donated that has an estimated dollar value over $1,000. 

You don't need to provide any financial documents with your application. When you submit your application, you are attesting to meeting the definition of a farm. 

Because you do not produce the honey or any other agricultural products, you wouldn't be eligible as a farmer, so you couldn't apply to the farmer grant. You could apply for a partnership grant in the spring when that application opens, and one or more of the farmers you buy honey from could be your partner(s). 

Yes, so long as your previous grant is in good standing (aka completed or current with reporting) you are eligible.

The Project Leader must own or work on an existing farm, but they can partner with others who do not yet have a farm. Northeast SARE cannot fund the establishment of a new farm. We can fund model projects that focus on generating knowledge to help other beginning farms. 

Yes, seedlings are an agricultural product.

Yes. The farm manager/employee could apply and would need to complete a grant commitment form with authorization from the College.

So long as your value added products are made with ag products you grow yourself and are valued over $1,000, you are eligible.

If your total farm sales this year are less than $1000, then you wouldn't qualify. The sales don't all have to come from the greenhouse, you can combine your total farm sales across growing spaces / crops / animals / etc. 

It's totally fine if you sell your produce through a food hub / along with other farms. Your total value of production must be $1,000 or more, and that can be across different distribution channels and agricultural products.

To be eligible, you must produce and sell (or usually would sell) $1,000 or more of agricultural products in a year. You do not need to provide financial documentation to apply, but when you submit your application, you are confirming that you meet our definition of a farm: LINK. Bartering would be acceptable, but you should have some way of quantifying the dollar amount of bartered goods. 

Yes, you can be eligible as a farm based off of donation records, rather than sales. You must have a way to verify the value of your donations, such as tracking pounds of produce donated. 

Farmers who work for a nonprofit are eligible to apply. You would apply as the project leader, and you would need to include the grant commitment form signed by an authorized official at your nonprofit. 

If your project activities wouldn't be affected by the move, we wouldn't worry about this. However, if your project would be disrupted by the move, you would want to address the potential impact in your proposal. You should only submit a proposal if you feel confident that you will be able to complete the activities you committed to in the proposal, and you should only apply if your organization currently meets our definition of a farm. 

Yes, you are eligible to apply to all of our grant programs. The only restriction is that you can only submit one application per program per year.

No. Farms can be of any size as long as they meet the minimum requirement of $1000 in sales of products sold on the farm in the previous year.

No. Farmer Grants can be awarded to individuals.

If you have had sales this first year of over $1000 from products produced and sold from your farm, you are eligible to apply. If you are just starting and have not had any sales yet, you would need to wait until next year.

If you are applying as a farm employee the minimum dollar requirement would apply to the whole farm, not just your crop.

No problem. We can update your information when contracting.

No, an active awardee can apply for another Northeast SARE grant, as long as they are up to date on reporting.

Applications are submitted online at https://projects.sare.org/. There are specific questions to fill in. You can find the link to the submission system as well as the questions in our Call for Proposals at https://northeast.sare.org/FarmerGrantCall.

Farmer Grants are not reviewed on a rolling basis. All Farmer Grant proposals are sent to review at the same time immediately after the 5pm deadline on November 12, 2024.

You can certainly reference previously funded SARE grants, and we encourage you to research our database (projects.sare.org) for previous work on your topic. There is no time limit.

Farmer Grants are only available once per year. Applications are due in mid November and awards are given March 1.

You can start your project early, but you cannot get reimbursed for any expenses that are incurred before the award date.

No. You are eligible to submit one application per Northeast SARE program per year.

Northeast SARE staff are not allowed to review and provide input to proposals. However, we do encourage you to have someone else review your proposal before submission. This could be your technical advisor, peers, people familiar with your topic or with grant writing, etc. 

Approximately $850,000 has been allocated to fund projects for this year’s Farmer Grants. Awards typically range from $5,000 to the maximum amount of $30,000, depending upon a project’s complexity and duration. We anticipate funding about 30 projects this year. 

The Research for Novel Approaches is our main "proof of concept" grant. Applications will open again next summer. However, depending on your topic and plan of work, you could potentially apply to a farmer grant. 

No, farmers at for-profit farms do not need a SAM number. Non-profits will need a SAM number if they are awarded funding, but this can be started once the grant has been chosen for funding. 

Northeast SARE is in the process of launching our new technical assistance program. In it's first year, this assistance will only be available for the Historically Underserved Farmer / Farming Communities Grant, which is launching soon. In future years, technical assistance through this program may be available for the Farmer Grant program. If you have questions while putting your Farmer Grant proposal together, contact Candice Huber, the Farmer Grant Administrator for support. 

Schools can be collaborators. Youth as research subjects is not allowed, but the schools that work with them can be involved in the project.

We do not have any restrictions or conflicts with other grant programs. Be sure to check with the other organization to see if they have any concerns.

Yes, prototype development is eligible. We would pay for the cost of materials and labor to build it. We can also pay for testing it or outreach. Please note that the prototype design would be part of the public domain. 

Because of our funding guidelines, we can only fund projects for up to three years. So we can't fund the longer term pieces, but we could fund a piece of the work--for instance if you want to study germination rates, seedling establishment success, or yields on existing plantings. 

Yes, software development is an eligible project idea. 

The research must be focused on serving farmers in the Northeast region of the US. You can have international collaborators, but you must make a strong case that they are necessary to the project. You would need to show that working with the international partners makes sense financially. 

Yes, we fund all kinds of topics from production to business, marketing, education, and more.

We do fund projects that are purely educational (no research component). It would be important to focus your proposal on how your project will benefit other farmers in the Northeast region. The audience for the education should be farmers, not the general public.

Yes, variety trials are a common topic for farmer grants. We suggest looking at our resource [LINK] How to Conduct Research on Your Farm. Remember that the farmer will need to be the project leader and must manage the grant, if awarded. 

We do not have specific funding priorities outside of our outcome statement. Part of preparing your proposal should be to demonstrate the need or interest from farmers in your area of focus. 

We do not have a list of project priorities. You should focus your project on a topic area that is important to your farm and other farmers you know. Here's the link to our project database, where you can see what types of projects we have funded containing "needs assessment". 

Reviewers like to see projects that focus on topics where there is a strong need or interest from farmers. The project should have an impact on farmers in the Northeast. Reviewers look for well thought out proposals. This means you should clearly explain the issue you want to address, how you will do the work (clear objectives and steps/methods to achieve those objectives), and present a strong outreach plan to share results with farmers. The call for proposals includes the review criteria reviewers will use to score your application. 

One farmer would need to apply as the project leader. The farmer must be the one who will receive the contract and manage the funds. Additional farmers can be included as collaborators. We recommend providing compensation for all farmers that work on the project. You will also need one technical advisor with expertise in soil health and emissions. Alternatively, you could apply to the Partnership Grant program, which will open next spring. You would apply as the Technical Service Provider and Project Leader, and the farmers would be included as farmer partners. 

We have a list of commodities for categorizing purposes, but you can apply for any agricultural commodity, even if it is not on the list. The only exception is we can't fund projects with THC cannabis. We can fund hemp research, like CBD and hemp fiber. 

Yes, proof of concept projects are eligible, but it will be important to make the impact on farmers clear throughout the proposal. You will also need to make a strong plan for outreach whether or not your concept is successful. It is acceptable to conduct outreach sharing that your research did not produce a useable product/process and to raise awareness of the topic/issue.

International travel for trainings is allowable as long as it is necessary for the project and the justification is clear.

Yes, Education, demonstration, and technical assitance projects are eligible. Farmer Grants should address issues that affect farming with long-term sustainability in
mind. Competitive proposals explore new ideas and techniques or apply known ideas in new ways or with new communities. 

No. Both Maryland and DC are in the northeast region.

You can post wherever you'd like. You will be required to acknowledge Northeast SARE as a funder in any materials you make as a part of an awarded grant. We prefer that you post videos somewhere where they will be permanently accessible to farmers. If needed, we could post them on Northeast SARE's YouTube channel.

You can include outreach to non-farming community members in your project. However, the ultimate goal of the project should be to help farmers and contribute to Northeast SARE's outcome statement.

The project you propose should start and end within the three year time period. You must have measurable results within the grant timeline. So, if you have a longer term project that you want to fund, you should clearly indicate what part of that longer project will be funded by the grant and what results will be achieved within the 3 years. 

All 2025 farmer grant projects must be completed by November 2028.