Call for Proposals: Southern SARE Producer Grant (United States)

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (Southern SARE) has released the call for proposals for its 2027 Producer Grant Program for farmers/ranchers and farmer/rancher organizations in the Southern region. The proposal submission deadline is November 06, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. (NOON) EST. Funded proposals are expected to be announced in late February 2027. Southern SARE’s Producer Grants support sustainable agriculture research projects that address agricultural production challenges faced by farmers and ranchers. The program is also designed to generate practical, usable information—helping other producers learn what works and what doesn’t when confronting similar challenges. Southern SARE describes Producer Grants as competitive research grants intended to help reduce some of the financial risk associated with trying solutions to agricultural production issues. Producer Grants provide reimbursement-based funding for allowable project expenses: Eligible applicants are intended to include: In addition, Southern SARE notes the following for producer organizations: The source article also includes limitations on what the grants are designed to support (see “Eligible Activities or Priority Areas” below), but it does not list other specific applicant exclusions or additional eligibility criteria. Producer Grants are meant for sustainable agriculture research projects that solve agricultural production challenges. The source article also clearly states what Producer Grants are not designed to fund. Producer grants are not designed to: This grant opportunity is aimed at helping farmers, ranchers, and farmer-led organizations develop and test practical solutions to real agricultural production challenges. Because Southern SARE’s Producer Grants focus on research and on sharing results, projects are structured to produce information that other producers can use when they face similar issues. Official information source: For more information on the program and application materials, visit the Southern SARE website: Southern SARE (http://www.southern.sare.org). Note: The source article does not provide a direct application link or list of required documents. What is the deadline to submit a 2027 Producer Grant proposal? How much funding can applicants receive? Maximum funding is $20,000 for individual farmers/ranchers and $25,000 for farmer/rancher organizations. How will grant funds be paid? Funds are paid as a reimbursement after the grantee submits invoices and receipts for allowable project expenses. How long are Producer Grant projects funded? Projects are funded for two years. What types of projects are Producer Grants designed to support? They are designed to support sustainable agriculture research projects that address agricultural production challenges and generate information others can use. Are there things Producer Grants cannot be used for? Yes. Producer Grants are not designed to pay a farmer to farm, buy livestock, equipment, or land, make permanent farm improvements, or support private enterprises through capital investments. When will funded proposals be announced? Southern SARE states that funded proposals will be announced in late February 2027. Eligible applicants should review the official 2027 Producer Grant Call for Proposals on the Southern SARE website and follow the program’s submission instructions exactly. Because the source article emphasizes that incorrect submissions will be rejected, applicants should confirm every requirement in the official call before submitting.