The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is pleased to announce the projects recommended for funding for the each of its annual competitive grant programs. More than 110 projects were awarded a total of more than $2.7 million through NCR-SARE’s grant programs, which offer competitive grants for producers, scientists, educators, institutions, organizations, and others who are exploring sustainable agriculture in America’s Midwest.

• For the 2012 Research and Education Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $1.5 million to nine projects ranging from $47,067 to $200,000.  The Research and Education Grant Program is a competitive grant program for researchers and educators involved in projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems.  Research and Education projects include a strong outreach component and significant farmer/rancher or other end user involvement from inception of the idea through implementation of the project.

• For the 2012 Graduate Student Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $168,000 to 17 projects ranging from $9,445 to $10,000. The Graduate Student Grant Program is a competitive grant program to fund graduate student projects that address sustainable agriculture issues.

• For the 2012 Farmer Rancher Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $545,000 to 53 projects ranging from $1,264 to $22,500. The Farmer Rancher Grant Program is a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. 

• For the 2012 Youth Educator Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $40,000 to 21 projects ranging from $1,895 to $2,000. The Youth Educator Grant Program supports educators who seek to provide programming on sustainable agriculture for youth. 

• For the 2012 Youth Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $3,000 to eight projects ranging from $389 to $400. The Youth Grant Program has provided grants for on-farm research, demonstration, or education projects by youth ages 8-18. Research and demonstration projects were awarded for hands-on efforts to explore sustainable agriculture issues and practices. Education projects could involve teaching others about sustainable agriculture or attending a sustainable agriculture conference, workshop, or camp. Although grants were awarded for 2012, this program has been discontinued.

• Earlier this year, NCR-SARE awarded more than $441,000 to six projects ranging from $42,472 to $75,000 for the 2011 Professional Development Grant Program. The Professional Development Grant Program is a competitive grants program that emphasizes training agricultural educators in extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, private, and not-for-profit sectors, using farmers as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community.

View more information about the grants funded in your state, and see a portfolio summary and funded grants list for every state and island protectorate.

NCR-SARE administers these grant programs, and each has specific priorities, audiences, and timelines. The focus for the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are made based on how well the applicant articulates the nature of the research and education components of their sustainable agriculture grant proposals.

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. A collection of farm and non-farm citizens, the AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, and nonprofit organizations. In addition, regional representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and NCR agribusinesses, state agencies, and foundations sit at the table to distribute grant money.

Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.