Agriculture Grants for Governments & tribes

Agriculture · Up to $1.2M

This grant is limited to government organizations (such as counties) implementing no-till and strip-till conservation practices under Illinois's Climate Smart Agriculture Program, run by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as part of the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. Subrecipient applications are awarded first-come, first-served by county, capped at 3,000 acres per application, with total program funding up to about $1.2 million; a signed conflict-of-interest and mandatory disclosure form is required before submission. Nonprofits, businesses, researchers, and individuals are not eligible — only government entities may apply. The deadline is August 31, 2026, so eligible county applicants should act soon.

Department of Pesticide Regulation · $100K–$1M

California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) 2027 Sustainable Pest Management Grants Program is open to a broad range of applicants, including nonprofits, businesses, individuals, universities, and government and tribal agencies. It funds projects that advance integrated pest management practices, such as alternatives to weed, rodent, and fumigant use, through research, outreach, and implementation in agricultural, urban, or wildland settings, with award budgets ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000. Principal investigators may submit at most two proposals per year, and all applicants must meet DPR's specific eligibility requirements outlined in the official solicitation. Applications are due by September 2, 2026.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Nonprofits and California tribal governments can apply for CAL FIRE's Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants to fund forest health, cultural/prescribed burns, Traditional Ecological Knowledge programs, and related wildfire-resilience or workforce-development projects serving California Native American tribes. This is a forecasted 2026 solicitation with no award amount or deadline published yet, and eligibility is limited to nonprofits and tribal governments rather than the general public.

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · Amount varies

California's Dairy Plus Program provides supplemental funding (about $34 million total, capped around $750 per cow and $1.25 million per project) for advanced manure management practices at commercial dairy operations, building on the state's Alternative Manure Management and Dairy Digester programs. Eligible applicants are California farmers, ranchers, and California Native American tribes operating a commercial dairy in the state; funds are paid on reimbursement. The deadline is September 14, 2026.

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery · Amount varies

California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) offers this grant to public agencies and tribal governments to clean up illegal solid waste dumping on farm and ranch property in California, covering costs like disposal, equipment, personnel, and public education for site remediation projects lasting about two years. Only public agencies and tribal governments may apply directly; private landowners are not eligible applicants even though the sites may be privately owned. The application deadline is October 7, 2026.

Agricultural Marketing Service · $250K–$1M

This USDA Agricultural Marketing Service program funds collaborative multi-state partnerships that enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops through projects addressing regional or national issues such as food safety, plant pests and disease, research, and marketing. Eligible applicants are federally recognized tribal governments, state governments, public and state-controlled higher-education institutions, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than institutions of higher education. Projects must benefit two or more states or territories. Awards range from about $250,000 to $1,000,000.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture · $10K–$650K

The USDA AFRI Education and Workforce Development program funds projects that develop the next generation of food and agricultural sciences professionals, including K-14 educator development, youth education, community-college training, undergraduate research, and pre/postdoctoral fellowships. Eligibility is broad and includes colleges and universities, experiment stations, research institutions, private organizations, federal agencies, and U.S.-citizen or permanent-resident individuals; foreign and international organizations are not eligible. Awards range from about $10,000 to $650,000. Eligibility varies by project type, so applicants should check the NOFO.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture · $150K–$2.5M

This USDA NIFA Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program builds research capacity at the 1994 Land-Grant Tribal Colleges in agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Eligibility is narrow: only the named list of eligible 1994 Tribal Colleges may apply. Awards range from about $150,000 to $2.5 million. It is restricted to those specific institutions, and gain-of-function research is excluded.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture · $10K–$10M

The USDA AFRI Foundational and Applied Science program funds research, education, and extension projects across six agricultural priority areas. Eligibility is broad and includes universities and colleges, state agricultural experiment stations, research institutions, private organizations or corporations, federal agencies, and U.S.-citizen or permanent-resident individuals; foreign and international organizations are not eligible. Awards range widely from about $10,000 up to $10 million depending on project type. Eligibility for specific grant types varies by program area, so applicants should check the RFA.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $200K

This FDA cooperative agreement funds state and academic partners to strengthen antibiotic-resistance surveillance in retail food specimens as part of the NARMS program. Eligibility is broad, spanning universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small and large businesses, and state, local, and tribal governments. Awards range up to $200,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $300K

This FDA cooperative agreement funds state animal food safety programs working toward or maintaining full implementation of national inspection standards, with optional add-ons for mutual-reliance partnerships. It's restricted to state programs that already hold an active FDA inspectional contract and a valid prior agreement — a narrow, technical bar that rules out most nonprofits and businesses. Awards go up to $300,000 depending on funding track and tier.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $1.5M

An FDA cooperative agreement (Laboratory Flexible Funding Model) to strengthen state human and animal food testing laboratories through sample testing, food-defense preparedness, and method development. Eligibility is narrow: applicants must be ISO 17025 accredited (or have an equivalent quality system) and, for most tracks, hold a valid 20.88 agreement with FDA before applying. Awards run up to about $1.5 million. This is largely limited to established state food-testing laboratories that already meet the accreditation and FDA-agreement requirements.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $600K

This FDA award (up to $600,000) funds natural history studies that generate high-quality data to support medical product development for rare diseases with unmet needs. Eligibility is very broad, covering universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small and other for-profit businesses, tribal and local/state governments, and even foreign organizations and their non-U.S. components. No unusual disqualifiers are noted, and the deadline is not imminent.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · $15K–$75K

Open to individuals (as legal entities), commercial organizations, state/local/tribal governments, universities, and nonprofits; federal agencies and employees can't apply, and projects must be conducted in Alaska. Funds marine workforce training, seafood-safety and management education, fishing innovation, and consumer outreach. Awards are small, roughly $15,000–$75,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $1.3M

Open to public and private higher-education institutions, including HBCUs, tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions. This FDA U18 forms long-term academic partnerships to research avian influenza and emerging zoonotic threats, intentional genomic alterations in animals, and products for minor and veterinary species. Awards up to about $1,250,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $900K

Open to nearly any organization — universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3)), for-profits and small businesses, state/local/tribal governments, and foreign organizations. This FDA R01 funds clinical trials of orphan products evaluating safety and efficacy to address unmet needs in rare diseases. Awards up to about $900,000; clinical trials are required.

Food and Drug Administration · $225K–$2.5M

This FDA grant (U18, $225,000 to $2,500,000) funds veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the Vet-LIRN network to build capacity for animal food safety and antimicrobial resistance testing, including equipment and method development. Eligibility is broad, covering nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, for-profit organizations, universities, tribal governments, and state/local governments. No unusual disqualifiers are noted, and the deadline is not imminent.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, and public agencies owning 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land in California; this program provides cost-share assistance (not full grants) for forest management planning, reforestation, and related improvement activities performed under a Registered Professional Forester. Broadcast, controlled, or cultural burning is not an eligible cost. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and applicants should expect to cover part of the cost themselves.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and coastal watersheds. Funds feasibility studies, land acquisition, planning, design, permitting, and construction for beaches, parks, trails, habitat restoration, and climate resilience projects, but does not cover ongoing operations or maintenance. Most funding is awarded through a rolling pre-application process; geographically limited to coastal California, and no set award amount or deadline is listed.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California conducting research or technological innovation on the environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Funds projects on water use, land management, native species, and community engagement related to cultivation practices. No award amount or deadline is listed in the posting, so applicants should confirm current funding levels and timelines with CDFW before applying.