Deadline: 29 November 2024
The American Farmland Trust is excited to announce the Brighter Future Fund’s New England Regenerative Livestock Farming Grant for the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices and to support field-based conservation practice projects that improve soil health, water quality and pollinator habitat.
This grant provides funds to livestock farmers in select counties in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut for the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.
Funding Information
- Grants will be awarded up to $10,000 per project. Eighty percent of the award amount will be paid in early 2025, and the remainder will be paid upon proof of project completion and receipt of final project report. Farmers will receive direct payment of funds from American Farmland Trust.
Eligible Projects
- Cover crop seed
- Pollinator habitat
- Reduced tillage equipment
- Pasture establishment/reseeding
- Irrigation infrastructure
- Livestock watering systems
- Mobile livestock shelters
- Fencing infrastructure
- Soil amendments and application
Ineligible Projects
- Purchase of livestock animals
- Processing equipment
- Fencing for predator exclusion
- Beekeeping supplies
- Barns, washrooms, storage sheds, farmstands
- Classes/trainings/conferences or workshops
- Expenses incurred prior to award
- Proposals focused on increasing efficiency
- Proposals from aquaculture, forestry, or equine operations
- Proposals for funding to support growing or raising products primarily for home, personal, or family use
Geographical Focus
- To be eligible for this grant program, proposed projects must be taking place in one of the following counties:
- Connecticut: Litchfield, Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Tolland, Middlesex, Windham, New London
- Massachusetts: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester
- New Hampshire: Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Sullivan
- Vermont: Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Windham, Windsor
Eligibility Criteria
- A project may involve one or more individual farmers or farm families. Only one grant can be awarded per farmer/farm family. This program does not intend to fund applicants who grow or raise products primarily for home, personal or family use. Eligible farms must be producing food or agricultural products for their community for sale or to barter or exchange. Eligible farms must be able to provide proof of income.
- This program can only provide funds to existing livestock operations.
- Previous recipients of AFT farmer grants are eligible to apply for this opportunity.
Ineligibility Criteria
- They are unable to consider applications from aquaculture, equine, or forestry operations, but they will accept new agroforestry installation projects.
- They are unable to award grants to American Farmland Trust staff, board members, or substantial contributors to AFT or their family members.
Review Criteria
- Applications will be reviewed after the submission period closes. Application review is expected to take several weeks. Program staff may contact applicants during this time to request additional information. Applications that clearly demonstrate the connection between their proposed project and the improvement of soil health, water quality, and/or pollinator habitat will be prioritized. Depending on available funds and the number of applications received, priority may be given to those who have not received a grant award from AFT in prior years.
Application Requirements
- Farmer applicant contact information and farm address
- Brief descriptions of farming background/experience and current land tenure situation
- Description of proposed project
- Project budget and cost estimates
- Letter of Support
For more information, visit American Farmland Trust.
