Call for Proposals: Graduate Student Grant Program (US)

Only full-time graduate students enrolled at accredited universities in the Western region are eligible to apply. At the time of proposal submission, the student must be considered full-time or admitted to a graduate program. The goal of this grant program is to obtain results that are applicable to agricultural production, sustain and improve the environmental quality and natural resources upon which agriculture depends, improve the profitability of farmers/ranchers and associated agricultural businesses, and enhance the quality of life of agricultural communities.

About Program

• Project Team: Western SARE requires that agricultural producers be involved from inception to finish in the planning, design, implementation, and educational outreach of any Western SARE-funded project keeping in mind the inherently interdisciplinary nature of sustainable agriculture.
• Graduate Student projects require a team of at least three (3) people, including a Graduate Student (Applicant), a Researcher (Principal Investigator, typically the applicant’s major advisor), and at least one (1) Producer.
  • Graduate Student: Students must be enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program in an accredited university or college in the Western U.S. at the starting time of the project and may receive only one Western SARE Graduate Student Grant award during their graduate studies.
  • Principal Investigator (PI): A researcher that usually serves as the graduate student major advisor. The PI is responsible for carrying out its contractual provisions, all project’s expenditures, and for achieving the stated research and education objectives.
  • Producer: A person qualifies as a Producer (farmer/rancher) if they have a for-profit operation and:
    • Their primary occupation is farming or ranching and have a farm/ranch taxpayer identification number (TIN); or
    • They are a part-time producer with at least $1,000 documented annual income or equivalent from farming or ranching activities.

Funding Information

• Western SARE Graduate Student Grants provide a maximum of $30,000 (including Indirect Cost) for up to three years. Because universities typically do not allow students to manage institutional grant awards, the student’s major professor/advisor will be the Principal Investigator (PI) and the graduate student the applicant. For successful proposals, the PI’s institution (entity) will enter into a cost-reimbursable subaward agreement with Montana State University. The awarded entity is responsible for incurring approved project-related costs and regularly billing Western SARE / MSU to be reimbursed.
• Project Time Limit: Projects cannot exceed three (3) years (36 months). Please choose a start date that corresponds with the first of the month. Start dates must be no earlier than April 1, 2024, and no later than October 1, 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any graduate student enrolled at an accredited college or university in the Western region who is proposing to conduct research and education relevant to farmers and ranchers. A student applicant may receive only one Western SARE Graduate Student Grant during their graduate studies.

For more information, visit Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education.