Browse Ambrook’s collection of grants, loans, discounts, cost shares, easements, and insurance for non-profit.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please contact your local state office for additional information and to apply for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program.

This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:

- Help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund.

- Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.



This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:
- Help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund.
- Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.

Who may apply for this program?

The following are eligible to be a Microenterprise Development Organization:
- Nonprofits.
- Federally-recognized tribes.
- Institutions of higher education.

The following are eligible to apply for a loan from the MDO as an ultimate recipient:
- Businesses located in an eligible area with 10 or fewer full-time employees.

What is an eligible area?
- Rural areas outside a city or town with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents. Urbanized areas near a city of 50,000 or more may not be eligible.
- The borrower’s headquarters may be based within a larger city so long as the project service area is located in an eligible rural area.
- The lender may be located anywhere.

Check eligible addresses for Business Programs.

Are there other requirements?

Microenterprise Development Organizations must demonstrate experience in managing a Revolving Loan Fund, or:
- Certify that it or its employees have received education and training from a qualified microenterprise development training entity so that the applicant has the capacity to manage such a revolving loan fund.
- Demonstrate that it is actively and successfully participating as an intermediary lender in good standing under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program or other similar loan programs as determined by the Administrator.

A payment that must be returned to the provider following specified terms of repayment and interest rate.

Loan

Stewardship

Español

Native Americans

People Of Color

Women

Labor

What kind of funding is available? 
- Grants are available to provide technical assistance to rural micro-entrepreneurs or microenterprises, up to $205,000 annually. Funding at the requested level is not guaranteed, and at least 15 percent matching funds are required.
- Loans of $50,000 to $500,000 may be used for establishing a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund managed by the Microenterprise Development Organization. Total aggregate debt is capped at $2.5 million.

What are the loan terms?
- Maximum term is 20 years.
- Two-year payment deferral.
- Must establish a loan loss reserve fund.

What terms are required on loans to ultimate recipients?
- Up to $50,000.
- Fixed interest rate.
- Limited to 75 percent of project cost.

How may the funds be used?

Microlenders may make microloans for qualified business activities and expenses including, but not limited to:
- Working capital.
- Debt refinancing.
- Purchasing equipment and supplies.
- Improving real estate.

Proposals are submitted online at: projects.sare.org
You must make an account to apply.

You will need to provide the following items as part of the online proposal application:
- Application signoff page (see online information)
- Project title and brief project description (max of 160 characters)
- Project summary (maximum of 250 words)
- Proposal narrative
- Proposed budget and budget narrative
- Project personnel listing along with curriculum vitas (cv) of PI and co-PI’s, limited to 2 pages per cv (note that cvs are not needed for farmer participants or other cooperators unless acting as co-PI); upload the 2-page cvs as PDF files.
- Program logic model (one page - upload as separate pdf file)
- Letter(s) of collaboration should be uploaded as PDF files from the lead cooperator at each organization receiving a subcontract on the grant. Note that we do NOT ask for or want general letters of support on these applications.

Rob Myers

The North Central Region SARE (NCR-SARE) Professional Development Grant Program supports state professional development programs and competitive grants for training agricultural professionals.


Professional Development Program (PDP) competitive grants emphasize 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. Applicants are educators who often represent but are not limited to, Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and non-profit groups. PDP competitive grants are awarded for state and multi-state PDP projects that emphasize cross-agency training, using farmers as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community. 



The North Central Region SARE (NCR-SARE) Professional Development Grant Program supports state professional development programs and competitive grants for training agricultural professionals.

Professional Development Program (PDP) competitive grants emphasize 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. Applicants are educators who often represent but are not limited to, Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and non-profit groups. PDP competitive grants are awarded for state and multi-state PDP projects that emphasize cross-agency training, using farmers as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community. 

Proposals must be targeted to educators within the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), other governmental agencies, and/or educators and other relevant personnel in the non-profit and for-profit sectors serving farmers and ranchers. Projects can be for up to 36 months in duration. Involvement of educators from more than one state is appropriate but not required. 

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

Landscape

High Tunnel

Air Quality

Regenerative

Certification

Carbon Capture

Wildlife and Pollinator Habitat

Soil Health

Cover Crops

Certified Grassfed

Certified Organic

Reduced Tillage

Funding decisions are made by NCR-SARE’s regional Administrative Council, after receiving feedback from a review committee. The Administrative Council is a collection of farmers, ranchers, university representatives, nonprofit representatives, Extension and NRCS people, other government employees, and agribusiness representatives. This group sets research priorities and recommends projects for funding.
Before writing a grant proposal, determine a clear project goal and explore previous research. It often helps to contact NCR-SARE, local agriculture groups, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and/or Extension educators to share ideas and invite participation. 

A complete application includes: 
1. Application Cover Page (Appendix A), submitted as a MS Word document with editable text 
2. Budget Form (Appendix B), submitted as a MS Word document OR MS Excel spreadsheet 
3. A project plan (Appendix C), submitted as a MS Word document with editable text 
4. Conceptual drawings, estimates/quotes, production information, letters of support, etc. If applicable, these can be submitted as .pdf documents 

The completed application must be submitted by email to the address published when the program is opened.

The word documents of Appendix A, B, and C noted are linked in the Resources section and can also can be found at www.CTGrown.gov/Grants.

Jaime Smith

The Farm Viability Grant provides matching funds to Connecticut municipalities, groups of municipalities, regional councils of governments, and/or agricultural non-profit organizations for projects that directly impact and/or foster agricultural viability. 


All projects funded by the Farm Viability Grant must advance farming and agriculture as defined by Connecticut General Statutes Section 1-1(q). 



The Farm Viability Grant provides matching funds to Connecticut municipalities, groups of municipalities, regional councils of governments, and/or agricultural non-profit organizations for projects that directly impact and/or foster agricultural viability. 

All projects funded by the Farm Viability Grant must advance farming and agriculture as defined by Connecticut General Statutes Section 1-1(q). 

The following entities are eligible to apply for the Farm Viability Grant: 
1. Municipalities with a current Plan of Conservation and Development 
2. Regional councils of governments organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive 
3. Groups of municipalities that have established a regional inter-local agreement pursuant to sections 7-339a to 7-339l, inclusive 
4. Agricultural non-profit organizations 

To qualify for the Farm Viability Grant as a non-profit, the non-profit must be registered with the Connecticut Secretary of State and provide a copy of the federal IRS exemption letter. Nonprofits must have submitted Form 990 and been in existence for the previous three years. 

Prior grantees may reapply for a Farm Viability Grant. However, open awards, past awards, and corresponding project completion and outcomes will be taken into consideration.

NEW: Starting in November 2020, applicants which have received two years of consecutive funding will be ineligible for an award for one year. Applicants can reapply for funding after taking a year hiatus. For example: 
- 2019: Project awarded 
- 2020: Project awarded 
- 2021: Ineligible for an award 
- 2022: Eligible for an award 

All projects which focus on a farmers’ market, must pertain to a Certified Connecticut Grown Farmers’ Market for the full duration of the project to be eligible.

- Farmland Reinvestment Grant Guidelines and Forms (.pdf)
- Appendix A: Application Cover Page (.docx)
- Appendix B: Budget Form (.doc)
- Appendix C: Required Format for Business/Project Plan  (.doc)
- Appendix D: Submission Checklist (.doc)
- Farm Viability Grant

Local Food

Food Systems

Matching funds from the applicant must be a minimum of 40% of the total cost of the project budget; this must be clearly outlined in the application. The match can consist of in-kind and/or cash contributions directly associated with the project. All match expenses must be clearly documented and justified. 

After the issuance of a purchase order, one cash advance of up to 50% of the total grant award may be requested by the grantee. The balance of the award will be reimbursed upon project completion and submission of required documents. 

Each year, FAS announces the EMP application period and criteria in the Federal Register. U.S. non-profit, for-profit and government entities are all eligible to apply. Applicants submit proposals through the Unified Export Strategy (UES) process, which allows eligible organizations to request funding from multiple USDA market development programs through a single, strategically coordinated proposal.

FAS Program Operations Division

The Emerging Markets Program (EMP) helps U.S. organizations promote exports of U.S. agricultural products to countries that have—or are developing—market-oriented economies and that have the potential to be viable commercial markets.


Through the EMP, FAS provides cost-share funding for technical assistance activities such as feasibility studies, market research, sectorial assessments, orientation visits, specialized training and business workshops. The EMP supports exports of generic U.S. agricultural commodities and products, meaning projects that endorse or promote branded products or specific companies are not eligible.


There is no fixed list of "emerging market" countries, but the legislation defines an emerging market as any country that "is taking steps toward a market-oriented economy through the food, agriculture, or rural business sectors of the economy of the country" and "has the potential to provide a viable and significant market for United States commodities or products of United States agricultural commodities." Guidance on qualified countries is provided each year in the program application announcement.



The Emerging Markets Program (EMP) helps U.S. organizations promote exports of U.S. agricultural products to countries that have—or are developing—market-oriented economies and that have the potential to be viable commercial markets.

Through the EMP, FAS provides cost-share funding for technical assistance activities such as feasibility studies, market research, sectorial assessments, orientation visits, specialized training and business workshops. The EMP supports exports of generic U.S. agricultural commodities and products, meaning projects that endorse or promote branded products or specific companies are not eligible.

There is no fixed list of "emerging market" countries, but the legislation defines an emerging market as any country that "is taking steps toward a market-oriented economy through the food, agriculture, or rural business sectors of the economy of the country" and "has the potential to provide a viable and significant market for United States commodities or products of United States agricultural commodities." Guidance on qualified countries is provided each year in the program application announcement.

1. To participate in the EMP, U.S. private or government entities must demonstrate a role or interest in the exports of U.S. agricultural commodities. Government organizations consist of Federal, state, and local agencies. Private entities include non-profit trade associations, universities, agricultural cooperatives, SRTGs, consulting businesses, research institutions, and profit-making entities. Foreign organizations, whether government or private, may participate as subrecipients in activities carried out by U.S. entities, but are not eligible for direct funding assistance from the program.
2. Proposals from research and consulting entities will be considered for funding assistance only with evidence of substantial participation in and financial support to the proposed project by U.S. industry. Such support is most credibly demonstrated through actual monetary contributions to the cost of the project.
3. For-profit entities shall not use program funds to conduct private business, promote private self-interests, or promote their own products or services beyond specific uses approved in a given project. For-profit entities shall not use program funds to supplement the costs of normal day-to-day operations.

List of Agricultural Funding for Non-Profit