Farm Aid Annual Grants for Nonprofit Organizations

Each year, proceeds from Farm Aid's annual festival and its community of donors are granted to IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working to strengthen family-farm agriculture in the United States. Since its first concert in 1985, Farm Aid has granted more than $32 million to over 300 organizations nationwide. Grantmaking focuses on three funding areas: (1) building local and regional food systems that connect family farmers directly with consumers; (2) providing family farmers with support and resources to start farming, transition to more sustainable practices, and continue farming through financial crises and natural disasters; and (3) promoting fair farm policies and organizing grassroots campaigns to defend and bolster family-farm agriculture. Cross-cutting priorities include racial equity, farmer-led solutions to climate change, curbing industrial/corporate consolidation in agriculture, and support for farmers experiencing crisis and farm stress.

Applicants are IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (or organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor) that serve family farmers in the United States within one of Farm Aid's three funding areas. Per IRS regulations, Farm Aid cannot provide grants or loans to individual farmers or for the commercial operation of a farm; grants to individuals and to nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (or a qualifying fiscal sponsor) are ineligible.

Grants are awarded annually across three funding areas. In 2025, Farm Aid granted approximately $1.3 million to 106 organizations; typical awards range from about $5,000 to $10,000. More than $32 million has been granted to over 300 organizations since 1985.

Farm Aid's annual grantmaking runs on a cycle: invited organizations receive applications in the summer and awards are announced in November–December. Farm Aid does not fund individual farmers. Prospective grantees should review the funding areas and current grantee list on the grant-guidelines page and direct questions to grants@farmaid.org.