Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI)

RAFI-USA Farmer Grants Program

RAFI-USA Farmer Hotline

RAFI-USA's Farmers of Color Network Fund provides support to farmers for projects that will increase farm viability, support community food sovereignty efforts, preserve traditional & cultural farming practices, as well as assist local food economies.



To be eligible for this grant, farmers must: 
- Earn a significant amount of their personal income from their farm operation.
- Identify as a farmer of color.
- Have at least three years farming experience and have worked two years in their current farming operation and location.
- Be farming in the Southeast region of the US: this includes AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, and VA.
- Complete and submit an application by the deadline. Farmers may only submit one application (as an individual or a collective)

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

Grant

- Blank Application Example
- Completed Application Example

Native Americans

Farmers Market

Socially Disadvantaged

Food Systems

People Of Color

Historically Underserved

Guidelines
We fund promising on-farm projects that demonstrate an ability to increase farm sustainability; establish new markets for local products and services; develop new uses for existing structures and equipment; add value to existing farm products through processing, packaging or marketing; make optimal use of on-farm and natural resources; and Cultural/Heritage projects which are focused on preserving and continuing a specific agrarian tradition.
Funding priority will be given to proposals with:
- High expected impact on farm viability and sustainability 
- Strong project feasibility and planning: a clear plan, detailed budget and timeline, and all supporting documentation included. 
- Individual financial need, or location in an economically disadvantaged area
- Farmers who have not previously received an infrastructure grant from RAFI.
Applicants may request up to $10,000 in funding. This applies to individual farm projects as well as collaborative projects for cooperatives, collectives, or two or more farms. Please note, grant awards are taxable income.

This is an episodic program activated in response to specific disasters; there is not a standing open application cycle. Watch RAFI-USA's grant programs page for activation, or contact RAFI-USA.

Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA

Since the 1990s, RAFI-USA has partnered with different organizations to distribute emergency grants for disaster relief to assist farmers during crises. These grants help small farmers in the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean recover from the immediate impacts of extreme weather events (such as hurricanes and drought) and economic hardship, and stay afloat. Grants are often distributed in partnership with other organizations, such as Farm Aid.



Emergency grants are for small farmers affected by specific disaster events in RAFI's service region (Southeast U.S. and the Caribbean).

Coronavirus

Fencing

Trade Relief

Trees

Wildfire

Drought

Flood

Hurricane

Tornado

Emergency

Weather

Disaster Relief

Emergency grants are dependent on funding and available in response to specific disaster events rather than through regular application cycles. As a historical example, RAFI distributed $25,000 in emergency household grants to Southeast farmers after Hurricanes Florence and Michael in 2018.

See RAFI-USA's grant programs page. This grant is tied to Farm Bill cycles; watch for the next advocacy funding round.

The Grassroots Farm Policy Grant, part of RAFI-USA's Climate and Equity Policy Project (launched 2022), uplifts the voices of farmers by providing funding and support to groups predominantly led by or serving farmers of color, to engage in climate-related policy advocacy for the Farm Bill.



Eligible applicants are BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving grassroots organizations (not individuals) that support historically marginalized farmers and ranchers and engage in policy advocacy.

Beginning Farmers

Veterans

Español

Women

Labor

$300,000 was awarded to grassroots BIPOC-led organizations for advocacy work on the 2023 Farm Bill; fourteen organizations received grants from a pool of 45 applicants. RAFI-USA also provides capacity-building support (trainings on the Farm Bill and federal policy process, convening/peer support, and policy content).

List of Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) Funding Opportunities