Southern SARE Graduate Student Grant

SARE may be a small program compared to other USDA agricultural funding efforts, but it consistently has an impact out of proportion to its budget. One aspect of the program contributing to this success is the high level of continued engagement researchers have with the SARE program; researchers and extension specialists routinely revisit SARE as a source of grant funding for sustainable agriculture projects.

This relationship is best illustrated through the Graduate Student Grant program. The grant was started in 2000 to give Master’s and PhD students the opportunity to conduct sustainable agriculture research projects. It has been a vehicle to apply for other SARE grants as students further their research careers.

Graduate Student Grant proposals must meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for funding:

• Graduate students must be enrolled full time, according to the institution’s requirements, at an accredited institution in the Southern region at the time of proposal submission. International students are welcome to apply as long as they are enrolled in an institution in the Southern region.

• Graduate Student Grant projects must address sustainable agriculture issues of current and potential importance to the Southern region.

• The proposed project satisfies the requirements of allowable expenses.

• The graduate student is only allowed to apply for one proposal to the Graduate Student Grant program during his or her graduate student program.

Graduate Student Grant funds may NOT be used for the following purposes:

• Graduate student stipends.

• Preparation of thesis copy.

• Publication costs.

• Purchase of classroom books or payment of tuition.

• Permanent capital improvements (such as land, buildings, purchase of livestock or bees, purchases of permanent irrigation or fencing, greenhouses or high tunnels, or planting an orchard)

• Call for Proposals

• Information Page