Western SARE Graduate Student Grant

This grant program involves full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited university of Western U.S., their academic advisor (applicant), and producers implementing projects to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture. With the collaboration of producers, projects must integrate rigorous research and education aiming to advance the three components of sustainable agriculture- environmental, economic, and social. It is expected that outcomes of funded projects will result in quantifiable benefits for producers, increase the preservation of the natural and social resources upon which agriculture relies, and be documented in scholarly journals and disseminated throughout educational outreach activities with producers and other agricultural stakeholders. 

Eligible Projects: WSARE requires that agricultural producers be involved from inception to finish in the planning, design, implementation, and educational outreach of any WSARE funded project. Each of the WSARE-funded grant programs, has slightly different requirements for the composition of the project team and eligible applicant. Assemble your project team accordingly, keeping in mind the inherent interdisciplinary nature of sustainable agriculture. 

1. Farmer/Rancher Grants: The project team must be a minimum of two (2) people and must include: A Producer (Principal Investigator & Applicant) and an Agricultural Professional. The Agricultural Professional must be independent of the Producer and should not submit the application on behalf of the Producer. 

2. Professional + Producer Grants: The project team must be a minimum of six (6) people and must include: An Agricultural Professional (Principal Investigator & Applicant) and at least five (5) Producers. One of the producers must be identified as the Advisor Representative. 

3. Research and Education Grants: The project team must be a minimum of five (5) people and must include: A Researcher (PI or Co-PI), an Outreach Representative (PI or Co-PI), and at least three (3) Producers. One of the producers must be identified as the Advisor Representative. 

4. Graduate Student Grants: The project team must be a minimum of three (3) people and must include: A Graduate Student (Applicant), a Researcher (Principal Investigator and typically the applicant’s major professor) and at least one (1) Producer (Advisor Representative).

Funding: Western SARE Graduate Student Grants provide a maximum of $30,000 (including Indirect Cost) for up to two 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. Funds are awarded to the applicant’s university, with the funds to be dedicated to the student’s graduate research project.

Multiple submissions are accepted. Only one application (from any one individual applicant) can be awarded funding in any of the Western SARE competitive programs in one grant budget cycle. An exception to this rule, are proposals submitted to the Graduate Student program, where more than one project can be awarded to a PI who acts as main advisor of the graduate student(s). Additionally, obtaining Graduate Student awards does not exclude the PI to be awarded in other WSARE Research and Education or Professional Development grant programs for the same budget cycle.

Proposals are submitted online at: projects.sare.org

You must make an account to apply.

• 2023 Call for Proposals

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Information Page

• Grant Writing Webinar