Western SARE Graduate Student Grant

The Western SARE Administrative Council funds grant proposals that include creative and innovative on-farm/ranch research and educational outreach to advance Western SARE goals. All Western SARE projects must contain both research and education components. Western SARE is one of four regional SARE programs funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

This grant program involves full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited university of Western U.S., their academic advisor and at least one producer implementing projects to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture. 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.

Review these FAQs to learn more.

We encourage you to contact us!

Questions? Contact wsare-gs@sare.org

To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) must "enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops" in either domestic or foreign markets.

Crops that are eligible

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Tree nuts

• Dried fruits

• Christmas trees

• Turf type grasses

• Nursery crops (including floriculture and horticulture)

The following organizations can submit projects that aim to enhance the production and competitiveness of Oregon’s specialty crop industries:

• Non-profit organizations

• Local

• Government entities

• For-profit organizations

• Industry trade associations

• Producer groups

• Commodity commissions

• Public and private colleges/universities

Project Team: Western SARE requires that agricultural producers be involved from inception to finish in the planning, design, implementation, and educational outreach of any Western SAREfunded project, keeping in mind the inherently interdisciplinary nature of sustainable agriculture. The proposal must be written by the applicant graduate student and is not transferable to another non-applicant student. Graduate Student projects require a team of at least three (3) people, including a Graduate Student (Applicant), a Researcher (Principal Investigator, typically the applicant’s major advisor), and at least one (1) Producer.

• Graduate Student: Students must be enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program in an accredited university or college in the Western U.S. at the starting time of the project and may receive only one Western SARE Graduate Student Grant award during their graduate studies.

• Principal Investigator (PI): A researcher who usually serves as the graduate student’s major advisor. The PI is responsible for carrying out its contractual provisions, all project’s expenditures, and for achieving the stated research and education objectives. The PI must be associated with an organization in the Western region.

• Producer: A person qualifies as a Producer (farmer/rancher) if he/she has a for-profit operation and: o Her/his primary occupation is farming or ranching and have a farm/ranch taxpayer identification number (TIN); or o Is a part-time producer with at least $1,000 documented annual income or equivalent from farming or ranching activities. An equivalent of $1,000 of agricultural production is acceptable under circumstances where food is not sold, such as through cultural/indigenous farming operations. Project Time Limit: Projects cannot exceed three (3) years (36 months).

Please choose a start date that corresponds with the first of the month. Start dates must be no earlier than September 1, 2026, and no later than January 1, 2027. The latest possible project end date is December 31, 2029. Funded projects will not be able to request no-cost extensions past December 31, 2029. Project Funding Limit: Western SARE Graduate Student Grants provide a maximum of $30,000 (including Indirect Costs) for up to three 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. For successful proposals, the PI’s institution (entity) will enter into a cost-reimbursable subaward agreement with Montana State University. The awarded entity is responsible for incurring approved project-related costs and regularly billing Western SARE / MSU to be reimbursed

Call For Proposals

A virtual grantwriting webinar for the Graduate Student grant program will be held January 28, 2026, 4 pm Mountain Time. Registration required. Webinar will be posted afterward.

• Register for Webinar

Information for Managing Awards