Funding-On-Farm Research Grants Emphasize Farmer/Organization Collaboration; November 15, 2011

GRIFFIN, Georgia – Ag professionals in Cooperative Extension, universities, NGOs and government and non-government organizations who collaborate with farmers/ranchers in their research have the opportunity to apply for a grant that affords them the opportunity to conduct research in sustainable agriculture.

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has released its Calls for Proposals for the 2012 On-Farm Research Grants. Proposal submission deadline is 11:59 Eastern Standard Time on Nov. 15, 2011. Announcement of grants will take place in February 2012.

On-Farm Research Grants are intended for Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Services, university personnel, government, and non-governmental organizations that work with farmers/ranchers and are interested in conducting on-farm research or marketing projects related to sustainable agriculture. Applicants must work with at least one farmer/rancher on the project to conduct on-farm research in sustainable agriculture.

The On-Farm Research Grants are not intended for farmers/ranchers. If you are a farmer/rancher and are interested in applying for a grant, refer to the Producer Grant Program. Calls for Proposals for Producer Grants are also currently open.

On-Farm Research Grants may be funded up to two years for a project maximum of $15,000.  Log on to http://www.southernsare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant to download the current Calls for Proposal. The Calls for Proposals includes application information, program priorities, use of funds, proposals submission instructions, and contact information. Be sure to carefully follow the information in the Calls for Proposals when submitting your grant. Failure to follow the submission guidelines may result in your proposal being rejected.

SARE is a competitive grants program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to promote research and education about sustainable agriculture. Southern SARE is administered by a host consortium consisting of the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State University and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Oklahoma.

For more information on Southern SARE, log on to http://www.southernsare.org, follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/southernsare, or fan us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/southsare.