UC SAREP calls for small grants proposals

UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program is now accepting grant proposals for its 2024-25 Small Grants Program.

The program funds research projects, education and demonstration programs of research-based technologies and systems, and projects that support the development of sustainable community food systems. Proposals are due Jan. 9, 2024, at noon PST

UC SAREP will fund projects that fall within two priority areas:

Priority Area 1:  Support California's farmers, ranchers and land stewards of all scales in piloting and transitioning to: 

• environmentally regenerative approaches to producing crops and livestock (including but not limited to soil health, organic and agroecological practices, integrated pest management and crop diversification);
• pathways for realizing economic return from ecologically-sound crop management practices and fair labor practices;
• marketing and distribution strategies that support diversified, decentralized and locally based supply chains;
• strategies that promote producer-to-producer networking and/or producer-to-supply chain networking.

Priority Area 2:  Support California's rural, urban and tribal communities in identifying and implementing strategies to: 

• expand access to healthy, sustainably produced, culturally appropriate foods;
• ensure worker well-being across the food chain;
• minimize the community and environmental costs of food production and distribution; 
• strengthen connections between consumers and producers;
• establish and strengthen producer-to-producer connections and producer-to-supply chain connections.

Eligible applicants include: 

• farm or food system businesses operating in California;
• nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations operating in California;
• state and local government agencies, tribal governments;
• California public and private institutions of higher education.

Individual grants will be limited to a maximum of $10,000, with one applied research grant awarded up to $20,000. Proposals are requested for three types of projects:  

• Planning grants 
• Education and outreach grants
• Applied research grants

For more information and to apply, visit https://sarep.ucdavis.edu/grantsFY24-25. 

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