Applications for Native Farmers and Ranchers Programs

The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) was created in 2018 by the Keepseagle v. Vilsack litigation settlement and works to support Native American farmers and ranchers and promote their continued engagement in agriculture. 

To that end, the NAAF has issued an RFA seeking proposals for projects that deliver developed content with practical application to the success of Native farmers and ranchers, keeping in line with the four areas important to the success of Native farmers and ranchers or that take research and assist individuals in applying the results of that research to improve their operations, including business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy. Funds may be used for project support, general and organizational support, scholarships, re-grants, lending programs, or capital expenditures.

The four entities supported through this RFA include: 

CDFIs: Applications are sought from CDFIs or Native CDFIs that meet the definition of eligible entities and currently provide agricultural lending to Native farmers and ranchers. These entities are not required to provide any specific percentage of their available pool for lending to Native farmers and ranchers Still, they should have demonstrated activity or need in the agriculture lending area. There is no set limit on the maximum amount of funding a single CDFI, or Native CDFI may seek, but no CDFI may request the total available funding ($5 million in this pool). 

Educational Institutions: Grants will be awarded to support educational organizations recognized as such by the IRS that currently provide food and agriculture-related classroom training, classroom education programs, agriculture programs, and/or professional or certificate programs in ag law, veterinary, engineering, or related areas; scholarships; curriculum development; and applied research in topics important to the success of Native farmers and ranchers, including career technical training. Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded from an available pool of $1.5 million.

Nonprofit Organizations: Grants will be awarded in support of business assistance, technical support, agricultural education, or advocacy projects. Nonprofit organizations must provide proof that they currently serve Native farmers and ranchers. Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded from an available pool of $2 million.

Tribal Governments and Instrumentalities: Grants will be awarded to support agricultural infrastructure, beginning farmer and rancher, climate resilience, conservation and disaster assistance, and communal land acquisition. Applications for value-added agriculture enterprise development and regionalized/localized intertribal food systems development are also sought. Funding sought in this category can be used for preliminary construction activities, feasibility studies, marketing studies, ascertainment of labeling and marketing characteristics of foods, or other activities related to product development. Funding can also be used for shovel-ready projects, technology-based resources that support infrastructure development, website development, or specialized marketing activities. Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded from an available pool of $2 million.

Youth Programming: Grants will be awarded in support of programs that use youth engagement in agriculture, such as K-12 classroom activities, community youth gardens, community youth ag policy councils, FFA or 4-H, youth food summits, or mobilizing Native youth to take on more roles in food systems and food product development activities. Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded from an available pool of $1 million.

Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations as defined by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, educational organizations, CDFIs or Native CDFIs, and Tribal governments (state or federally recognized) or instrumentalities of those governments.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Native American Agriculture Fund website.