Sources of Funding

SAREP Request for Proposals

SAREP has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support research and education projects on sustainable food systems. Targeted topic areas include: direct or regional marketing/distribution systems (demonstration or pilot projects) and social and economic analyses of conventional or alternative food systems. Proposals are due May 1, 2003. Total funding available is approximately $80,000 with typical awards of $10,000 to $20,000. Grants are available to individuals affiliated with California public or private educational institutions, with California non-profit, tax-exempt organizations, or with federal or state government agencies. For complete guidelines on how to apply, see the full RFP on SAREP’s Web site at: www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/grants/RFP/2003/RFP2003.htm. SAREP’s Web site also has information about previously funded projects. A print version of this RFP may be requested by calling (530) 752-7556. Questions about these grants may be directed to Gail Feenstra, food systems analyst (gwfeenstra@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-8408) or Bev Ransom, grants manager (baransom@ucdavis.edu, 530-754-8546).

Western SARE grants
Pre-proposals, proposals
The USDA’s Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) program is releasing calls for proposals (and in one category pre-proposals) for its competitive grants in research and education, professional development and farmer and rancher projects. A pre-proposal format is required for research and education grants; the call for pre-proposals was released Apr. 1, 2003, with pre-proposals due June 9, 2003.

Pre-proposals are not required for farmer/rancher or professional development program grants. Those calls for proposals were announced Apr. 1, with deadlines of Oct. 1, 2003 for the farmer/rancher grants and Oct. 15, 2003 for the professional development grants. The farmer/rancher grants encompass three subcategories: the basic farmer/rancher grants, marketing systems grants and organic systems grants. In a separate call for proposals, agricultural professionals may apply for “Ag Professional + Producer” grants, in which a producer, or several producers, serves as an advisor to the grant applicant, who may be extension or National Resource Conservation Service personnel, consultants or other ag professionals.

Calls for pre-proposals and proposals, as well as funded project results, are available at the program’s Web site http://wsare.usu.edu, or by contacting the Western SARE office at Utah State University at (435) 797-2257 to request an application.

Four regional councils implement the national SARE program, which was mandated by Congress in the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills and extended by the 1995 Farm Bill reauthorization. Western SARE is coordinated by Utah State University soil scientist V. Philip Rasmussen and led by an administrative council that represents diverse agricultural, business, producer, and public interests in the West. The Western Region includes Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Micronesia, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, N. Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

EPA grants for FQPA transition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Pacific Trust Islands) is continuing a grant program to help implement the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and support “transition” efforts by growers. State agencies, universities, Cooperative Extension, Tribes, and non-profit organizations are eligible to submit proposals. Both new and existing projects will be considered. Proposals must be postmarked by April 25, 2003. For more information, contact Cindy Moore Wire at (415) 947-4242, or

Organic Research grants
The Organic Farming Research Foundation offers research grants of up to $15,000; applicants are invited for consideration in its twice-yearly funding cycle. Funds are offered for organic farming research, dissemination of research results to organic farmers and growers interested in making the transition to organic production and consumer education on organic farming issues. The foundation’s on-farm research guide gives an overview of the research process and is accessible through OFRF’s Web site (www.ofrf.org) under “research program” or can be ordered free of charge by calling OFRF at (831) 426-6606. The deadlines for proposal consideration are July 15 for the fall funding cycle and January 15 for the spring funding cycle. Contact Jane Sooby at OFRF, PO Box 440, Santa Cruz, CA 95061 or email research@ofrf.org or jane@ofrf.org

Organic Research & Extension Initiative
The 2002 Farm Bill mandated $15 million for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative to be spent at $3 million a year from FY 2004 to FY 2008. The purpose of the program is to fund research that will enhance organic producers’ and processors’ ability to grow and market high quality organic food, feed and fiber. The program will be managed at the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). CREES will be requesting applications approximately October 2003, which will likely be due in December, or in January 2004. Farmers may apply independently, but are strongly encouraged to have a county Extension Specialist connection to a university or other institution. For more information, see administrative recommendations compiled by the Organic Farming Research Found-ation and Scientific Congress on Organic Agricultural Research at: http://ofrf.org/ policy/index.html. Or contact Tom Bewick, tbewick@reeusda.gov (202) 401-3356.