Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

The primary goal of BFRDP, under assistance listing number 10.311, is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and its territories enter and/or improve their successes in farming, ranching, and management of nonindustrial private forest lands, through support for projects that provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to give beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations and enhance their sustainability.

Program Details

National Institute of Food and Agriculture is a federal agency that offers the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant program to support sustainability. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by National Institute of Food and Agriculture through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for sustainability should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include eligible organizations. Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and to review the full program guidelines before submission. Because eligibility rules and funding priorities can change between cycles, applicants should always confirm the current requirements with National Institute of Food and Agriculture or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Funding available: $49K – $750K. Applications are due by June 16, 2026. Applicants should allow sufficient time to gather required documentation, including organizational information, project descriptions, budgets, and supporting materials as specified in the program guidelines. Submitting a complete application well ahead of the deadline reduces the risk of disqualification on technical or administrative grounds.

Program Focus

This grant supports sustainability. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 111, 112, 541712, 115. Organizations operating in these sectors are encouraged to review eligibility. Funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with the program's stated objectives. Grant recipients may be required to submit progress reports and final evaluations as a condition of the award, and to retain records for audit and compliance purposes.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations can apply through Grants.gov. Create a free organization profile on GrantRegister to see whether this grant matches your organization's NAICS code, entity type, location, and focus area, and to receive a weekly digest of every open grant you qualify for.

GrantRegister maintains a complete, authoritative registry of US federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities — matched automatically to your organization profile and delivered every Monday.

Eligibility

• Funded by USDA-NIFA

Award details

Award range: $49K – $750K. Applications close on June 16, 2026.

Categories

Sustainability