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GRANTS |
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
If sustainable food production requires a set of practices that provide for good returns, a healthy environment, and a good quality of life, then no-till gardening must be on the right track. Like its bigger cousin, this type of gardening does not rely on tillage to control weeds and prepare the soil for planting. Instead, weeds are controlled and the soil protected largely or entirely with plant residues. These residues are grown in place and maintained after harvest or even enhanced with cover crops or extra mulch. The result is no-rototilling, weeding that is a breeze, better water retention and aeration, and soils so rich the production is just amazing. No-till gardening has been around for many hundreds of years and it enjoyed a resurgence in the USA due to organic gardeners like Ruth Stout back in the 1950s.
(Photo Above Left: David Podoll of Fullerton shows off what 34 years of no-till management can do for garden soil..)
(Photo Right: Roger and Pat Ashley of New Hradec grew this no-till garden following a single application of glyphosate to established sod.)
Here in North Dakota organic farmer David Podoll and NDSU Extension Specialist Roger Ashley are providing superior examples of how much cheaper and easier gardening could be and also models for what larger scale food production can do.
Experts in many other areas of agriculture are passing along information on crop rotations, reduced tillage farming, range management, marketing and other topics to educators via SARE sponsored travel scholarships and mini-grants for professional development. Young people, farmers and ranchers, and university researchers are also working on new ideas for sustainability for our region with SARE sponsored grants. Below is a list of the programs that SARE sponsors in the Dakotas and the North Central Region.
Information about Sustainable Agriculture is available via our links page to a host of organizations across the nation and around the world. National SARE has information about the program nation wide and also a list of books and free bulletins available from the Sustainable Agriculture Network. The North Central Region SARE website covers grants and activities in the 12-state North Central Region and their newsletter, Field Notes, will keep you up to date on major events in sustainable agriculture.
You can also access information from the presentations made at the recent National SARE conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Youth and Youth Educator Grants
Success with the SARE Youth Grants in the Dakotas has led the program to go regional. Applications for competitive Youth and Youth Educator Grants are accepted in August and early September. Please visit the North Central SARE website for more information.
USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
Youth Grants for the Dakotas.
[ click for more information ] 
[ click for more information ] 
Graduate Student Grants: North Central Region SARE funds Graduate Student grants in Sustainable Agriculture for projects that address sustainable agriculture issues and are part of the student's degree program. NCR-SARE instituted the Graduate Student grant program in 2002 for officially registered graduate students (Masters and Ph.D.) enrolled at accredited colleges or universities. Projects must benefit agriculture in the North Central Region of the U.S. Fifty-states. NCR-SARE awards grant funds for grad student projects up to $10,000, and projects may last up to three years. A Call for Proposals is usually issued in the fall, and Graduate Student Grant proposals are due in January. Usually, the Council announces the awards in the spring, and notifies recipients shortly thereafter. Funds are typically available in the fall.
Farmer Rancher Grants: Producers know best when it comes to improving their systems. Whether they
need to limit off-farm inputs, reduce erosion, create more time for family
or community activities, learn marketing skills, or find other ways to
enhance their livelihoods, farmers and ranchers can turn to NCR-SARE for a
financial boost to achieve their goals. The first step in exploring
sustainable agriculture on-farm is to identify a research/education goal.
Then contact local agricultural groups, extension educators, NRCS personnel
or others, share ideas and invite participation. After identifying a
specific goal that solves a specific problem and also putting together a
good team, farmers and ranchers can apply to North Central SARE for up to
$6,000 or up to $18,000 for groups of three or more independent producers.
The call for proposals has just been released and they are due on the 3rd of
December, 2009. Decisions will be made by March and funds available late in
spring of 2009. You can find the application and program description with
the link above and you can get assistance in crafting your proposal from the
Dakota SARE coordinator.
Research and Education Grants: Many agricultural researchers today acknowledge the connection between nature and what we eat , generating ideas on environmentally sound, economically viable, socially responsible agricultural systems. The USDA's North Central Region (NCR) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program supports innovators with competitive Research and Education grants . Individual grants range from $10,000 to $175,000. These projects are carried out by collaborative teams working with producers to improve farm and ranch profitability while exploring social, economic and environmental aspects of whole systems. Calls for preproposals are issued in mid-April and these are due by mid-June. After these are reviewed, calls for full proposals are issued in August and the full proposals are due in October. Final decisions are made the following March and funds become available by late summer or early fall.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR AGRICULTURE EDUCATORS
These programs are for educators with Extension, NRCS, Vo-Ag, Soil Conservation Districts, and other agencies and organizations to help build competence in areas of Sustainable Agriculture.
Travel Scholarships: Travel support of up to $1,000 is provided to qualifying educators so that they canattend field days, conferences or workshops and learn new information about sustainability that they willshare with their students and clients. These are available through the SARE program in North Dakota and are open while funds remain. Applications must be sent in at least 30 days before the proposed event. Successful applicants must take the on-line Sustainable Agriculture course and fill out a self-evaluation form before being reimbursed for travel expenses.
(Photo: These educators meet with David Podoll to learn about no-till gardening via North Dakota SARE Travel Scholarships)
Professional Development Grants: These grants from the North Central Region SARE program are for up to $75,000 for programs that will develop greater knowledge, competence, and activity about Sustainable Agriculture for agriculture educators across the region. Preproposals are called for in spring and are due in May. Full proposals are called for in late summer and are due in late fall. Decisions are announced the following March and funds are available by late spring.
Other Professional Development Opportunities:
Organic Farm Tour presentation made via interactive video to locations in North Dakota, South Dakota and New York
No-Work Garden presentation - See what NDSU Extension Agents learned about no-work gardening in North Dakota at the 2009 Extension and AES Conference.
