Funding available for on-farm climate adaptation projects

University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) invites farmers across Greater Minnesota to apply for funding for on-farm climate adaptation and mitigation projects through RSDP’s Farmer Climate Action Fund.

Small grants will be awarded through a competitive process for ready-to-go, farmer-led projects, including but not limited to planting wildlife corridors, replacing fossil fuels with clean energy alternatives, implementing soil health practices that sequester carbon and incorporating agroforestry systems.

“The Farmer Climate Action supports Minnesota farmers to be innovative while also reducing risks that may come from incorporating climate resilience practices.” explains Tobin Tyler, Southwest RSDP Assistant Project Coordinator. “In our first round of funding we awarded 29 farmer-led projects across Minnesota that included purchasing biochar production and electric-powered equipment, launching fish-waste fertilizer production and planting cover crops.”

Priority will be given to projects that are shovel-ready and can be completed by December 31, 2026. The deadline to apply is January 2, 2026, with awards announced in early February. More information and application materials are available on the RSDP website at z.umn.edu/FarmerFund.

Funding for the Farmer Climate Action Fund is made possible through generous support by the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.

For more information about the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, visit RSDP.umn.edu.