Organic Research Grant Funding

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Taylor in Farming Practices, Farming Resources, Funding, Organic // 0 Comments

2020 Organic Research Grant Funding from OFRF

OFRF is pleased to announce the Fall 2019 Request for Letters of Intent is now open for 2020 grant funding. The program is open to all applicants residing and conducting research in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The deadline to submit Letters of Intent (LOI) is Friday, August 16, 2019. Successful applicants will be notified in fall 2019 and invited to submit a full proposal.

OFRF is committed to supporting innovative research that meets the current challenges of organic farming, and fosters the adoption and improvement of organic farming systems. Since 2006, OFRF has invested over $3M in organic research grant support based on scientific merit, combined with the potential to address key grower challenges. Techniques and findings from OFRF-funded organic research grant projects have been widely implemented by organic farmers and ranchers, with information disseminated online, in publications, and at farming conferences and field days.

“In today’s climate, organic farmers and ranchers must overcome more production risks than ever to remain competitive and sustain a livelihood,” said Lauren Snyder, OFRF’s Research Program Manager. “This year, we are excited to present an interdisciplinary set of special research topics in our request for LOI to reflect the diverse challenges organic producers face. Our goal is to encourage innovative research that identifies solutions to the environmental, economic, and social barriers to organic production systems.”

Based on the OFRF report, 2016 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), this year’s priority areas for organic research grant projects include soil health and weed management, organic pest management, climate change, and social science research on the barriers to organic transition. Submissions must meet one or more of the priority areas outlined in the request for LOI. We encourage applicants to download the report for more details.

The instructions and form for Organic Research Grant Project Applications are now available at ofrf.org. Project LOI are reviewed and approved by the OFRF Board of Directors, most of whom are certified organic producers. Applicants invited to submit full proposals will be notified in the fall. Grant funding will be announced in spring 2020.

We look forward to another year of outstanding project submissions!

View the Letter of Intent and instructions here.