2018 - Volume #42, Issue #6, Page #05
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“Free Money” Research Grants
Fred Forsburg has received several financial grants to help cover the cost of on-farm projects he planned to do anyway. State, federal and sometimes private foundations offer a wide variety of financial grants. Forsburg suggests starting with Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), a program funded through the USDA (www.sare.org). “I’ve received 3 grants through SARE and 1 through another organization that’s private,” says Forsburg. “I’m now in the process of applying for a fourth SARE grant to continue my research on fly control (see story in Vol. 42, No. 5).”
Forsburg got his first grant while he was researching the potential for using vinegar as an herbicide. He had already done considerable research on the internet and talked to USDA and Cornell University researchers. Along the way, a friend advised him to check out SARE for grants.
“I submitted a grant application to the Northeast SARE regional office at the University of Vermont,” says Forsburg.
SARE breaks the country into 4 regions. Details of grant deadlines and how to apply are found there.
Forsburg got the grant for his vinegar experiments, did the research, wrote it up for SARE, and spoke about it at numerous conferences. His was the first actual research conducted on vinegar as an herbicide. That was 15 years ago, and he is still being contacted about the results. “In late September I had a call from a person in Australia and recently had emails from people in eastern Russia,” says Forsburg.
Two other grants have not turned out so well. In both cases, outside factors affected the research results.
“Sometimes research works, and sometimes it doesn’t,” says Forsburg.
For those interested in submitting a grant application, Forsburg explains that ideas must be clearly presented with a good plan for verifying results or demonstrating a new practice. He suggests looking at other grant applications online for tips on what is necessary for success.
Editor’s Note: We checked recent SARE grants in Minnesota and found that they have varied from $1,500 up to $22,000. Hundreds of grants are awarded every year.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Fred Forsburg, 6241 Price Rd., Livonia, N.Y. 14487 (ph 585 346-3829; honeyhillfarm@rochester.rr.com; www.honeyhillorganicfarm.com).
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