This project, hosted by the university of vermont, provides coordination of the USDA / nifa sustainable agriculture research and education (sare) program for 12 northeastern states and the district of…

The University of Vermont & State Agricultural College serves as the regional host institution for the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program (CFDA 10.215) for the Northeast region, comprising 12 northeastern states and the District of Columbia. Under this $10.81 million Cooperative Agreement awarded September 30, 2025, and extending through September 29, 2030, the institution coordinates the administration of seven distinct competitive grant programs: Research and Education Grants, Professional Development Program Grants, Farmer Grants, Partnership Grants, Graduate Student Grants, State Program Grants, and Community Farming Grants. The regional office manages the full grant lifecycle for these programs, including solicitation distribution, proposal review and evaluation through a technical committee assembled in consultation with an administrative council, and recommendation of projects for funding. The administrative council establishes the region's grant-making priorities and funding policies within SARE's authorizing legislation framework.

The overarching purpose of the SARE program is to promote research, outreach, and training initiatives that enhance agricultural profitability, protect natural resources and the environment, and improve farmers' quality of life and rural community well-being. Through its sub-awards, Northeast SARE funds applied research and education projects addressing sustainable agriculture challenges, with recent sub-awardees including Penn State University (cover crops and poultry facility pest management), University of Massachusetts (blueberry production and plant pathology), Morgan State University (oyster breeding innovation), and multiple regional partners including Cornell Cooperative Extension, Maine Aquaculture Association, University of Maryland College Park, and Eastern Maine Development Corporation. These sub-awards support diverse sustainable agriculture initiatives ranging from workforce development and farmer training to applied research on production systems, crop and livestock management, and adaptation strategies for emerging agricultural challenges.

This project, hosted by the university of vermont, provides coordination of the USDA / nifa sustainable agriculture research and education (sare) program for 12 northeastern states and the district of columbia. The regional office of northeast sare coordinates sending out requests for applications as well as the review and recommendation process for seven distinct grant programs:research and education grants, professional development program grants, farmer grants, partnership grants, graduate student grants, and state program grants, and community farming grants. The regional staff, in consultation with the administrative council, assembles the technical committee to take part in review of proposals. The administrative council selects proposals to be funded and sets the region's grant making priorities and policies, within the boundaries of sare's authorizing legislation. The overall purpose of this set of competitive grants is to promote research, outreach, and training that will help agriculture become more profitable, protect natural resources and the environment, and improve the quality of life for farmers and their communities.