Agricultural Grants

Advocates for Urban Agriculture offers the AUA Capacity Building Grant (L/M) in partnership with Food:Land:Opportunity (F.L.O.) as a model for community-led resource distribution. These funds support urban farms and community gardens to enrich the local food economy, production, and distribution throughout the Chicago area. Recipients are selected by an Advisory Committee composed of community residents who are past grantees, growers, or supporters of earth stewardship.

Chicago’s Urban Agriculture Land Access Application (M) was designed by Chicago’s Food Equity Council to reduce barriers for urban agriculture by increasing land access to growers through City-owned vacant land. Selected applicants are eligible to be sold sites for $1 per parcel on the City’s land sale platform, ChiBlockBuilder. The purpose of this program is to support projects led by experienced growers who demonstrate a commitment to growing edible produce for their communities and to long-term stewardship of the land. The next round will open in early April 2026.

Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFUND) (M/E) offers a regranting program, aimed to support and build the collective resilience of food and land-justice-based cooperatives, led by Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color of all ages. Through this fund, CoFED re-grants funding to cooperative and farmer-based organizations that are building and working to transform the food system. Deadline March 31.

Compeer Financial (L/M/E) is an ag-lending bank serving our region (including Chicago). Dedicated to making a meaningful impact, Compeer Financial allocates 1 percent of its annual net earnings to the Fund for Rural America, with a focus on agricultural advocacy and development, agriculture education, cooperative initiatives, rural development, and community enrichment, as well as youth engagement. Compeer Financial offers grants, scholarships, and sponsorships. 

Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund (M) is a small grant program that provides direct assistance to veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching. The Fellowship Fund does not give money directly to the veteran, but rather to third-party vendors for items the veteran has identified will make a crucial difference in the launch of their farm business. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, and nearly $4 million has been awarded to more than 930 veterans since 2011.

Food Animal Concerns Trust (M) offers the Fund-a-Farmer grant for farmers seeking to become Certified Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane, or Global Animal Partnership Animal Welfare Certified, grants for already welfare certified farmers to build additional capacity, and grants for farmers to improve and expand pasture for their animals. In 2023, they awarded $250,000 to 87 farms. Deadline: 11:59 PM EST on Saturday January 3, 2026. 

Frontera Farmer Foundation (M) is committed to promoting small, sustainable farms serving the Chicago area by providing them with capital development grants. Awards are made for capital improvements of up to $15,000 to small and mid-size farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin that sell their food products to customers in the Chicago area at farmers' markets and otherwise. We define “small and midsize” to mean family farms with up to $600,000 in annual gross revenue. Farmers must have been in business for at least three years and must demonstrate how the grant will improve both their farm’s viability and the availability of locally grown food products in the Chicago area. Nonprofit farms & farms connected to nonprofit organizations are not eligible for grants. Applications due March 5, 2026.

GFPI Community Fund (M) is administered by the Chicago Food Policy Action Council to increase access to Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP)-aligned produce and food products in the Metro Chicago Region. This goal is achieved through providing both financial & technical support for systemically marginalized, local farms and food businesses who are working on increasing community food access that builds local economies, sustainable practices, fair labor, animal welfare, nutrition, and advances the work of building equity in the Metro Chicago food system. MUFTP graduates have been awardees. Sign up to receive notifications on the 2026 program. 

Illinois Farm Bureau (L/M) All requests for support should be submitted by entities registered as 501(c)(3) organizations and align with their mission Requests “investing in future leaders, enriching Illinois communities, cultivating environmental stewardship and championing agricultural innovation.” Requests for support should be between $250 and $1,500. Check your local Farm Bureau for opportunities in your County. Cook County Farm Bureau has a foundation that is a 501c(3) non-for profit. Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation's key programs include “farm, food & agriculture” related scholarships for members/dependents pursuing higher education, internships, sponsorships of various agricultural literacy programming activities in the County for youth and adult agricultural leadership and education scholarships.