Resources & Funding Opportunities

Welcome to OAK's Funding Page, where open and annual opportunities are shared with the community!

Search Open Grants and other Funding Opportunities

Search Grants and Funding Opportunities that are likely to open in the future

 

Latest Opportunities

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC)

USDA is issuing $1.3 billion to specialty crop producers through a second round of funding. Visit the MASC webpage to learn more and read the press release here.

 
Business Builder Subaward Grants from the Appalachian Regional Food Business Center

Business Builder Subaward grants of up to $100,000 to support projects focused on emerging regional needs and businesses working toward expansion and entering new markets. Due to the funding freeze, this opportunity is not yet accepting applications this cycle. Check out these resources for all interested farmers and food businesses:

  • This pamphlet will help you determine if this funding is right for you and what track is best for your project.

  • This is the application template you will use to apply for funding.

  • Finally, here is the budget template you will use to lay out your budget.

For more information, contact [email protected] | (740) 677-4047ext 640 | appalachiarfbc.org 

 

 

Lots of Compassion Grant To Transform Vacant Lots Into Gardens

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day and KidsGardening designed the Lots of Compassion Grant to support local leaders looking to transform vacant lots into gardens to help grow compassion in their community. We are now accepting applications for the grant program!

In 2025, 10 grantees will receive $20,000 each to transform a vacant lot into a garden. A total of $200,000 will be awarded. The grant is open until June 16, 2025. Learn more here.

 

 

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP). Through ECAP, FSA is issuing up to $10 billion in direct payments to eligible agricultural producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year to help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices   The ECAP application period started on March 19, 2025, and runs through Aug. 15, 2025.

 

 

Grants to Address Urban Forestry and Strengthen Community Resilience

Apply by June 15, 2025

The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) is awarding at least 10 grants, each up to $5,000, to support impactful projects that boost resilience, urban forestry, and tree canopy coverage in underserved communities across Kentucky. Funding is provided by the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program—an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—in partnership with the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE), Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, and several other statewide partners. To be eligible for funding, applicants must be located in or serve a disadvantaged community, and 100% of the funding from this project must go to these communities. Learn More on the KAEE website.

 

 

Perennial Opportunities 
Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) 

NRCS offers financial and technical assistance through cost-share programs for land management practices, including the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP helps integrate conservation into working lands. OAK’s webinar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TjuC8EE68c) explains EQIP eligibility, application process, timeline, and program offerings. Learn more about NRCS programs here. 

 

 

Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF) project and program applications must be submitted to the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy. Applications must be received by the last Friday of each month to be referred to the board at the next monthly in-person meeting. KADF offers a variety of funding programs that are available at the county level for farmers to consider. Learn more and access the application materials on the KADF website.

  • COUNTY AGRICULTURAL INCENTIVES PROGRAM (CAIP): CAIP provides Kentucky agricultural producers with cost-share assistance on practices to allow them to improve and diversify their current farm operations. CAIP covers a wide variety of agricultural enterprises in its 11 incentive areas, including, but not limited to, bees and honey, equine, forage, beef and dairy cattle, goats and sheep, horticulture, poultry, swine, timber and technology, as well as energy efficiency and production, farm infrastructure and water enhancement, marketing, and value-added production.
  • DECEASED FARM ANIMAL REMOVAL (DAR): DAR serves as a measure to facilitate the coordination of environmentally sound and cost-effective disposal of deceased livestock for Kentucky producers.
  • NEXT GENERATION FARMER PROGRAM (NEXTGEN): NextGen addresses the growing need for a specialized program that would benefit producers ages 18 to 40 that have been engaged in an agricultural operation for a minimum of three years.
  • SHARED-USE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM: This program assists broad-based community organizations with the purchase of farm equipment. The equipment purchased is made available for producer use in a specific county on a leased basis.
  • YOUTH AGRICULTURAL INCENTIVES PROGRAM (YOUTH/YAIP): YAIP encourages students ages 9 - 18 to engage in and explore agricultural opportunities.

Kentucky State University Small Farm Grant Program 

KSU's Small Farm Grant Program helps farmers who want to improve their farming operations and marketability of their products through value-added enterprises.

 

 

SOAR Loan Opportunity for Southern and Eastern Kentucky

SOAR loan 

 

 

OAK is grateful to KCARD (Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development) for keeping this running list of active grants.