University of Minnesota Extension Southwest and Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) invite small farms in the regions to apply for new funding available through The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. The funding will support on-farm projects that address climate change and build resilience.

The Farmer Climate Action Fund seeks ready-to-go, farmer-led projects, including but not limited to planting wildlife corridors, replacing fossil fuels with clean energy alternatives, designing and installing agrivoltaics systems, adding biochar, planting nitrogen cover crops, and implementing other conservation practices.  

“As a farmer myself, I always have an idea or two I’d like to try to improve my farm’s resilience,” explains Tobin Tyler, Southwest RSDP Assistant Project Coordinator. “The new funding will support area farmers to be innovative while also reducing the risks that often come from incorporating climate change adaptations. This is a real opportunity to get creative.” 

Farmers from White Earth Nation and Upper Sioux Community and Ottertail, Becker, Grant, Douglas, Stevens, Pope, Big Stone, Swift, Lac qui Parle, Chippewa and Yellow Medicine counties are encouraged to apply. Priority will be given to projects that are shovel-ready and can be completed by Dec. 31, 2025. The application deadline is Feb. 14 with awards announced in early March. More information and application materials are available on the RSDP website: https://z.umn.edu/FarmerFund.

Central and Southwest RSDP are two of five regions of the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. For more information on RSDP, visit RSDP.umn.edu. 

For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension.umn.edu/news. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Article contributed by the University of Minnesota Extension Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership