Farmer to Farmer 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of America Division is offering the Farmer-to-Farmer funding opportunity under Funding Opportunity Number EPA-I-R4-GAD-2025-FARMER. The program is designed to support collaborative projects that improve water quality and habitat conditions throughout the Gulf of America watershed and the United States contiguous zone in the Gulf of America. The initiative is aligned with EPA Region 4 priorities and the Administration’s "Powering the Great American Comeback" initiative. The program focuses on reducing nutrient pollution, supporting regenerative agriculture practices, restoring habitat, and strengthening resilience to storm impacts while supporting the economic well-being of agricultural communities. EPA identifies farmers as critical partners in reducing nonpoint source pollution and encourages projects that expand regenerative agriculture, improve nutrient management, and create measurable environmental outcomes. Approximately $50,000,000 in federal funding is expected to be available for this competition, with approximately 20 to 30 awards anticipated. Individual awards are expected to range from $1,500,000 to $2,500,000 with a five-year project period. EPA anticipates making approximately five to eight awards under each of the four focus areas: Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship, Demonstrating Regenerative Farming Benefits through Monitoring, Innovative Technologies for Regenerative Farming, and Habitat Improvement for Nutrient and Soil Management. Eligible applicants include Indian Tribes, state and local governments, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. Federal agencies, for-profit organizations, individuals, international organizations, and certain nonprofit lobbying organizations are not eligible. Cost sharing is not required for eligibility, and applicants are instructed to include only federal funding on required budget forms. The opportunity supports demonstration projects under Clean Water Act Section 104(b)(3). EPA defines demonstration projects as projects involving new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches that will generate knowledge transferable to others. Projects must clearly explain how they differ from previous efforts and what lessons will be learned. Activities must occur within the eligible watershed areas identified in the NOFO. EPA specifically encourages the use of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, unmanned aerial vehicles, precision agriculture technologies, sensors, and advanced monitoring tools to improve nutrient reduction, water quality management, habitat restoration, and farmer engagement. The program also emphasizes consistency with state Nutrient Reduction Strategies and Nonpoint Source Management Program plans. Applications must substantially comply with all content and formatting requirements in the NOFO. Mandatory application documents include the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A Budget Information form, EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54, EPA Form 4700-4, a Project Narrative Attachment Form, and a Scientific Data Management Plan. Optional attachments may include resumes, letters of support, nonprofit determination letters, indirect cost rate agreements, and supplemental attachments. The project narrative is limited to twelve single-spaced pages and must contain a summary information page, detailed project workplan, milestone schedule, budget narrative, and descriptions addressing statutory authority, innovative technology, environmental outputs and outcomes, economic benefits, and organizational capacity. Maps, citations, quality assurance documentation, and budget tables do not count toward the page limit. EPA strongly emphasizes readability and requires at least 11-point Calibri font with one-inch margins. Applications are evaluated through a competitive review process using a 140-point scoring system. Major evaluation categories include Project Design, Innovative Technology, Economic Benefits, Environmental Results, Milestone Schedule, Past Performance and Programmatic Capability, Timely Expenditure of Grant Funds, and Budget Quality. EPA will evaluate how effectively projects reduce nutrient pollution and erosion, support regenerative agriculture, create measurable environmental outcomes, and generate cost savings or economic benefits for farmers and farming communities. The agency also evaluates organizational experience, reporting history, staff expertise, and plans for financial oversight and fraud prevention. Additional consideration may be given to geographic diversity, organizational diversity, funding availability, compliance with Executive Orders, and existing unliquidated obligations under prior Gulf of America Division awards. The application submission deadline is June 19, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time through Grants.gov. Questions may be submitted to GAD-NOFO@epa.gov until June 5, 2026, and EPA intends to publish updated question-and-answer guidance and recorded presentations to support applicants. Anticipated notification of selection is expected in September 2026, with anticipated award notification in December 2026. Applicants must maintain active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and use a valid Unique Entity Identifier. Technical submission issues must be documented through Grants.gov support before the deadline to qualify for consideration outside the electronic submission system. Successful applicants may also need to prepare Quality Management Plans, Quality Assurance Project Plans, and water quality data submissions through EPA’s Water Quality Exchange system depending on the project scope and environmental data collection requirements.

Provide clear quantitative environmental targets; emphasize innovative technology such as AI, drones, or precision agriculture; directly connect activities to nutrient reduction outcomes; include strong monitoring and economic benefit analysis; align project activities with state Nutrient Reduction Strategies and Clean Water Act Section 104(b)(3) authority.