Agriculture Grants for Nonprofits

Department of Pesticide Regulation · $100K–$1M

California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) 2027 Sustainable Pest Management Grants Program is open to a broad range of applicants, including nonprofits, businesses, individuals, universities, and government and tribal agencies. It funds projects that advance integrated pest management practices, such as alternatives to weed, rodent, and fumigant use, through research, outreach, and implementation in agricultural, urban, or wildland settings, with award budgets ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000. Principal investigators may submit at most two proposals per year, and all applicants must meet DPR's specific eligibility requirements outlined in the official solicitation. Applications are due by September 2, 2026.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Nonprofits and California tribal governments can apply for CAL FIRE's Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants to fund forest health, cultural/prescribed burns, Traditional Ecological Knowledge programs, and related wildfire-resilience or workforce-development projects serving California Native American tribes. This is a forecasted 2026 solicitation with no award amount or deadline published yet, and eligibility is limited to nonprofits and tribal governments rather than the general public.

Agricultural Marketing Service · $250K–$1M

This USDA Agricultural Marketing Service program funds collaborative multi-state partnerships that enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops through projects addressing regional or national issues such as food safety, plant pests and disease, research, and marketing. Eligible applicants are federally recognized tribal governments, state governments, public and state-controlled higher-education institutions, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than institutions of higher education. Projects must benefit two or more states or territories. Awards range from about $250,000 to $1,000,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $200K

This FDA cooperative agreement funds state and academic partners to strengthen antibiotic-resistance surveillance in retail food specimens as part of the NARMS program. Eligibility is broad, spanning universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small and large businesses, and state, local, and tribal governments. Awards range up to $200,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $600K

This FDA award (up to $600,000) funds natural history studies that generate high-quality data to support medical product development for rare diseases with unmet needs. Eligibility is very broad, covering universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small and other for-profit businesses, tribal and local/state governments, and even foreign organizations and their non-U.S. components. No unusual disqualifiers are noted, and the deadline is not imminent.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · $15K–$75K

Open to individuals (as legal entities), commercial organizations, state/local/tribal governments, universities, and nonprofits; federal agencies and employees can't apply, and projects must be conducted in Alaska. Funds marine workforce training, seafood-safety and management education, fishing innovation, and consumer outreach. Awards are small, roughly $15,000–$75,000.

Food and Drug Administration · Up to $900K

Open to nearly any organization — universities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3)), for-profits and small businesses, state/local/tribal governments, and foreign organizations. This FDA R01 funds clinical trials of orphan products evaluating safety and efficacy to address unmet needs in rare diseases. Awards up to about $900,000; clinical trials are required.

Food and Drug Administration · $225K–$2.5M

This FDA grant (U18, $225,000 to $2,500,000) funds veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the Vet-LIRN network to build capacity for animal food safety and antimicrobial resistance testing, including equipment and method development. Eligibility is broad, covering nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, for-profit organizations, universities, tribal governments, and state/local governments. No unusual disqualifiers are noted, and the deadline is not imminent.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, and public agencies owning 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land in California; this program provides cost-share assistance (not full grants) for forest management planning, reforestation, and related improvement activities performed under a Registered Professional Forester. Broadcast, controlled, or cultural burning is not an eligible cost. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and applicants should expect to cover part of the cost themselves.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and coastal watersheds. Funds feasibility studies, land acquisition, planning, design, permitting, and construction for beaches, parks, trails, habitat restoration, and climate resilience projects, but does not cover ongoing operations or maintenance. Most funding is awarded through a rolling pre-application process; geographically limited to coastal California, and no set award amount or deadline is listed.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California conducting research or technological innovation on the environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Funds projects on water use, land management, native species, and community engagement related to cultivation practices. No award amount or deadline is listed in the posting, so applicants should confirm current funding levels and timelines with CDFW before applying.

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · $1–$190K

Businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply for this CA Department of Food and Agriculture program funding research into new management methods for controlling the beet leafhopper and curly top virus, with awards up to $190,000. Proposals must be submitted 30 days before posted Beet Curly Top Virus Control Board meetings, and funding priority goes to no-pesticide or DPR-approved pesticide approaches, making this a narrow, specialized agricultural research opportunity.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to a broad range of applicants in California, including businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, public agencies, and tribal governments, but specifically for livestock producers seeking compensation for confirmed or probable wolf depredation losses. No set award amount or deadline is listed; compensation is determined case-by-case following a CDFW investigation of each incident. Not a general grant program — it only applies to documented wolf-livestock conflict losses in California.