10 Farm Grants For Females In The United States

In the United States of America, females account for around 36% of the country’s farmers. Around 9% of the agricultural farms are completely owned by females and 56% of the total farmers are female farmers. Moreover, females in the United States contribute about 38% of total agriculture sales.

But, to increase these numbers, female farmers need financial assistance. However, farm loans can be a good option. However, they need to be repaid, hence in case of losses, they could not be useful to promote participation of females in agriculture.

That’s why grants are really helpful to support female farmers to increase their growth in the agriculture industry as they require no repayment. In the United States, government programs, non-profit organizations, etc. offer farm grants for females to fund education and agricultural projects.

Farm Grants For Females 2023

Young Farmer Grant Program

Young farmer grant program has partnered with Chipotle to support farmers and ranchers who are willing to expand their agribusiness. Each spring, they offer 50 grants of USD 5000 to young farmers and ranchers. But, in 2023 they are offering 75 grants to a new cohort of young farmers and ranchers.

Apart from this grant, you will also get membership to the National Young Farmers Coalition and this year they have added an additional program of regenerating soil and community to focus on soil conservation. To get farm grants from this organization, you must be at least 18 and not over 40 years of age as of May 1, 2023.

Only the operation owner of the farm, lead farmer or farm manager of the NGO, and farmer part-owners of cooperative or collective farms farming or ranching in one of the 50 U.S. states can apply to get this grant. Moreover,  farmers of color, Indigenous farmers, and female farmers are given extra preference for this grant.

Getting this grant will provide a flexible financial boost to young farmers building long-term careers in agriculture. However, for 2023, they have stopped taking new applications, but it will be available for the next year. To apply for this grant you can visit their official website or email “jay@youngfarmers.org.”

Minorities and Women Farmers And Ranchers Loan

Underserved, women farmers and ranchers can get grants from a specific funding source known as the Socially Disadvantaged Applicant (SDA) funding. To get this fund, you must provide race, ethnicity, and gender information. You can yourself as an historically underserved beginning farmer loan applicant to get accepted for getting this fund.

Moreover, you must contribute a minimum downpayment of 5 % of the purchase price of the farm and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) agency will fund 45% of the total maximum loan amount of US $300,000.

Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG)

To generate new products and create and expand marketing opportunities, female applicants can benefit from USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. It is a part of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). Every fiscal year, you can apply through a notice published in the Federal register. On approval, applicants can get maximum planning grants of US $75,000 and working capital grants of $250,000.

WAMS Grants

Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields Grant Program (WAMS) provides financial grants to to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects related to agriculture in rural areas. Eligible applicants include state agricultural stations, colleges, universities, research organizations, federal agencies, and private corporations.

SARE Grants

To fund to fund research and education projects related to sustainable agriculture in the United States you can get Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grants. To apply, you must be a farmer or rancher, researcher, extension agent, educator or graduate student. But, remember, only a small portion of the grant can be used to buy required to conduct a research or education project.

Moreover, you can not purchase land, equipment, farming materials, etc. or start a farm with this grant. To apply for this grant, visit, one of four SARE’s regional offices.

American Agri-Women Foundation

Female farmers can get scholarships and grants from the American Agri-Women Foundation (AAW). The American Agri-Women Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarships are available to non-AAW members. Moreover, under this program, the Jean Ibendahl Scholarship is available for ages 18-23 and the Sister Thomas More Bertels Scholarship is available for ages 24+.

To get this scholarship, you must be a female farmer or rancher having knowledge or work experience in agriculture. You must apply by March 1st of each year and before 1 June, results will be posted on the AAW website.

For AAW members, American Agri-Women Gail McPherson Fly-in Scholarship is available to attend the annual AAW Fly-In held in June of each year in Washington, DC. Up to three scholarships of US $500 will be awarded through this program.

The Vermont Women’s Fund

The Vermont Women’s Fund is a component fund of the Vermont Community Foundation to promote the participation of females in agriculture in the United States. However, they do not provide funds to personal female farmers. Organizations must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or be a public agency, school, or municipality in Vermont or Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status can apply for this grant.

You can submit your application online on the Online Grant Center of the The Vermont Community Foundation. On approval grants up to $15,000 will be awarded.

The FruitGuys Community Fund

The FruitGuys Community Fund provides grants to small-scale farmers. Since 2012, they have provided grants to 123 farmers worth US $490,000. 86% of the benefitted farmers are female and they are active in more than 32 states in the U.S.

For 2024, they will start accepting application from January 2024. You can request to get grants up to US $5,000. To apply you must be a legal farm owner or operator of the farm or NGO with at least 1 year of experience.

Amber Grant Foundation

Amber Grant Foundation founded in 1998 offers at least US $30,000 every month in Amber Grant money. Moreover, they have an informal approach to accepting grant applications. You do not need to fill out a lengthy form, but instead, only tell them about your business and pay US $15 as the application fee to get this grant.

Tory Burch Foundation

The Tory Burch Foundation is focused on empowering women entrepreneurs in the United States. Under their capital programs, they provide grants to female entrepreneurs. However, to get this grant, your enterprise must be for profit with at least 51% women of color-owned and 1 to 5 years of experience in the business. On approval, you can get grants up to US $10,000 to US $20,000.

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