Issue 51 · Week of September 18, 2026 Grant Harvester Weekly funding alerts for the rural entrepreneur |  |
This week: two new federal education rounds, two new Maui County local-food grants, and two deadlines closing today — New York Dairy at 3 p.m. ET and Pennsylvania Most Effective Basin at 11:59 p.m. The September calendar wraps up with Agriculture Risk Management Education (Sep 21), Pennsylvania Innovation Round 3 (Sep 23), and FCSAmerica Working Here Fund (Sep 30). North Dakota has two October 1 program deadlines, and the PART rural-energy loan letters of interest are due October 9. PFI cover crop cost-share enrollment remains open first-come, first-served with a December 1 seeding deadline. |
Grant Snap We recently started using a satellite imagery tool called Sentinel Ag that records nutrient deficiency in our fields. We didn't even realize that we were able to apply for EQIP 590 until we used Grant Snap. Grant Snap is a free tool that automatically generates a list of programs available specific for your operation. Try it out now! |
Farmer Trivia | What share of U.S. farms in 2022 were family-owned and operated?
A) About 55% B) About 75% C) About 95%
The answer is near the bottom of this issue. |
🌿 Fresh Dirt Alert · Sponsored | | | PFI Cover Crop Cost-Share Program Cover crops can be hard to justify when you're staring at the input cost with no guarantee of return. Practical Farmers of Iowa's cover crop cost-share program removes that barrier: $15/acre on an unlimited number of acres of fall-seeded cover crops, plus one-on-one agronomic support. Eligible for conventional corn and soybean farmers in Iowa and select counties in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Enrollment is first-come, first-served and closes when acres fill. Cover crops must be seeded by December 1. The program stacks with EQIP, state cost-share programs and Farmers for Soil Health. Funded by PepsiCo and Cargill.
To maximize what you get from this program, Sentinel Ag is a tool you can leverage. Satellite imagery helps you time seeding windows, verify establishment and document your practice adoption for stacked programs like EQIP — giving you and your agronomist real field-level evidence rather than guesswork. | | |
| Federal Grants & Programs | |
Iowa EQIP · Open · Soil health, nutrient management, livestock, irrigation and energy practices; fall ranking windows approaching — apply now
State Historic Preservation Tax Credit — Small Projects · Open year-round if funding available · Up to 25% of qualified rehabilitation expenditures for eligible historic buildings including qualifying barns; projects under $750,000
FSA Direct Farm Ownership Loans · Open · Farm purchase, enlargement, buildings and ownership transitions; borrower and loan-type limits apply |
Illinois EQIP · Open · Continuous applications accepted; fall ranking dates control funding rounds — submit now for fall consideration
Ag Invest · Open · Below-market linked-deposit financing for operating, equipment, livestock, long-term investments and value-added projects
Pollution Control Facility Tax Certification · Ongoing · Property-tax treatment for qualifying manure storage, lagoons and agrichemical containment structures |
Utah Grazing Improvement Program Grant · Due Dec 31 · Cost-share up to $200,000 for Utah livestock operations grazing cattle, sheep, goats or horses · Water developments, fencing and vegetation treatments
Small Livestock Operation Grant · Due Dec 31 · Cost-share up to $10,000 for operations with 20–75 animal units producing food or fiber for sale · Land and livestock purchases ineligible
FSA Direct Farm Loans · Open · Operating and ownership financing for eligible Utah producers |
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| Private & Foundation Opportunities | |
Farm Credit Services of America Working Here FundSep 30
Nonprofits in IA, NE, SD, WY · Up to $5,000 by Sep 30; up to $25,000 by Dec 31 · Ag education, hunger relief, disaster recovery and rural health Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Grants
December cycle open · Due Dec 1 at 4 p.m. ET · $500–$10,000 · Organizations strengthening agriculture, forest production or commercial fishing in New England, NY and NJ · Individual farms and capital projects ineligible Beginning with Compeer Grant
Open · Up to $1,500 based on lending relationship + up to $500 for qualifying multi-year training · Beginning farmers in Compeer territory AgCountry Rural Community Grant Fund
Due Oct 31 · Up to $50,000 · Western North Dakota community-development including infrastructure, housing, health, safety, environment and education |
Section 179 Expensing — 2026
$2.56M maximum deduction · Phaseout when qualifying property exceeds $4.09M · Coordinate asset classification and timing with a tax professional before year-end purchases 100% Bonus Depreciation
Qualifying property acquired after Jan 19, 2025 · Asset type and placed-in-service rules determine eligibility · Do not assume same result as Section 179 Federal Fuel Tax Credit — Form 4136
Qualifying nontaxable farm and off-highway fuel use may generate a refundable federal credit · Maintain fuel-use records throughout the year FCSAmerica Young & Beginning Producer Financing
Open · Development Fund up to $250,000 · Startup, livestock, working capital and down-payment support in IA, NE, SD, WY |
| 1. | New York Dairy proposals close today at 3 p.m. ET. Pennsylvania Most Effective Basin closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. — confirm county eligibility and required conservation district partner before submitting. | | 2. | Pennsylvania Innovation Grant Round 3 closes September 23. Screen it before committing to any equipment purchases — match requirements are 30%–50% and the program is reimbursement-based. | | 3. | FCSAmerica Working Here Fund closes September 30 for the up-to-$5,000 tier. Eligible nonprofits in IA, NE, SD, WY should submit this week rather than waiting for December. | | 4. | North Dakota APUC and ADD Fund both close October 1. If you have a diversification or value-added project ready, prepare submissions this week. | | 5. | Rural electric utilities, cooperatives and eligible nonprofits should submit PART letters of interest by October 9. At $1M–$100M per loan with possible partial forgiveness, this is worth the time to screen. | | 6. | Cover crop enrollment: the PFI cost-share program fills first-come, first-served and December 1 is the seeding deadline. Don't let fall fieldwork push this off the calendar. |
FSA Entity & Payment-Limitation Changes — September 15 Deadline Passed The September 15 farm-operating-plan deadline for affected pass-through entities has passed. Qualifying LLCs, S-corporations and similar entities that did not file should contact their FSA office now about their filing status. FSA details |
ARC/PLC Payment Limit Increased to $155,000 The ARC and PLC payment limit increased from $125,000 to $155,000 beginning with crop year 2025, with future inflation adjustments under the new rules. FSA details |
Farmer Trivia — Answer: C) About 95% | C) About 95%. USDA NASS reports that family-owned and operated farms accounted for 95% of all U.S. farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and they operated 84% of the land in farms. The industry is still overwhelmingly family-led despite decades of consolidation narratives. The question: What share of U.S. farms in 2022 were family-owned and operated? A) About 55% B) About 75% C) About 95% |
| Watch List / Looking Ahead | |
| Soil and Water Outcomes Fund | 2027 enrollment active for returning farmers; new farmers may be waitlisted — watch for acreage availability | | New Mexico Healthy Soil Program | Next FY2028 cycle opens January 2027; develop project ideas this fall for work between July 2027–September 2028 | | FACT Fund-a-Farmer Grants | 2027 cycle expected to open November 2026; livestock and poultry farmers prepare welfare improvement plans now |
Two new federal rounds, two new Maui County local-food grants, and the final stretch of September state deadlines. Use each linked program as a starting point, then confirm current requirements with the administering agency before committing time, match dollars or purchases. Forward Grant Harvester to a farmer, rural business owner or community leader who could use it. |
Programs change quickly. Confirm eligibility, funding availability and current deadlines with the administering agency before applying. Grant Harvester · Issue 51 · Week of September 18, 2026
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