Deadline Date: January 03, 2026
The Fund-a-Farmer Systems Change and Innovation Grant offers significant support to farms ready to take transformative steps toward higher-welfare, pasture-based production systems.
Through this opportunity, FACT will award two grants of $10,000 each to farms pursuing forward-looking strategies that enhance animal well-being, strengthen business viability, and contribute to long-term agricultural sustainability. The grant is intended for farms that are ready to evaluate, plan, or implement major changes in production systems, breeding, or market collaboration.
This grant may support farms conducting feasibility studies or business plans that explore the conversion from confinement-based or limited-access systems to full pasture-based operations. For example, a farm may use funding to determine whether existing infrastructure and land resources can support a transition to rotational grazing or free-range systems. Farms undertaking practical infrastructure upgrades to enable such a transition are also eligible, such as installing fencing, water lines, pasture shelters, or other systems necessary to support pasture-raised animals.
The program also encourages adoption of alternative or heritage breeds better suited to outdoor environments and higher-welfare production. This can include sourcing new genetics, adapting housing or feed strategies, and developing targeted marketing approaches that highlight the value of slower-growing or higher-welfare breeds. In addition, the grant supports cooperative market development among pasture-based farms. This may involve forming collaborative agreements, creating shared distribution channels, or building unified branding strategies to increase the visibility and market access of pasture-raised products.
By supporting feasibility research, infrastructure upgrades, breed transitions, and cooperative marketing structures, the Systems Change and Innovation Grant helps farms advance meaningful, systemic improvements. The focus is not only on improving conditions for animals but also on strengthening local supply chains and creating more resilient and humane agricultural systems.
For more information, visit FACT.
