From regenerative agriculture to food justice: new funding available this spring 🍯

Hi neighbors,

After a winter that proved to be longer and darker than many of us could have imagined, we have made it to the vernal equinox. The ongoing threats of unhinged tariffs, dangerous funding freezes, and attacks on DEI initiatives are undeniable. But is it possible that the new light and life that comes with spring is a metaphor for better things to come? And what might “better” even look like?

🫛 We’ve seen a lot of new opportunities centered around regenerative agriculture recently that could be a good indicator of what’s next when it comes to farm and food funding. Google recently sponsored a $1.5M grant for a seven year program starting this fall in Oklahoma, and nonprofit Zero Foodprint has raised more than $19M in support of their “collective regeneration” program in the past five years. 

🤖 Unsurprisingly, there are many new investments dedicated to “boosting technological advancements in agriculture.” The $25M Farmers Capital Fund is actively seeking new companies to support, and the Seeding the Future Foundation recently shared the finalists for their $1M split prize for the best “groundbreaking innovations that have the potential to address the most critical food system challenges.”

🧑🏿‍🌾 Food justice also remains top of mind for many funders. The University of Vermont’s Institute for Agroecology launched a grant that funded three projects “poised to flourish” this year, and the Southern Farmers Financial Association (SFFA), a new cooperative bank created to “lower the barriers to accessing credit for small farmers, especially those in high-poverty and low-resource areas,” aims to forge a new way forward for Black farmers in the Southeast U.S.

These opportunities signal not just what’s possible; they also demonstrate a widespread, persistent commitment to building a more resilient and equitable food system. It would be our honor to help you access the right investments for your small farm, craft business or nonprofit organization – email us so we can start chatting about your needs!

Cheers,

The team at True Eats

P.S. Thanks for joining us on this journey. If there’s anyone else you think might benefit from this newsletter, please share it with them! And if this was shared with you and you want to subscribe, you can do that here. 

Read on for a list of upcoming funding opportunities and a few of our favorite new food and farm stories.