We build collaborative partnerships to support audacious science addressing today’s food and agriculture challenges.
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research backs collaborative science through large, project-based research grants. Its recent awards show a mix of university-led work, public-sector research, and public-private partnerships across food and agriculture. The biggest recent grant in the data went to Kansas State University Foundation for $19,455,267 in 2024, followed by $10,300,000 to Ecosystem Services Market Consortium and $10,000,000 to The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation. That pattern points to a funder that uses sizeable awards to move research programs forward rather than to make small, one-off gifts. The foundation supports agricultural research across crop production, animal production and welfare, agroecosystems, fertilizer efficiency, food systems and nutrition, antimicrobial stewardship in agriculture, and indoor or controlled-environment production. It also funds research workforce development and consortia that bring together academic, industry, and other partners. Recent grants include major awards to Ohio State University, North Carolina State University, and the Agricultural Research Service (usda), alongside funding to The Nature Conservancy and the University of Wisconsin System. The grant list shows a strong emphasis on research infrastructure and collaboration rather than direct individual support.
In crop and production systems, the foundation awarded $3,307,680 to University of California Davis for research and $2,223,474 to Kansas State University for research. Those grants sit alongside its crop-trait and production-oriented program areas, including Crops of the Future and Crops of the Future Collaborative. For animal agriculture, it funded Swine Health Information Center with $2,000,000 in 2025 for research and gave $2,322,891 to Colorado State University for research. The grant list also includes University of Florida at $2,285,485 for research. Food systems and environmental work appear as well. The Organic Center received $2,400,000 in 2024 for research, while Practical Farmers of Iowa received $2,381,421 for research. Ecosystem Services Market Consortium was awarded $10,300,000 for research, underscoring attention to agroecosystems and farm-scale environmental outcomes.
$25.7M
$295.2M
$49.1M
$46.5M
Most grants fall between $411K and $1.6M, with a median of $601K.
25th Percentile
$411K
Median
$601K
75th Percentile
$1.6M
About 4% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Typical grant size is substantial: the distribution is p25 $411,454, median $600,504, and p75 $1,634,224. The recent grants list also includes several multimillion-dollar awards, indicating a project-based model that can scale up around specific research efforts. The foundation is a public charity and a regular funder, not a DAF or individual-giving vehicle. Its active programs show both invited opportunities and an intake route for unsolicited research concepts through Submit a Research Concept. The recent award history spans multiple years, with grants appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing relationships with some research institutions and collaboratives.
Grantmaking is national, and every listed recipient in the country distribution is in the US, with 126 grants to US recipients. The top state by grant count is California, even though the foundation’s headquarters is in Washington, DC. Recent recipient cities include Manhattan, KS; Davis, CA; Columbus, OH; Raleigh, NC; Madison, WI; and Ames, IA. DC recipients appear as well, including The Organic Center in Washington, DC, but they account for a small share of grants relative to the overall portfolio.
It funds universities, public research agencies, nonprofits, and collaborative research entities. Recent grantees include Kansas State University Foundation, Agricultural Research Service (usda), The Nature Conservancy, Swine Health Information Center, and The Organic Center, showing a focus on research institutions and partnership-based organizations.
The typical grant size is in the six-figure range: p25 is $411,454, median is $600,504, and p75 is $1,634,224. The recent grant list also includes awards above $10 million, showing that some projects receive much larger commitments.
Yes, through its Submit a Research Concept portal, which accepts unsolicited research concepts for consideration. The active programs list also includes multiple opportunities that do not accept unsolicited applications, so the intake route is program-specific rather than universal.
The foundation supports agricultural research, crop production, animal production and welfare, agroecosystems and environmental interactions, food systems and nutrition, fertilizer efficiency and nutrient management, antimicrobial stewardship in agriculture, indoor or controlled-environment production, research workforce development, and consortia and public-private partnerships.
Its giving is national, with 126 grants to US recipients in the country distribution. By state, California has the highest grant count, while recipients in Washington, DC account for 4% of grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: FFAR generally welcomes applications from U.S. institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, government-affiliated researchers, and domestic and international organizations. Funded research must benefit the U.S. food and agriculture system.
Deadline: Accepting applications (no specific deadline listed in scraped content).
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $3,746,812 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON | MADISON, WI | $2,500,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY | MANHATTAN, KS | $2,223,474 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER | AMES, IA | $2,000,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $1,709,281 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA) | BELTSVILLE, MD | $1,500,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES | DAVIS, CA | $1,344,764 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| TWO BLADES FOUNDATION | EVANSTON, IL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS | LAWRENCE, KS | $881,526 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| TECHNOLOGY MATTERS | PALO ALTO, CA | $749,999 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| RICH EARTH INSTITUTE | BRATTLEBORO, VT | $669,739 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $450,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC | NEW HAVEN, CT | $449,989 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $449,942 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $448,852 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $448,491 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA | TAMPA, FL | $446,474 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY | LUBBOCK, TX | $445,585 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT KNOXVILLE | KNOXVILLE, TN | $434,038 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | CORVALLIS, OR | $322,129 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $210,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL COLLEGES | WASHINGTON, DC | $157,500 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | BROOKINGS, SD | $150,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| AGRINERDS INC | DAVIS, CA | $148,111 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $138,889 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $137,441 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $37,500 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | MANHATTAN, KS | $19,455,267 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM | FALLS CHURCH, VA | $10,300,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION | PALO ALTO, CA | $10,000,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA) | BELTSVILLE, MD | $6,000,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $3,592,806 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM | MADISON, WI | $3,563,699 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | URBANA, IL | $3,221,254 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | DAVIS, CA | $2,999,372 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $2,886,584 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE ORGANIC CENTER | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,400,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA | AMES, IA | $2,381,421 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY | CLEMSON, SC | $2,372,439 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $2,322,891 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $2,150,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY | PULLMAN, WA | $2,037,107 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| DANONE INSTITUTE NORTH AMERICA | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $1,865,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| PITZER COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $1,798,114 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $1,673,320 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION | ATHENS, GA | $1,655,298 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| LAND CORE | GRASS VALLEY, OH | $1,449,611 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $1,200,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER | AMES, IA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
$3,746,812RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON
$2,500,000RESEARCH
SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER
$2,000,000RESEARCH
TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
$1,709,281RESEARCH
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA)
$1,500,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES
$1,344,764RESEARCH
TWO BLADES FOUNDATION
$1,000,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$450,000RESEARCH
CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC
$449,989RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
$449,942RESEARCH
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
$448,852RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE
$448,491RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
$446,474RESEARCH
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
$445,585RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT KNOXVILLE
$434,038RESEARCH
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
$322,129RESEARCH
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL COLLEGES
$157,500RESEARCH
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
$150,000RESEARCH
AGRINERDS INC
$148,111RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$137,441RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM
$10,300,000RESEARCH
THE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION
$10,000,000RESEARCH
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA)
$6,000,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
$3,563,699RESEARCH
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$3,221,254RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$2,999,372RESEARCH
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$2,886,584RESEARCH
THE ORGANIC CENTER
$2,400,000RESEARCH
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
$2,372,439RESEARCH
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
$2,322,891RESEARCH
KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION
$2,150,000RESEARCH
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
$2,037,107RESEARCH
DANONE INSTITUTE NORTH AMERICA
$1,865,000RESEARCH
PITZER COLLEGE
$1,798,114RESEARCH
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$1,673,320RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$1,200,000RESEARCH
SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER
$1,000,000RESEARCH