The Farm Viability Institute (FVI) Grant Program is the core competitive research and education funding initiative of the New York Farm Viability Institute. It supports practical, farmer-driven projects that create and share knowledge to improve the economic viability of New York’s farms.
Our 2027 FVI Request for Proposals opened September 16th, and will close October 30, 2026.
The application and project will be managed entirely online. Applicants must first register in the online system. The link to get registered is available here.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY THIS FUNDING CYCLE: This year over $3 million in competitive funding is available, with individual project awards typically ranging from $25,000 to $150,000. Projects may span from six months up to two years, depending on scope and objectives, and must engage New York State farmers and clearly demonstrate expected outcomes and impacts.
The FVI process prohibits specific conversations between applicants and NYFVI staff about their proposals. Applicants are strongly encouraged to register and attend one of two webinars to familiarize applicants with the online grants interface platform and review key criteria.
- Grant Writing Webinar 1: Wednesday September 23, 2026 12pm-1:00 pm. View recording of the first webinar here.
- Grant Writing Webinar 2: Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am-10:00 am. Register
Both webinars will be recorded and made available for later viewing at nyfvi.org.
All questions asked during the webinar and those submitted by email will be answered as soon as possible.
Looking for an answer to a question you’ve asked us?
Click Here for the 2027 FVI Q&A*
*Updates are made every Friday during the RFP application window.
For the full technical requirements for the 2027 FVI Competitive Grant Program (eligibility, key dates, funding details, and scoring criteria) click here. Applicants should review the technical requirements document it in its entirety before applying.
To enter your application questions and responses offline before submitting online, a Word version of the Request for Proposal questions is available here. We recommend drafting your answers in this document first, then copying them into the online application.
Final selection of proposals is anticipated to be identified by mid-February, 2027. Projects are expected to be able to begin by April 1, 2027.
Questions about the Request for Proposals must be submitted via email to info@nyfvi.org. Answers will be posted weekly on the NYFVI website beginning Monday, September 28. Questions will be accepted until Friday October 23, 2026.
Agriculture is continually evolving, and New York farmers need sound science, effective educational outreach, and actionable insights to adapt and thrive. The FVI Grant Program funds applied research and educational efforts that address real challenges facing farmers and deliver measurable farm-level impact.
Proposals are evaluated through a competitive process that prioritizes:
- clear relevance to New York’s agricultural community,
- meaningful engagement with producers,
- and the potential to improve farm profitability and operations.
The program focuses on advancing work that aligns with NYFVI’s strategic priority areas, including:
- improving farm operating practices,
- fostering industry innovation,
- incubating new ideas,
- improving routes to market and marketing practices,
- and developing human capital within the agricultural sector.
Farmer review panels evaluate all proposals and provide recommendations, with final funding decisions made by NYFVI’s farmer-led board. This ensures the program reflects real agricultural priorities and supports solutions that deliver practical value on farms across the state.
To view past project profiles, please select from the options below:
This program is made possible through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, chairs of the Senate and Assembly Agriculture Committees, respectively. Funding for this RFP comes from New York State’s Fiscal Year 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 budgets, allocated to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) and directed to NYFVI for administration.