$1.7 Million Available for New York Beginning Farmers
New York Farm Viability Institute is pleased to announce that the 2026 NYS Beginning Farmer Competitive Grant Program (BFCG) is launching on March 16, 2026. The BFCG is a competitive funding opportunity administered in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The program will provide 1.7 million to support beginning farmers in building financially sustainable, independent, commercial agricultural enterprises throughout New York State. RFP closes on June 14, 2026.
What can be funded?
- Start-up, improvement or expansion of farm operations
- Purchase of land, machinery, equipment, or livestock
- Construction or improvement of structures
- Marketing initiatives
- Worker or apprenticeship training
- Other business needs tied to financial impact
Who is eligible?
- Applicants must be a New York beginning farmer with 10 years or less of farm operation experience and who will materially and substantially participate in operating a farm in New York State.
- Applicants must demonstrate the potential for the project to grow the business and improve financial sustainability. All applicants whose farm generated less than $1,000 in the previous year must provide a business plan.
- Proposals may support a business that produces any type of agricultural product, with the exception of cannabis.
How to Apply
Please take the following steps before applying:
1. Thoroughly read the Technical Requirements to learn about the program’s eligibility, rules and structure.
2. Review the Round 1 Recap to learn more about how to create a competitive application.
3. Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.
4. Review a .pdf copy of the online application.
5. Review the required budget template.
6. Go to the Online Application Portal to take the eligibility quiz and start your application (new applicants must create a profile in the application portal).
Funding Information
Application Period: March 16 – June 14, 2026
Total Funding Available: $1,700,000
Required Match: 5%
| Award Range | Project Timeline | |
|---|---|---|
| Track 1 | $5,000-$50,000 | 18 Months |
| Track 2 | $50,001 – $200,000 | 24 Months |
Information Sessions
Friday, March 20 (12:00pm-1:00pm)
Thursday, March 26 (5:00pm-6:00pm)
Tuesday, April 7 (5:30pm-6:30pm)
Application and Program Resources
All applicants must demonstrate the potential for the project to grow the business and improve financial sustainability. Please visit our application resources for tips on how to create a strong application.
Q&A Submission Form
Please use this form to submit questions about the 2026 NYS Beginning Farmer Competitive Grant
This is the ONLY way questions will be accepted.
We intend to update the posted Q&A on a weekly basis.
Calculate your match and project total
Our Beginning Farmer Program requires grantees to match their award amount by 5%*. This calculator will help you understand how much money you will have to contribute based on awarded grant funding, then calculate the total cost of your project (awarded amount + match). Enter your requested grant amount to see how much your 5% match would be.
You can include a decimal point in order to calculate to an exact cent, but do not include a comma.
*Please note, match rate is the same for both grant award tiers (Tier 1 and Tier 2)
Producer RFP Information Sign-up
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