Wisconsin Farmers Union is providing a stipend for underserved farmers in Wisconsin to improve the sustainability of their operations. Up to $2,000 may be requested by any farm and go towards efforts to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of the farm.
This program began awarding stipends in November of 2024 and to date has funded 43 farmers, awarded $78,350 in total, and seen over 400 applications in 24 months. Through generous donations we are able to continue this program through August of 2027. If you are interested in donating to this program, please click here to donate through the Wisconsin Farmers Union Foundation.
For the period of November 2026 to August 2027 - Primary funding is available to applicants in the Lake Michigan Basin, with a small amount still available to farms outside of the basin. Projects within the Lake Michigan Basin have a much higher likelihood of being funded. Click here to view a map of the Lake Michigan Basin.
Show us what your small farm is doing to create sustainable and caring relationships with the land, your community, and local food system. This program aims to showcase small-farm sustainability and assist in multiplying positive impacts.
Check out our new interactive map that shows what projects have been funded in the past! (Additional funded projects will be added to the map as soon as possible.)
Mission: The goal of these funds is to help farmers from diverse backgrounds implement practices that make their farms more sustainable both financially and environmentally.
The goal of this project is to provide resources to farmers who may have trouble reaching traditional farmer-funding opportunities. Any existing or new member of the Wisconsin Farmers Union farmer may apply. Complementary WFU memberships are available. All applicants will be considered, but the following characteristics will be given preference:
-
Farmers who have been historically underserved by the USDA.
-
Growers who farm unconventionally (including but not limited to, sustainable-ethic, organic, urban, regenerative, diversified, or direct-market etc).
-
Producers who come from a non-farming background.
-
Growers with a plan to connect the information they learn back to their community.
Review Process: A team of 4 reviewers evaluates applications for the Small Farm Sustainability Stipend and selects awardees every quarter.
All applicants will be considered, but the following characteristics will be given preference:
–Applicants who reside in the Lake Michigan Basin
–Farmers who have been historically underserved by the USDA.
–Growers who farm unconventionally (including but not limited to, sustainable-ethic, organic, urban, regenerative, diversified, or direct-market etc).
–Producers who come from a non-farming background.
–Growers with a plan to connect the information they learn back to their community.
–Farmers who demonstrates a benefit to climate change or direct benefit for water quality from this change.
COMING SOON: Application FAQs.
Applications will be collected by the WFU Conservation & Stewardship Department and reviewed for completeness and need for translation. After appropriate follow-up with the applicant or translator service, WFU will provide the complete set of applications to the review committee to rank in a quarterly meeting within 4 weeks of the quarterly due dates and determine which projects they recommend funding.
Usually within 30 days of the application deadlines WFU will notify applicants if they have been approved for funding.
Timeline: The review committee will review applications and notify recipients within 30 days of the due date closest to receipt of your application. If an application comes in with an urgent request that is deemed high priority, the review committee may review the application outside of this schedule to provide a recommendation of funding.
Application due dates:
November 1st, 2026
February 1st, 2027
May 1st, 2027
August 1st, 2027
If you’re approved for funding:
WFU staff will follow up with all applicants to let them know if they are approved for funding. If approved, applicants will have to fill out some paperwork agreeing to share their story on this project and prove they performed the planned project. Funding can be provided before the project is completed or after, depending on applicant preference and project timeline.
If, for some reason, the project is not completed within 12 months of receiving the signed agreement, the applicant agrees to pay back any funds received from WFU.