Soil Health Implementation Grant
The Maine Healthy Soils Program funds Maine farmers to trial, adopt, or scale scientific soil health practices, supporting on-farm research and collaboration to improve agricultural resilience and sustainability.
Funder: Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027: Written questions deadline (projected) | March 2027: Application submission deadline / Applications due by 12:00 noon ET (projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $65,000 per award; total anticipated funding ~$500,000; project period up to 3 years.
Summary: Supports Maine farmers in adopting, scaling, or maintaining healthy soils practices through funding for equipment, labor, and materials.
Description
This opportunity, administered by the Maine Healthy Soils Program within the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, provides financial support to Maine farmers to overcome barriers to improving or maintaining soil health. The grant aims to help farms trial, adopt, scale, or sustain healthy soils best practices, such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, rotational grazing, and other soil management strategies. Funding can be used for equipment purchases, labor, materials, and other eligible expenses that directly contribute to holistic soil health management. Recipients are expected to collaborate with program staff on soil health testing and management planning, ensuring projects are tailored to the needs and goals of each farm. The program’s broader mission is to enhance the resilience and sustainability of Maine’s agricultural system in the face of climate change.
