The Emergency Resilience Grant is part of the American Farmland Trust’s (AFT) Brighter Future Fund, supported by generous donors and members. It was established to assist farmers and ranchers facing financial disruptions caused by natural disasters such as flooding, wildfires, or avian flu, as well as hardships related to the government funding freeze or the loss of markets. This grant specifically aims to enhance the financial resilience of small to mid-size farms, support business technical assistance, invest in business development, and promote soil health and environmentally beneficial agricultural practices.

Funding priority is given to small and mid-sized farms that have historically faced barriers accessing traditional funding. Applications must be submitted online between 8:00 a.m. EDT on April 16 and 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 26, 2025. Awards are made on a rolling basis as applications are received until funding is exhausted. AFT offers limited translation services for applicants and allows toggling between Spanish and English on the application portal.

Each grant offers up to $10,000 per project, or up to $10,250 if the applicant also qualifies for the Real Farmer Care award. Eligibility requirements include being based in the U.S. or one of its five territories, having experienced financial hardship due to a disruptive event, and providing documentation of financial distress, cost estimates, a proposed budget, and a timeline. Only for-profit farming or ranching operations producing goods for sale, barter, or exchange are eligible. Nonprofit organizations are not eligible for this funding.

Applicants who received a Brighter Future Fund award in 2025 under other programs like Regenerate VA Healthy Soils, Farm Vitality, or New England Regenerative Livestock Farming are not eligible for this grant. However, those who applied but were not selected for previous AFT grants are encouraged to apply. Prior recipients of AFT grants from 2024 or earlier may also apply, though preference may be given to those who have not received previous awards.

Applicants needing assistance or Spanish-language materials are encouraged to email brighterfuture@farmland.org. For media inquiries, applicants can contact Lori Sallet, AFT's Director of Media Relations, at lsallet@farmland.org. The grant program is managed by Ashley Brucker, Sr. Manager of Grantmaking, Farm Viability, and Kristen Irvin, Farm Viability Program Associate.