The Farm Business Management and Benchmarking (FBMB) Competitive Grants Program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to improve farm management knowledge and skills among agricultural producers. It also seeks to maintain and expand the publicly accessible national farm financial management database (FINBIN). The program encourages innovative extension approaches and collaborative efforts to address current challenges in farm management education and financial analysis. For Fiscal Year 2025, approximately $2,000,000 is anticipated for funding, with grant awards ranging up to $450,000 for Standard Grants and up to $50,000 for Planning Grants. The application deadline is February 20, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

The FBMB program focuses on maintaining and expanding the national farm financial management database to improve producers' knowledge and skills across a variety of crops and regions. Objectives include establishing outreach-based, collaborative farm management education programs, enhancing cooperation among farm management associations, and increasing the diversity and scope of data in the national database. Key strategies involve advancing data collection, improving financial analysis, providing technical assistance, and enabling producers to benchmark their farm operations effectively.

Eligible applicants include state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions, federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations, individuals, and groups consisting of two or more eligible entities. While there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate partnerships and collaboration. Applications must align with at least one of the program's objectives and strategies and demonstrate clear project goals, measurable outcomes, and a feasible implementation timeline.

The application process requires electronic submission through Grants.gov. Proposals must include a project narrative of no more than ten pages, a logic model, and a project timeline. Key sections of the narrative should address the introduction, rationale, goals and objectives, institutional capacity, sustainability, and evaluation plan. A detailed budget and budget narrative must also be included, and indirect costs cannot exceed 30 percent of total federal funds awarded. Applicants may request consideration for Centers of Excellence (COE) status, which prioritizes collaboration, cost-effectiveness, and leveraging of resources.

Applications will be evaluated based on their potential to maintain or expand the national database, project implementation feasibility, evaluation methods, key personnel qualifications, institutional capacity, and budget justification. Proposals must demonstrate the ability to deliver measurable outcomes, contribute data to FINBIN, and ensure long-term sustainability of the project beyond the funding period.

The expected project start date is September 1, 2025, with project durations ranging from 12 to 36 months, depending on the grant type. Applicants are encouraged to attend informational webinars hosted by NIFA and consult program contacts for guidance. Progress reports and final technical reports are required, and awardees must comply with NIFA’s reporting requirements and federal regulations.