North Central Region SARE
USDA-funded regional grant program (since 1988) administered by the University of Minnesota, operating six competitive grants programs that fund sustainable agriculture research, education, and on-farm innovation across 12 North Central US states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersSt. Paul, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What North Central Region SARE does
North Central Region SARE (NCR-SARE) is one of four regional offices administering the federally chartered Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under cooperative agreement (most recently award no. 2024-38640-42986). Established in 1988 and hosted by the University of Minnesota, NCR-SARE operates across 12 upper-Midwest states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin), with the Professional Development Program hosted by the University of Missouri.
NCR-SARE's core products are six competitive grant programs: the Farmer Rancher Grant Program (individual grants up to $15,000; team grants up to $30,000), the Research and Education Grant Program, the Partnership Grant Program (up to $50,000), the Youth Educator Grant Program, the Professional Development Grant Program (up to $120,000 over up to three years), and the Graduate Student Grant Program (up to $20,000 over up to 36 months). Supporting products include the Field Notes newsletter, the Grant How-To Video Series, the Farming Matters video series on YouTube, and a searchable project reports database at projects.sare.org. NCR-SARE does not develop proprietary technology products; its underlying technology consists of an online grant submission system and the project reports database.
The business model is grantmaking funded by USDA NIFA rather than commercial revenue. NCR-SARE awards pass-through grants to farmers, ranchers, researchers, graduate students, educators, and agricultural professionals, with an Administrative Council setting priorities and making funding decisions. Annual program outlays aggregate to approximately $3.3M across the four largest grant programs, funding roughly 90+ projects per year. Distribution is community-led, leveraging a network of SARE State Coordinators in each of the 12 states, supplemented by webinars, conferences, field days, social media, and the Field Notes newsletter.
North Central Region SARE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- North Central Region SARE
- Legal name
- North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE)
- Website
- https://northcentral.sare.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- USDA-funded regional grant program (since 1988) administered by the University of Minnesota, operating six competitive grants programs that fund sustainable agriculture research, education, and on-farm innovation across 12 North Central US states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
North Central Region SARE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Agriculture Grants
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL)
Keywords
Where North Central Region SARE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St. Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
North Central Region SARE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- USDA NIFA Funding: NCR-SARE receives funding through a cooperative agreement with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under project award no. 2024-38640-42986. This federal funding supports competitive grants and educational outreach in sustainable agriculture.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Farmer Rancher Individual Grant - up to $15,000 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Farmer Rancher Team Grant - up to $30,000 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Graduate Student Grant - up to $20,000 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Partnership Grant - up to $50,000 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional Development Grant - up to $120,000 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
North Central Region SARE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NCR-SARE administers USDA-funded competitive grant programs that advance sustainable agriculture across 12 upper Midwest states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). The organization funds on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects led by farmers, ranchers, graduate students, researchers, and agricultural educators, and complements grants with outreach resources such as the Field Notes newsletter and the Grant How-To Video Series.
Product overview
North Central Region SARE (NCR-SARE) is a USDA-funded competitive grants program administered by the University of Minnesota that advances sustainable agriculture across 12 Midwest states. The program offers six core grant programs (Farmer Rancher, Research and Education, Partnership, Youth Educator, Professional Development, and Graduate Student grants) that fund research, demonstration, and education projects. Additionally, NCR-SARE provides educational resources including the Field Notes newsletter, the Grant How-To Video Series, and the Farming Matters Video Series to support sustainable agriculture adoption among producers, scientists, and educators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Field Notes: NCR-SARE's newsletter that shares announcements, stories about grantees, and news about the program. Published semi-annually.
Products and services
- Farmer Rancher Grant Program
- Research and Education Grant Program
- Partnership Grant Program
- Youth Educator Grant Program
- Professional Development Grant Program
- Graduate Student Grant Program
- Field Notes Newsletter
- NCR-SARE Grant How-To Video Series
- Farming Matters Video Series
Quantifiable outcome
- NCR-SARE funds approximately 40 Farmer Rancher projects, 20 Partnership projects, 20 Graduate Student projects, and 10-11 Professional Development projects annually
Companies that use North Central Region SARE
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
North Central Region SARE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
North Central Region SARE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- University of MinnesotacoreHost institution for North Central SARE headquarters. Provides administrative infrastructure, staff, and facilities for the regional SARE program.
- University of MissouricoreHost institution for NCR-SARE's Professional Development Program (PDP). Provides administrative support for the training programs.
- Cooperative Extension Service (CES)majorKey partner for Professional Development Program. Extension educators receive sustainable agriculture training to better serve producers.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)majorKey partner for Professional Development Program. NRCS staff receive training in sustainable agriculture practices.
- SARE State CoordinatorsmajorNetwork of coordinators in each of the 12 states who provide information and assistance to grant applicants and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Marisol Berti (NDSU Department of Plant Sciences)minorAdministrative Council member representing Ag Experiment Station, with expertise in forage and biomass crop production and cover crops.
- Keith Berns (Green Cover Seeds)minorAdministrative Council member from agribusiness with expertise in cover crops and soil health.
- Farm CommonsminorNonprofit based in Minnesota that helps producers build resilient agricultural businesses by training both farmers and educators in sustainable farm law.
- SARE OutreachmajorNational SARE outreach office that publishes books, bulletins, videos and other educational products for farmers, ranchers and Extension educators.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
North Central Region SARE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit operating regenerative agriculture and soil health programs in the same 12-state region. Frequently co-funds or collaborates with SARE grantees on producer-focused conservation outcomes.
- Soil Health Partnership (now Trust In Food): Conservation program that funds on-farm soil health research and demonstration across the Midwest, overlapping significantly with NCR-SARE's grant topics and producer audience.
- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC): National advocacy coalition that helps defend SARE's federal appropriations in farm bill reauthorizations. Mission-aligned with NCR-SARE on policy and grassroots outreach.
Emerging players
- Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR): Public-private nonprofit that funds research across the same sustainable agriculture themes at higher dollar amounts per award. Increasingly important partner or alternative funder for NCR-SARE grantees seeking scale-up funding.
Broad incumbents
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA): Federal parent and primary funder of NCR-SARE. NIFA administers the broader AFRI and other competitive grants programs that compete for the same research and extension talent NCR-SARE funds.
- Cooperative Extension System: National network of land-grant extension educators that NCR-SARE's PDP program is designed to train. Shares the same audience (producers across the 12 states) and is a primary delivery channel for SARE-funded outputs.
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal agency that co-funds and helps train agricultural professionals through NCR-SARE's PDP program. Operates overlapping soil health and conservation programming for the same producer audience.
Direct peers
- Southern SARE: One of the four SARE regional host programs (along with NCR, Northeast, and Western) administered by USDA NIFA. Runs the same six grant categories but covers a different region, making it the most direct structural peer.
- Western SARE: The fourth SARE regional host program covering Western states and U.S. Pacific territories. Operates the same competitive grant programs and reporting infrastructure under USDA NIFA.
- Northeast SARE: Sister SARE region with identical USDA NIFA funding model and grant portfolio, serving 12 Northeast states. Shares the same cooperative agreement framework, administrative council structure, and project reporting database.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
North Central Region SARE social profiles
Digital presenceNorth Central Region SARE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
North Central Region SARE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
North Central Region SARE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
North Central Region SARE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about North Central Region SARE
What does North Central Region SARE do?
NCR-SARE administers USDA-funded competitive grant programs that advance sustainable agriculture across 12 upper Midwest states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). The organization funds on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects led by farmers, ranchers, graduate students, researchers, and agricultural educators, and complements grants with outreach resources such as the Field Notes newsletter and the Grant How-To Video Series.
Is North Central Region SARE a public or private company?
North Central Region SARE is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was North Central Region SARE founded?
North Central Region SARE was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is North Central Region SARE based?
North Central Region SARE is headquartered in St. Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does North Central Region SARE make money?
One revenue line is on record: USDA NIFA Funding.
Who are North Central Region SARE's main competitors?
Others on record are American Farmland Trust, Soil Health Partnership (now Trust In Food) and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Cooperative Extension System and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Direct peers are Southern SARE, Western SARE and Northeast SARE.
Does North Central Region SARE have an API?
No public API is recorded for North Central Region SARE.
What industry is North Central Region SARE in?
North Central Region SARE's product category is Sustainable Agriculture Grants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAB, Land-Grant Public Research Universities, with a secondary code of AFACABAL, Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory). Its NAICS code is 11511 and its SIC code is 700.