North Central Regional Funding Opportunities

Critical Issue Grants

Competitive proposals are solicited for critical pest issues that address information, resource, and research needs with regional importance to minor crops, major crops, non-crop areas, IPM metrics and/or impact assessments, urban IPM, forestry, cropping systems, resistance management, advanced genetic tools and IPM, school IPM, tribal IPM and other issues. The Critical Issue grant opportunity is designed to provide one-time seed funding to help initiate work requiring immediate attention until other longer-term resources can be secured to address the issue.

The FY2024 Request for Applications (RFA) is now closed.

To apply for this grant, you will use the online Grant Management System. Video tutorials are available to help you begin.

Learn more about projects funded in 2023.

Working Group Grants

Working Groups grants enable collaboration among diverse groups to tackle regional IPM priorities. While project directors must be situated within the region, team members can reside outside the North Central region. Working groups have the flexibility to:

• Concentrate on specific crops or pests
• Focus on educational materials and outreach enhancement
• Foster collaboration with underserved audiences, such as tribal nations
• Coordinate efforts to develop proposals for additional funding to address critical issues within the North Central region.

The FY2024 Request for Applications (RFA) is now closed.

To apply for this grant, you will use the online Grant Management System. Video tutorials are available to help you begin.

Learn about projects funded in 2023.

IPM Mini-grants

The North Central IPM Center has allocated funds for mini-grants, which will be granted to eligible projects that facilitate the completion of small-scale initiatives or activities aimed at bolstering the adoption of IPM practices within the region.

The FY2024 IPM Mini-grant RFA is open and accepting applications on an ongoing basis until funds are depleted. Please review RFA for submission instructions. Up to $5,000 per award is available.

Nationwide Funding Opportunities

Equity and Accessibility

The four Regional IPM Centers are actively promoting Equity and Accessibility efforts through two funding opportunities. The primary objective of the Regional IPM Centers’ Equity and Accessibility Grant is to make diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) both essential and commonplace within the IPM community.

• Diversity: This encompasses ensuring that all individuals have equitable access to resources needed for personal growth and well-being, fostering thriving and inclusive communities.
• Equity: It involves advocating for justice, impartiality, and fairness in the procedures, processes, and allocation of resources within institutions or systems.
• Inclusion: This pertains to the extent to which diverse individuals can actively participate in decision-making processes within an organization or group.
• Accessibility: This covers the design, development, and maintenance of facilities, technology, programs, and services to ensure they can be fully and independently utilized by all, including people with disabilities. This includes providing accommodations and reducing barriers to create equitable opportunities.

This Equity and Accessibility program offers the following funding opportunities, eligible to anyone within the U.S. and territories:

Equity and Accessibility Grants

The Equity and Accessibility Grant program actively supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives by offering assistance to organizations and communities led by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, migrants, neurodiverse individuals, Veterans, beginning and women farmers, and members of the disability community, as well as faculty, staff, and students. This grant program also welcomes proposals related to DEIA training, education, and collaborations promoting equity and inclusion. Proposals should:

• Focus on IPM
• Deliver benefits to communities and stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on DEIA
• Enhance the cultural competency of staff
• Identify gaps in DEIA efforts and propose ways to improve
• Conduct needs assessments for the communities being served.

The FY2024 Equity and Accessibility Grant RFA is available here.

To apply for this grant, you will use the online Grant Management System. Video tutorials are available to help you begin.

Equity and Accessibility Mini-grants

These Equity and Accessibility funds are available for eligible projects aimed at prioritizing DEIA within IPM. Mini-grants can be used for printing materials, coordinating research plans, and facilitating DEIA efforts that may arise outside the regular funding cycle or for travel and meetings.

The FY2024 Equity and Accessibility Mini-grant RFA is open and accepting applications on an ongoing basis until funds are depleted. Please review the RFA for submission instructions. Up to $5,000 per award is available. Download the RFA.

DEIA Fellowships

The FY2024 DEIA Fellowships RFA opportunity is now closed.

This program supports individuals from marginalized communities, such as Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, neurodiverse individuals, Veterans, and those with disabilities, as well as faculty, staff, and students championing these causes. It also welcomes proposals from organizations focused on DEIA training, education, and initiatives aimed at advancing equity and inclusion nationwide.