New England Regenerative Livestock Farming Grants

The Brighter Future Fund's New England Regenerative Livestock Farming Grants (formerly the Western New England Regenerative Livestock Farming Grant) provide funds to livestock farmers in select counties in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut for the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.

Geographic Scope: Select counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont:

• Connecticut: Litchfield, Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Tolland, Windham, New London
• Massachusetts: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex
• New Hampshire: Coos, Grafton, Sullivan
• Vermont: Caledonia, Orange, Cheshire, Windsor, Bennington, Windham

Focus Areas: Funds support field-based conservation practice projects that improve:

• Soil health
• Water quality
• Pollinator habitat

Eligible Practices Include:

• Cover crops
• Pasture seeding
• Pollinator habitat creation
• Rotational grazing
• Reducing tillage
• Soil amendments

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a livestock farmer in eligible counties
• Must be raising livestock products for community sale or barter/exchange
• Can only fund existing livestock operations (not start-up operations)
• Applicants must be at least 50 years old (implied by beneficiary age requirement)
• Must include a letter of support from a service provider (any company, agency, organization, or consultant offering technical, financial, or professional support to farmers)

What They Don't Fund:

• Start-up livestock operations
• Operations not raising livestock for sale or barter

Contact Information:

• Email: [email protected]
• Available in multiple languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, Vietnamese

Application Process

Timeline (2025-2026 cycle):

• September 15, 2025: Application opens
• October 24, 2025, 5:00 PM ET: Application deadline
• January 2026: Award announcement
• June 30, 2026: Project completion deadline (no extensions granted)

Payment Schedule:

• 80% of awarded amount paid in early 2026
• Remaining 20% paid in summer 2026

Application Requirements:

1. Submit application in preferred language (English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, or Vietnamese)
2. Include a letter of support from a service provider who is familiar with the scope of work in the grant proposal
3. For applications requesting language translation services, email the Brighter Future Fund with the following information:
   • Full name of applicant
   • Name of farm
   • Location (city/state) of farm
   • Preferred language
   • Contact information (email and phone number)

Submission Method:

• Email to: [email protected]
• Deadline: October 24, 2025 (or date specified in current cycle)
• Incomplete applications will not be processed