Soil Health Grant

Geographic Scope: Anchorage, Alaska (local focus)

Focus Areas:

• Sustainable farming practices
• Soil health and restoration
• Food security and local food systems
• Support for culturally important agricultural practices

Eligible Applicants:

• Tribal Conservation Districts
• Villages
• Individual growers
• Local and immigrant farmers
• Small farm operations

Program Description:
APU's Soil Health Program provides small, accessible grants to support efforts in soil restoration and sustainable farming. The program is guided by soil health principles of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and grounded in APU's core values honoring both science and tradition.

Supported Activities:

• Nitrogen-fixing crops
• Soil amendments and soil testing
• Improved irrigation systems
• Row cover installation
• Seeds and soil inputs
• Drip irrigation
• Soil tillers and farming tools
• Culturally important crop production

Impact:
Grants have supported farms including Fresh International Gardens (FIG), Ba-Lescas Brothers Familia, Family Group Farm, Shaposhnyk's Produce, YB Rana Family Vegetables, Rainbow Produce, Umoja Vegetables, and Dehgan Family Foods. Farmers have reported increased yields, improved crop diversity, enhanced food access, and stronger local food systems.