National Geographic Society Building Resilience in Agriculture

The National Geographic Society is calling for proposals on Building Resilience in Agriculture. This funding opportunity supports innovative projects that apply science and innovation in real-world contexts, focusing on feasible, nature-positive solutions.

📖 About National Geographic Society Building Resilience in Agriculture

Opportunity Details

• Date Published: August 05, 2025
• Application Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Category: Grants

This initiative aims to address the challenges posed by changing climates and extreme weather events. Projects should demonstrate measurable outcomes that enhance the resilience of farms, farming communities, and natural ecosystems. The main goals of the projects must align with regenerative practices and demonstrate two or more of the following outcomes:

Key Outcomes

• Soil Health: Build soil health and fertility to support a productive ecosystem above and below ground.
• Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: Increase resilience to climate change impacts, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Watershed Health: Improve watershed health by reducing nutrient runoff and minimizing water usage for farms and communities.
• Biodiversity: Protect and enhance biodiversity across agricultural landscapes, including forest conservation, pollinator protection, and soil microbiome improvement.
• Improved Livelihoods: Enhance livelihoods by providing farmers access to training, decision-making, and resources for sustainable agricultural practices.

🎁 Benefits of National Geographic Society Building Resilience in Agriculture

Grant recipients will become National Geographic Explorers and join the Explorer Community, gaining access to future learning, capacity-building, and networking opportunities. Additional benefits include:

• Travel Opportunities:

  • Recipients may need to travel to Europe for an event soon after receiving notification of awards in January 2026.
  • They will also travel to the National Geographic Society's Base Camp headquarters in Washington, DC for a multi-day gathering in 2026.

• Mentorship and Training:

  • Recipients may receive additional mentorship, training, and elevation opportunities as individuals and as a cohort.

• Media Features:

  • Grant recipients might be featured in communications materials, including video and photography related to their projects and results, shared across various media platforms.

📋 Requirements

To be eligible for this opportunity, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Budget: Requested project budget may not exceed $150,000.
• Age: Applicant must be over the age of 18.
• Staff Restriction: Applicant must not be a current National Geographic Society staff member.
• Project Duration: Project must be completed within 2 years of receipt of funding.
• Language: Applications must be submitted in English (though English does not need to be the applicant's primary language).
• Focus Crops: The project must include one or more of the following terrestrial food crops: corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, sugar beets, oilseeds (e.g., canola, sunflower, rice bran), rice, oats, cocoa, oil palm, raisins, and soy.
• Field Component: The project must have a predominant field or land component where solutions are applied and tested on a farm, farming community, or landscape adjacent to cultivated land.
• Collaborators: The application must include project collaborators with appropriate farming expertise and local connections.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Applications must be submitted through the official application portal. Submissions via email, mail, or post will not be accepted.

🌐 Application Portal

To apply or view more details, visit the National Geographic Society Building Resilience in Agriculture page.

For further inquiries, please refer to the official website or contact the National Geographic Society directly.

• Grant recipients become National Geographic Explorers and will join the Explorer Community.
• Eligible for future learning, capacity building, and networking opportunities.
• May need to travel to Europe for an event soon after receiving notification of awards in January 2026.
• Will travel to the National Geographic Society's Base Camp headquarters in Washington DC for a multi-day gathering to meet Society staff and key partners in 2026.
• May receive additional mentorship, training, and other elevation opportunities as individuals and as a cohort.
• Might be featured in communications materials by the Society and/or the funding partner that may include (but are not limited to) video and photography related to themselves, the project, and their results, shared through various media platforms.