SHOT Fund collects data and builds community of practice for emergency response
In early February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) froze or canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in federal agriculture funding to farmers and nonprofits, triggering a fiscal crisis for many. These federal funds cover core work—from staff salaries for technical assistance providers, to on-farm implementation, and local food system support.
While philanthropy cannot fill every gap left by the pause and/or termination of federal agriculture funding for regenerative agriculture and equitable food systems, we have an opportunity and a moral obligation to act decisively to stabilize organizations and retain essential staff that will be needed in the long run to advance our movement.
Using real-time data from over 100 surveyed organizations and a participatory, trust-based selection process with nonprofit movement partners, the SHOT Fund rapidly deployed $1.7 million in Emergency Recoverable Grants in late February of 2025. These grants were made to stabilize operations at 25 critical nonprofits working across 35 states and two U.S. territories.
The grantees are a culturally and geographically diverse cohort of nonprofits that, in part, provide the backbone of regenerative agriculture in communities across the U.S. These grants will offer more than emergency relief: they are a preventative investment and a model for deploying flexible philanthropic capital in times of systemic disruption. If organizations lose core staff or pause essential programs, rebuilding their capacity and human infrastructure later will be exponentially more expensive and time-consuming. This loss would delay regenerative adoption and farmer support, and cause economic hardship to farming communities.
The SHOT Fund’s innovative use of recoverable, rapid-response grants addresses this challenge. It provides immediate stability while enabling philanthropic resources to stretch further. If federal funding is restored, recipients can return the grant, allowing these dollars to be redeployed to others in need.
Continuing to Act: Preserving critical field infrastructure with future rounds of recoverable grants
The SHOT Fund will continue to intervene to support frontline organizations to help them weather this immediate uncertainty, retain talent, and continue leading the transition to regenerative agriculture.
The SHOT Fund is preparing to do a second round of Emergency Recoverable Grants by May 2025, with a targeted pool of $3 million. The federal funding situation has continued to evolve, and while some federal funding is being restored, other funding has been terminated. The magnitude and scale of need are growing, and key organizations in the field are facing huge setbacks right now. The SHOT Fund is looking to raise an additional $1.5 million in short-term funding by May to reach our $3 million goal ($1.5 is already committed). This funding will help provide immediate support to 15-25 organizations.
We know immediate funding is critical, and we need to move quickly. However, we also know this is a long-haul emergency that will continue beyond the next few months. Accordingly, the SHOT Fund’s long-term goal is to fund $10 million over the next six months ($5 million in addition to the first two rounds issued in March and May).
The SHOT Fund is grateful to visionary funding partners who have allowed us to move quickly so far. These partners include: Waverley Street Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, No Regrets Initiative, PACT (Platform for Agriculture & Conservation Transformation), McKnight Foundation, Tortuga Foundation, Tundra Glacier Fund, and others.
The SHOT Fund is a joint initiative the Rural Climate Partnership and Regenerative Agriculture Foundation.
