Native American Agriculture Fund Commits $9.5 Million to 28 Projects to Expand Capital Access

The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) is investing nearly $9.5 million through its 2026 grant cycle to expand access to capital for Native farmers and ranchers across Indian Country.

NAAF announced $9,499,315 in grants to 26 organizations supporting 28 projects focused on strengthening the financial infrastructure Native agricultural producers rely on to grow and sustain their operations.

The grants will support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Tribal Nations and their instrumentalities, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and educational institutions working with Native agricultural producers.

Investing in long-term financial stability

The 2026 grants are designed to support Native producers beyond a single growing season by providing access to loans and financing while also helping farmers and ranchers build credit histories, strengthen their businesses and develop succession plans.

Together, the projects are intended to create sustainable opportunities for Native agricultural producers and strengthen the financial capacity needed to keep Native farms and ranches operating for generations.

“Native producers, like farmers and ranchers everywhere, don’t get to turn it off or clock out. They are agriculture,” said Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, chief executive officer of NAAF. “It’s an immense responsibility to feed our people, steward our land, and hold up our economies, every single day, through a system that decided, for decades, who got to grow and who didn’t.”

Stanger-McLaughlin said some of the Native agricultural leaders benefiting from the programs have family connections to the history behind the settlement that provided NAAF’s funding.

“Some of the people carrying that legacy forward today are the children and grandchildren of the original Keepseagle claimants, now connected to the very Native CDFIs and Tribal programs we’re funding this year. They’re not an outside institution telling producers what they need. They’re neighbors, and in some cases, family, who watched that system up close and know exactly what it will take to make sure the next generation doesn’t inherit the same financial barriers.”

Building financial infrastructure

NAAF’s funding comes from a court-approved settlement and a court-supervised framework. The Trust has a 20-year term intended to provide a long-term investment in the financial infrastructure supporting Native agricultural producers.

Rather than focusing solely on individual grant outcomes, the 2026 projects take different approaches to helping producers gain access to capital and strengthen their operations.

Some projects pair equity grants with post-closing support that continues after a loan is finalized. The additional assistance can help producers strengthen their balance sheets and improve their ability to secure financing in the future.

Other projects focus on youth and education, preparing the next generation of Native food and agricultural leaders with skills and knowledge needed to build careers in agriculture and food systems.

Some grantees are connecting affordable debt capital with new local market opportunities, giving producers access to financing while creating additional places to sell their products.

Other projects are investing in shared cold storage and delivery infrastructure. Those investments can reduce the upfront costs associated with reaching wholesale and intertribal markets.

While the projects take different approaches, NAAF said they share a common objective: expanding fair access to capital and creating financial opportunities that can be sustained across generations.

To learn more about the Native American Agriculture Fund and view the 2026 grantee list, visit www.nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/2026-grantees/