Leveraging public and private funding to advance regenerative practices and equitable agriculture change
A joint initiative of the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation and the Rural Climate Partnership
SHOT: Soil Health Opportunities & Tools
The Soil Health Opportunities & Tools (SHOT) Fund is a philanthropic initiative that fills gaps in agriculture and conservation funding and puts a thumb on the scale to advance the most durable regenerative practices and foster community-led agricultural change. By durable, we mean interventions that create the most enduring, long-term soil health benefits that deliberately shift away from conventional, monoculture agriculture. By equitable change, we mean resourcing community-led efforts that promote strong local food and fiber systems and rural economies.
The SHOT Fund leverages financial and technical resources from philanthropic, nonprofit, and public sources to support farmer-facing NGOs and the farmers they serve.
Promoting Soil Health in Agriculture
Our Work
The SHOT Fund advances durable regenerative practices
Diverse cropping systems with crop rotations that improve soil health while storing carbon, improving yield, and reducing fertilizer use.
Perennial crops that reduce the need for tillage, require fewer fertilizers, and retain more nutrients.
Tree-based agriculture like reforestation, agroforestry, silvopasture, and mass timber that build soil health and have carbon storage potential.
Well-managed pasture systems that minimize soil disturbance, reduce nutrient use, sequester carbon, and actively break down greenhouse gas emissions.
Reduced use of agrochemical fertilizers and pesticides to avoid substantial emissions, increase soil health, and build resilience.
The SHOT Fund supports nonprofits and farmers through capacity support and grantmaking
Capacity support and grants to win public grants and reduce administrative hurdles
Financing to overcome barriers to access public funding.
- 0% interest loans to nonprofits to cover long reimbursement periods associated with public funding programs
- 0% interest EQIP Bridge Loans for farmers with EQIP contracts to cover the upfront costs of adopting regenerative practices. Learn more about our EQIP loan program here.
Technical assistance grants to help implement durable regenerative practices with farmers
Market and supply chain grants to support regenerative food and fiber systems
Emergency Response grants for critical organizations that have had federal contracts frozen or terminated
Learn more about our first round of Emergency Response grants here.
Geographic Focus
In 2025, we have 19 priority states in the Upper Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest. This may expand as the SHOT Fund grows, and does not necessarily preclude any organization from being eligible for funding.
