Braiding Seeds Fellowship 2027–2028: $50,000 Stipend and Mentorship for Beginning BIPOC Farmers in the U.S.

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship is an 18-month fellowship designed to support beginning farmers and land stewards through financial assistance, professional development, mentorship, coaching, and opportunities to strengthen community-based agricultural and land stewardship projects.

Founded by Soul Fire Farm Institute in partnership with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, the fellowship draws inspiration from the history of ancestral grandmothers who braided seeds into their hair before being forced onto transatlantic slave ships. The programme carries forward this legacy by supporting farmers working to sustain and pass on land-based knowledge, food systems, and community resources.

Applications are currently open for the 2027–2028 cohort, with the application deadline set for September 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.

What Is the Braiding Seeds Fellowship?

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship is a programme for beginning farmers and land stewards who are developing projects connected to farming, food production, ecological stewardship, and community impact.

The fellowship was created to provide resources to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) beginning farmers whose work contributes to the development and continuation of land-based livelihoods.

The programme seeks to support farmers not simply through financial assistance, but through a combination of:

• Financial support
• Professional development
• One-to-one mentorship
• Individualized coaching
• Farm finance support
• Business planning assistance
• Workshops
• Cohort gatherings
• Community and professional networking

The fellowship is intended to help farmers strengthen their projects and livelihoods while contributing to broader community-based agricultural work.

The Historical Meaning Behind the Fellowship

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship takes its name and inspiration from a story of resilience and preservation.

The programme honours ancestral grandmothers who, according to its stated purpose, braided seeds and promises into their hair before being forced onto transatlantic slave ships. The seeds represented a belief that their descendants would survive and would eventually inherit, plant, and pass on those seeds.

The fellowship connects this historical legacy to contemporary farming and land stewardship.

Its purpose is therefore not only to provide funding to individual farmers. It also seeks to support the continuation of agricultural knowledge, relationships with land, food sovereignty, and community-based farming practices.

The programme’s previous cohorts include fellows working across the Southeast and Northeast United States, including areas associated with the Underground Railroad and the Great Migration.

The fellowship describes its broader goal as helping to bridge North-South connections and generations of farmers, including legacy-returning generations.

Who Is the Fellowship Designed to Support?

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship is specifically intended for beginning farmers and land stewards who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color.

Applicants must also meet the programme’s experience requirements and geographic requirements.

The fellowship is designed for people who are already engaged in farming or land stewardship rather than individuals who have no experience with a farming or land-based project.

Minimum Experience Requirement

Applicants must have:

• At least one year of farming or land stewardship experience
• No more than three years of experience running their own farm or land stewardship project

Applicants must also be 18 years of age or older.

What Does “Farmer” Mean for This Fellowship?

The fellowship uses a broad definition of what constitutes a farmer.

For the purposes of the programme, a farmer is someone whose livelihood involves working collaboratively with an ecosystem to produce things such as:

• Food
• Forage
• Seeds
• Medicine
• Crops
• Other land-based products

The programme recognizes that people involved in this type of work may use different terms to describe themselves or their activities.

Examples listed in the fellowship information include:

• Peasant
• Urban grower
• Campesino
• Farmworker
• Row crop farmer
• Shepherd
• Herb grower
• Schoolyard gardener
• Nonprofit farmer
• Ocean farmer
• Orchardist
• Fiber farmer

The common element is the relationship between the person’s work and the land or ecosystem as a means of securing the necessities of life.

The fellowship is particularly interested in farmers producing at a scale capable of supporting a wider community, rather than projects intended only to provide for one household or a small group of family members and friends.

$50,000 Fellowship Stipend

One of the major features of the Braiding Seeds Fellowship is its $50,000 stipend.

This financial support is intended to help fellows dedicate time and resources toward their farming and land stewardship work during the fellowship period.

The stipend forms part of a broader support package that also includes professional development, mentorship, coaching, and farm business assistance.

Professional Development and Mentorship

Financial support is only one component of the fellowship.

Fellows receive access to a menu of professional development opportunities that includes:

• One-to-one mentorship
• Workshops
• Farm finance support
• Business plan support
• Individualized coaching
• Cohort gatherings
• Professional networking

These resources are designed to help fellows strengthen both the practical and organizational aspects of their projects.

Individualized Coaching

Fellows receive individualized coaching throughout the programme.

This can provide a space to discuss challenges, goals, project development, and other issues connected to their farming or land stewardship work.

The fellowship also requires regular one-to-one check-in meetings with fellowship staff.

Cohort-Based Learning and Networking

The programme includes both online and in-person cohort gatherings.

These gatherings provide opportunities for fellows to:

• Build relationships with other farmers
• Exchange experiences
• Develop professional connections
• Participate in professional development
• Learn from other land-based practitioners
• Build longer-term networks

The cohort model is an important component of the programme because fellows are not participating in isolation. They become part of a wider group of farmers and land stewards.

Fellowship Duration and Dates

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship is an 18-month programme.

For the upcoming cohort, the fellowship is scheduled to begin on:

January 15, 2027

The programme is scheduled to end on:

June 15, 2028

This extended period allows fellows to work on their projects while participating in professional development and mentorship activities.

Fellowship Obligations

Applicants should understand that receiving the fellowship involves responsibilities in addition to receiving financial support.

Farming as the Main Work

Farming will be the primary work of fellows.

During the growing season, fellows are expected to dedicate a minimum average of:

20+ hours per week

to their farms.

Professional Development Requirement

Fellows must complete at least:

50 hours of professional development over 18 months

The professional development hours can be completed through the menu of opportunities provided by the fellowship, including mentorship, workshops, farm finance assistance, and business planning support.

Cohort Participation

Fellows are expected to attend online and in-person cohort gatherings.

These gatherings are designed for networking and professional development.

Feedback to the Programme

Fellows are also asked to provide feedback and suggestions that can help inform future years of the fellowship.

Regular Check-Ins

Fellows will participate in regular one-to-one meetings with fellowship staff.

These check-ins provide ongoing contact between fellows and programme staff throughout the fellowship.

2027–2028 Application Timeline

The application process for the upcoming cohort follows a specific schedule.

Application Opens

The 2026 application is currently open for the 2027–2028 cohort.

Application Deadline

September 25, 2026

Applications must be submitted by:

11:59 PM EST

Decision Announcements

Final decisions will be announced on or before December 18, 2026.

Fellowship Start Date

The fifth cohort is scheduled to begin on:

January 15, 2027

Fellowship End Date

The 18-month fellowship will end on:

June 15, 2028

Application Requirements

Applicants should prepare several supporting materials before beginning the online application.

The fellowship recommends gathering the following materials.

1. Three References

Applicants must provide a list of three references.

Each reference should include:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing address
• Relationship to the applicant
• Relationship to the applicant’s project

References can come from a variety of relationships and settings.

They may include:

• Collaborators
• Mentors
• Family members
• Friends
• Educational contacts
• Work-related contacts

One of the references can also be the person who wrote the applicant’s recommendation letter.

2. Photo of Yourself

Applicants should provide:

• One photograph of themselves

3. Farm or Land Stewardship Project Material

Applicants must provide one visual representation of their project.

This can be:

• A photograph
• Diagram
• Video
• Drawing

The material should show or communicate the applicant’s farm or land stewardship project.

4. Letter of Recommendation

Applicants need:

• One letter of recommendation

The letter should help demonstrate the applicant’s qualifications and, importantly, their community involvement.

5. Detailed Budget

Applicants must prepare a detailed budget for their project.

The fellowship provides a sample budget template that applicants can use as a guide.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online using the official application form.

Online Application:

Apply for the Braiding Seeds Fellowship

The application is available in English, and a Spanish-language version is also available through the language-selection tab in the upper-right corner of the application.

Applicants who prefer to prepare their responses before entering them into the online form can review the non-fillable English application PDF and Spanish PDF provided by the programme.

Application Information Session

An application information session was held on August 13, 2026, providing applicants with information about the fellowship and application process.

Applicants can also access the recording and presentation slides.

The fellowship recommends attending or reviewing this information session before booking individual technical assistance.

One-to-One Application Technical Assistance

Applicants can receive technical assistance with specific questions about the application.

The fellowship offers one 30-minute one-to-one technical assistance session per applicant.

Because the number of sessions is limited, applicants are asked to book only one session with one technical assistant.

Technical assistance is available through four people:

• Ayo Ngozi
• Angie Comeaux
• Sarah Sohn
• Rowen White

Applicants are encouraged to attend or review the application information session before booking a one-to-one session.

Support for Applicants With Access Concerns

The fellowship recognizes that written applications and online application systems may create access barriers for some applicants.

Applicants who:

• Have access concerns
• Experience hardship completing a written application
• Experience technical problems with the application form

can contact the fellowship team for assistance.

Email: braidingseeds@soulfirefarm.org

How Are Fellows Selected?

Applications are reviewed by a selection committee made up of alumni and representatives from Black- and Indigenous-centered farming organizations in the Northeast and Southeast.

The selection group includes representatives associated with organisations such as:

• Federation of Southern Cooperatives
• Land Loss Prevention Project
• National Black Food and Justice Alliance
• Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance
• Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust
• New Communities Inc./SW GA Project
• Black Church Food Security Network
• Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network
• Farms to Grow
• Black Farmer Fund
• Farm School NYC
• Sierra Seeds Cooperative
• Jubilee Justice
• Sipp Culture
• Intertribal Agriculture Council

Each application is assigned to at least two reviewers, with reviewers assigned randomly.

The review process considers both the applicant’s eligibility and the quality and readiness of the proposed project.

Application Review Criteria

The fellowship provides a detailed review rubric.

Reviewers consider whether applicants demonstrate:

Clear Project Description

Applicants should clearly describe their farm or land stewardship project.

Commitment to the Project

The application should demonstrate the applicant’s commitment or ability to commit to the project.

Alignment With Fellowship Values

Reviewers consider whether the project’s mission and approach align with the fellowship’s stated commitment to:

• The flourishing of Black agrarianism
• Indigenous sovereignty
• Liberation of people impacted by racial capitalism and settler colonialism

Authentic Responses

The application includes a question for which reviewers specifically assess whether the applicant has provided a thorough and authentic response.

Food Sovereignty

Reviewers consider whether the project has an intersectional vision and approach to food sovereignty.

Community Involvement and Impact

Applicants should demonstrate strong community involvement and potential community impact.

Recommendation Letter

The applicant’s reference letter is also considered in relation to community involvement.

Long-Term Impact

Reviewers consider whether the project is positioned to continue producing community impact over the long term.

Goals and Timeline

Applicants should identify:

• Clear goals
• A timeline
• Planned next steps

The reviewers also consider whether these goals, timelines, and next steps are realistic and attainable.

Project Readiness

Applicants should demonstrate readiness to undertake and sustain the project.

Financial Need

The application considers whether the project has financial or other support needs that are unlikely to be met without the fellowship.

Land Access

Applicants should have a clear plan for accessing land.

Project Support

Reviewers consider whether applicants have adequate support, including:

• Collaborators
• Partners
• Team members
• Other relevant support systems

to realistically implement their stated project goals.

Why Does the Fellowship Have a Strong Focus on Black Farmers?

The fellowship explicitly explains its focus on rebuilding Black agrarianism in the context of historical land dispossession.

According to the programme’s information, Black farmers owned between 16 and 19 million acres of farmland at their peak in 1910, representing approximately 14% of U.S. farm operators.

The fellowship states that more than 90% of this land was lost during the 20th century, citing factors including:

• State-sanctioned violence
• Discriminatory lending practices
• Vulnerabilities associated with heirs’ property
• Systematic legal exclusion

The programme states that Black farmers today own less than 3 million acres and represent just over 1% of U.S. farmers.

Within this context, the fellowship reserves awards for Black fellows as part of its stated effort to rebuild Black agrarianism.

Allocation of Fellowship Spaces

The programme states that it normally provides:

• 7 awards reserved for Black fellows
• 2–3 awards reserved for Indigenous fellows
• 1 space usually reserved for other People of Color

The fellowship explains that this structure reflects its focus on addressing historical dispossession and supporting Black agrarianism while working in solidarity and collaboration with Indigenous peoples.

Language and Spanish-Speaking Applicants

The fellowship recognizes that applicants come from communities with different experiences relating to:

• Race
• Gender
• Immigration status
• Class
• Language

The programme states that it celebrates and uplifts the diversity of languages spoken by applicants.

A Spanish-language application is available.

However, the fellowship is conducted primarily in English. The programme acknowledges that this can create limitations for some applicants and states that it aims to support non-native English speakers while recognizing that there may be gaps in available resources.

$2,500 Seed Grants

In addition to the fellowship positions, the programme will also award 12 Seed Grants of $2,500 each.

These seed grants provide another form of financial support for farming and ecological land stewardship projects.

Importantly, receiving a seed grant does not positively or negatively affect an applicant’s likelihood of receiving the fellowship in the future.

Seed Grant Requirements

Seed Grant recipients must:

• Use the funds by December 2027
• Use the funds for charitable and/or educational purposes
• Use the funds in connection with farming and/or ecological land stewardship
• Complete a short questionnaire explaining how the funds were used

The Seed Grant programme is separate from the main fellowship award.

Geographic Focus

The fellowship is specifically focused on farmers and land stewards based in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States.

Eligible locations listed by the programme are:

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• West Virginia
• Virginia
• Vermont

Applicants who live outside these states and the District of Columbia are not eligible for the current cohort under the geographic criteria provided.

The programme notes that future cohorts may have a different geographic focus.

Preparing a Strong Application

Applicants can improve the clarity of their application by preparing well before submitting the form.

Clearly Explain Your Farm or Land Stewardship Project

Describe what you are doing, why the project exists, who it serves, and what you hope to accomplish.

Demonstrate Community Impact

The selection rubric places considerable attention on community involvement and impact.

Applicants should therefore clearly explain how their work connects to and benefits the wider community.

Develop Realistic Goals

Provide specific goals and explain:

• What you want to achieve
• When you plan to achieve it
• What steps you will take
• What resources you need
• How you will measure progress

Explain Your Land Access Plan

The selection criteria specifically ask whether applicants have a clear plan for land access.

Applicants should therefore be prepared to explain the current status of their land and how they intend to maintain or secure access.

Prepare a Detailed Budget

A clear budget can help communicate what resources the project requires and how fellowship funding could support the work.

Choose Appropriate References

Because references can speak to community involvement and the applicant’s project, applicants should select people who understand their work and can provide meaningful information about their contribution and readiness.

Key Details at a Glance

Conclusion

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship 2027–2028 provides substantial financial and professional support for beginning farmers and land stewards who are developing community-oriented farming and ecological land stewardship projects in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States.

The programme combines a $50,000 stipend with professional development, one-to-one mentorship, individualized coaching, farm finance and business planning support, workshops, and cohort gatherings. Fellows are expected to make farming their primary work, dedicate an average of at least 20+ hours per week during the growing season, complete at least 50 hours of professional development over the 18-month programme, and participate in cohort activities and regular check-ins.

The fellowship is specifically intended for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color beginning farmers and land stewards aged 18 and above, with at least one year of farming or land stewardship experience and no more than three years of experience running their own farm or land stewardship project.

In addition to the 10 fellowship spots described in the programme information, 12 separate $2,500 Seed Grants will also be awarded for charitable or educational farming and ecological land stewardship purposes.

Applications for the 2027–2028 cohort must be submitted by September 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST. Final decisions will be announced on or before December 18, 2026, with the fellowship beginning on January 15, 2027.

Apply for the Braiding Seeds Fellowship

For more opportunities click HERE