FOOD & AGRICULTURE QUARTERLY | JUNE 2026
How rural organizations can win federal funding before grant season begins
NEIL SIMON
Federal funding season may peak in the summer, but the groundwork for successful grants and Congressionally Directed Spending requests starts months earlier. Rural organizations that consistently engage congressional offices, strengthen partnerships and prepare competitive proposals are more likely to secure federal dollars when opportunities arise.
Harvest time: Watch the lists
Late spring into summer is often when members of Congress announce the lists of projects they are championing in the appropriations process. This year, the government announced funding would prioritize agencies focused on rural America and agricultural interests: the U. S. Department of Agriculture’ s Farm Production and Conservation Programs; Research, Education, and Economics; and Rural Development funds, to name a few, as well as the Health and Human Services Department’ s Health Resources and Services Administration, serving rural and underserved communities.
Organizations best positioned to win federal funds rarely write a great narrative at the last minute. They spent the prior seasons getting their projects ready, aligning them to administration priorities, and ensuring decision-makers know their local impact.
When summer announcements come, some groups celebrate( as they should): thank member offices, notify community partners, and start planning how to deliver on the award.
Others see they were passed over— no prioritized request, no invitation to a next round, no award— and they treat it like a lost season. Too often, we see those organizations go quiet until the following year’ s appropriations cycle opens in Congress around February again.
In government affairs, that silence can crush an organization’ s bid for funding in the following year. That’ s why we advise our clients to double-down on their relationship building work year-round, especially when they don’ t win funding in a given year.
After the decision, the real work starts
Just like farming, the federal funding cycle demands discipline: evaluate your strategy, strengthen relationships, and refine your project so that when the next opportunity comes, you’ re not starting from bare ground.
If you didn’ t get funded, start with an honest post-season assessment. Ask: Was our request clearly defined? Did it match what the agency or
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