2026 Braiding Seeds Fellowship Application

Kindly review the full program description and FAQ on the website before applying.

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship was founded by Soul Fire Farm Institute, in partnership with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, and it carries on the legacy of the braided seeds of ancestral promise by pouring into the legacy of Black agrarianism and the pursuit of Black liberation and the collaborative dedication to Indigenous sovereignty and flourishing.  The Fellowship supports BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color) beginning farmers with resources such as professional development, and mentorship to support their livelihood on land. We are working to bridge north-south and legacy-returning generations of farmers. 

This application is rooted in relationship to land, to ancestors, to community, to seeds. We want to hear your voice as you would actually speak it. The strongest applications come from people who tell us what only they can tell us authentically. English as a second language, imperfect grammar, and oral storytelling traditions are welcome here.

We recognize AI as a tool that some applicants use for writing, translation, or accessibility support. We also acknowledge that generative AI carries significant ethical and environmental costs, including water and energy use, which runs counter to the values of land stewardship this fellowship holds. We encourage you to complete this application in your own voice and narrative. AI tools for translation, spell-checking, or formatting are welcome; the words and stories should be yours. If English is not your first language, please write in the language you think in and use a translator if helpful; we’d rather read the truth in translation than something polished that doesn’t sound like you.

*Note: To prepare your responses and review the full application in advance, you can preview a non-fillable PDF version linked on the website.

Before beginning the application, we recommend gathering the required supporting materials you will be asked to upload, including:

• A list of three (3) references that includes each reference's name, contact information (email, phone, and mailing address), and their relationship to you and your project. References can be from collaborators, mentors, family, friends, or contacts from educational or work settings. One of your references can also be the person who wrote your letter of recommendation.
• One (1) photo of yourself
• One (1) photo, diagram, video, or drawing of your farm/land stewardship project 
• 1 letter of recommendation
• Detailed Budget Please see sample budget template, here

We recommend saving your longer responses in a separate document where you can back them up, edit, and copy/paste into the application form. Please submit only ONE application per individual.

 

2026 APPLICATION TIMELINE

• July 31: Application Period Opens
• Application Info Session: Thurs 8/13, 3-4 pm EST pm EST (registration link: recording will be posted to website)
• Throughout Application Period: 1:1 Application Technical Assistance Office Hours
  • Ayo
  • Angie
  • Sarah
  • Rowen White: Calendar TBD
• September 25: Applications Due by 11:59 PM EST
• December 18: Decisions Announced
• January 15: Fellowship Start Date 

 

$2500 Seed Grants

In addition to the 10 fellowship spots, we will also be awarding 12 Seed Grants of $2,500 each.

Receiving a seed grant does not positively or negatively affect the likelihood of receiving the fellowship in the future. Seed grant recipients are required to spend down funds by December 2027 and will be asked to complete a short questionnaire detailing how funds were used. Seed grant funds must be used for charitable and/or educational purposes and relate to farming and/or ecological land stewardship. 

 

Braiding Seeds Fellowship Data Sovereignty Statement

The Braiding Seeds Fellowship is committed to the dignity, privacy, and sovereignty of every person who applies to our program. We recognize that sharing personal information, farming histories, and community relationships requires trust. This statement explains clearly and honestly how we collect, store, use, and delete your application data. We believe data sovereignty means you have the right to know what happens to your information, to consent meaningfully before sharing it, and to have it removed when it is no longer needed. These are not legally binding formalities but reflections of our values as a program rooted in community, accountability, and care. Please see our full Data Sovereignty Statement here.

All questions marked with a red asterisk (*) are required

We will notify you of your application status by or before December 18, 2026. Due to high email volumes, kindly do not email regarding the status of your application.

If you have any access needs, if it is a hardship for you to complete a written application, and/or if you have any technical issues with this form, please email braidingseeds@soulfirefarm.org. 

Thank you!

Please indicate if you meet the eligibility requirements for the fellowship by checking all of the following that apply to you. (Check all that apply).

If you are unsure how to respond, please sign up for one of our Technical Assistance sessions, where you can meet with the following Co-Directors:

Ayo

Angie

Sarah

Or one of our partners in the selection process- Rowen White: Calendar TBD

Clarifying definitions: 

Black agrarianism is a social, economic, cultural, and political movement centered on Black people's relationship to land, farming, food production, and rural life. It emphasizes land ownership, agricultural knowledge, and food sovereignty as foundations for self-determination, economic independence, and community well-being. Black liberation is the pursuit of freedom, equity, and self-determination for Black peoples by disrupting and ending systems of oppression.

Indigenous sovereignty refers to the inherent right of Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native communities to govern themselves and manage their lands, resources, and cultural heritage. This concept is fundamental to the understanding and respect of Indigenous peoples' unique position in the history and contemporary society of the United States. 

Land stewardship is the ongoing practice of reciprocal responsibility between people and land rooted in kinship, guided by intergenerational knowledge, and oriented toward the long-term wellbeing of the land and community rather than short-term productivity or ownership.

Intersectionality is defined as the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups. 

Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that you are not eligible for the Braiding Seeds Fellowship 2026 application period. 

We sincerely hope you’ll consider applying again next year, if eligible, and that this news won’t deter you but instead affirms the importance of continuing to nurture your project and your path.

Thank you, deeply, for the time, energy, and heart you put into this process.

Please upload one (1) document with your list of three (3) references. (Required)

Please include each reference's name, email, phone number, address, and information about their relationship to and knowledge of you and your project. References can be from collaborators, mentors, family, friends, or contacts from educational or work settings. One of these references can also be the person who wrote your letter of recommendation.

Please upload one (1) clear photo of yourself. (Required)

Please upload one (1) photo, drawing, video, or diagram of your farm/land stewardship project. (Required)

Please upload one (1) recommendation letter (Required) ~ 500 words or less. The letter of recommendation will be scored with your application, and must contain the following to be considered: Must be written by someone who would be considered an elder, teacher, neighbor, or community member. It doesn’t have to be a professional contact. You don’t have to be popular! We want to see evidence that you are connected to the community that you are serving, a strong letter will address the following:

Community connection: Does the letter speak to your real, lived relationship with a community?

Witness to work: Does the letter writer have direct or proximate knowledge of your farming, land stewardship, or community work?

Specificity: Does the letter offer concrete examples rather than general praise?

Alignment with values: Does the letter speak to your relationship with land, ancestors, community, or the values of food sovereignty and Indigenous solidarity that shape this fellowship?

** We want to honor the ability and communication needs of your community. We welcome alternative formats to a typed letter, including videos, audio recordings, and handwritten letters, as long as they include the required information listed above!**

Bio: Please tell us a little about yourself, past projects, your prior farm/land stewardship experience, and what you are doing now that relates to farming, land, or food justice. This can include cultural preservation and healing. Please be specific about your role, community and organizational affiliations, and/or personal practices. (2 paragraphs or less - about 400 words or less)

(Note: to be eligible, you must have at least 1 year of prior farm/land stewardship experience, and no more than 3 years experience running your own farm/land stewardship project.)

If yes, please share more detail about your land access situation (what you’re sort of land you’re seeking, location, acreage, etc. what barriers you’ve encountered, what supports are needed, etc.) (1 paragraph/~200 words or less)

Farm/Land Stewardship Project Description: Please share a thorough description of your farm or land stewardship project, its mission, overarching goals, what you are focused on growing/stewarding, etc. (3 paragraphs or less/~600 words or less)

Where is the land you are currently farming/stewarding located?

How close do you live to where you are farming/stewarding land?

Indigenous Land Sovereignty Relationship

All of the land where this fellowship is situated is Indigenous land. The flourishing of Black agrarianism that we support cannot be separated from the ongoing sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. We hold this not as a checkbox but as a long, honest, sometimes uncomfortable relationship. We are not asking you to prove your relationship with Indigenous communities. We are asking you to tell us from your lived experience, honestly, where you are in that relationship right now. Please respond to one of the following prompts (your choice). There are no wrong answers, including ‘I’m at the very beginning of this and learning.’ We want the truth of where you actually are. (~300 words)

Indigenous sovereignty refers to the inherent right of Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native communities to govern themselves and manage their lands, resources, and cultural heritage. This concept is fundamental to the understanding and respect of Indigenous peoples' unique position in the history and contemporary society of the United States. 

Intersectionality is defined as the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups. 

Prompt A ; for applicants in established relationship with Indigenous communities:

"Whose land are you stewarding? What do you know about its history, the Indigenous people whose homeland it is, and any present-day Indigenous communities, nations, or organizations connected to that land? What is your current relationship with those communities, and how does it shape your land work?"

Prompt B ; for Indigenous applicants speaking from their own sovereignty:

"If you yourself are Indigenous to Turtle Island: how does your project hold your own sovereignty, your community’s sovereignty, and your relationships with other Indigenous and Black communities? What practices, protocols, or relationships shape your land work? What does solidarity with Black agrarian and land stewards look like in your work?"

Prompt C ; for applicants at the beginning of building relationship:

"If you are at the very beginning of this work and don’t yet have established relationships with Indigenous communities: what are you learning right now? Whose land are you stewarding, and what do you know (or are seeking to learn) about the Indigenous people connected to that land? How do you imagine building relationships over the 18 months of the fellowship in a way that is reciprocal rather than extractive?"

Please share a thorough description of how your community is involved in your project. What is the intended outcome of your project on your community? (2 paragraphs or less/~400 words or less)*

(Note: to be eligible, the project must involve working at a community level (beyond growing for a single household and immediate friends/family)

 

Project Timeline & Activities (3-4 paragraphs/~800 words or less)

Please describe the following in detail:

• When did your project begin?

• What major steps have been accomplished so far?

• If selected for the 18-month fellowship, what are the primary activities you'll be

focused on in the following periods:

-First 6 months (Jan-June 2027)

-6-12 months (July-Dec 2027)

-12-18 months (Jan-June 2028)

18-Month Project Goals (2 paragraphs - about 400 words or less)  

What major goals would you like to have accomplished by the end of the 18-month fellowship? What planned steps will move you towards these goals?

How can the fellowship best support you in accomplishing your project and personal goals? (1 paragraph or less/~200 words or less)

Please describe how you would plan to use the stipend funding. Please include a budget with outlines for how stipend will be spent. We would like to see the funds spent on your project or the ability to carry out your project (this can include personal expenses and not only farm or direct project expenses).

Please upload a detailed budget. We have provided a sample budget template here for your convenience.

Part of the fellowship involves being matched with a 1:1 mentor. What are the top 3 areas in which you are seeking mentorship?

In strengthening networks of support for program participants, we hope to expand opportunities for mutual skill sharing and exchange. What are 2-3 areas that you have strong skills in that you might be willing to share with others?

The fellowship, while flexible, does require your full commitment and consistent participation over the 18-month period. If you are considering taking on any additional opportunities or responsibilities beyond what you’ve already shared in your application, please provide more context about those plans.

Access Needs: please let us know if there are any disability, neurodivergence, or related accommodations that would help support your full participation in the fellowship, if selected.