Superintendent Kirsten Baesler | North Dakota State Board of Education
Superintendent Kirsten Baesler | North Dakota State Board of Education
The North Dakota Department of Commerce has launched the 2025 Autonomous Agriculture Grant Program, offering up to $7.5 million in funding for projects that promote autonomous agriculture within the state. The program is intended to encourage the development and implementation of new agricultural technologies, infrastructure, and workforce initiatives.
Applications for the grant opened on September 2, 2025, and proposals must be submitted by October 2, 2025. The funds awarded through this program must be used by June 30, 2027. Eligible projects include establishing autonomous agriculture proving grounds, commercializing agricultural technology innovations, creating workforce training programs, researching and deploying unmanned systems and precision equipment, as well as acquiring land to support these initiatives.
Applicants are required to be nonprofits, public-private partnerships, or industry consortia with a permanent presence in North Dakota. Proposals will be assessed on their ability to advance automation in agriculture, enhance workforce capabilities, support commercialization efforts, and create economic benefits for rural communities.
A selection committee made up of state leaders and industry representatives will review applications using a 100-point scoring system. All proposals should be submitted via email to Shayden Akason at sakason@nd.gov.
To help applicants navigate the process, a new Q&A section has been introduced that addresses common questions and provides guidance. Full application guidelines and access to the Q&A section can be found at https://ndgov.link/AutonomousGrant.
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