Win Grants for Regenerative Agriculture: BMO Generation Regen Challenge 2026 — $60,000 Prizes and One Young World Scholarships

If you run a young non-profit or social enterprise working on regenerative agriculture in Canada or the United States, this is one of those opportunities you want to stare at until it feels real. The Generation Regen Challenge 2026 is offering a pool of $200,000 to accelerate organizations that are restoring soil, improving water stewardship, protecting biodiversity, supporting Indigenous food systems, and strengthening local food security. On top of cash awards, winners and finalists get scholarships to attend the One Young World Summit in Cape Town (flights and accommodation included) and lifetime membership in a global ambassador network.

This isn’t seed money for vague plans. The Challenge wants projects that show practical progress — whether you’re testing a new cover-cropping approach, scaling a food-hub that links small farmers to urban food banks, or documenting Indigenous agricultural practices so they can be more widely adopted. If your organization is led by someone aged 18–35 and has been registered for at least one year by February 23, 2026, you should read on. This article walks through the offer, the fine print, and how to craft an application that reviewers remember for the right reasons.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

The Generation Regen Challenge is cash plus credibility. Two winners receive $60,000 each; four runners-up receive $20,000 each. That may sound familiar, but money is only part of the prize. Winners and finalists get scholarships that cover flights and accommodation for the One Young World Summit in Cape Town (Nov 3–6, 2026). Beyond travel, you join an international community of 20,000+ ambassadors — a network that has opened doors for many small organizations into fundraising partnerships, pilot sites, and media exposure.

Think of the prize as three levers: operational fuel, strategic exposure, and network access. The cash should be spent to move a measurable part of your project forward — hire a field technician, run a soil carbon baseline, buy seed for a crop diversification pilot, or fund community engagement and training. The Summit scholarship puts you in front of potential funders, corporate partners, and peers who can help scale your idea. The ambassador community creates long-term relationships that often lead to collaborations years after the award.

The fund prioritizes regenerative approaches — projects that actively restore ecosystems while producing food and livelihoods, not just practices that maintain current conditions. So proposals that can demonstrate biophysical outcomes (soil organic matter increases, water infiltration improvements, biodiversity measures) alongside social outcomes (increased food access, Indigenous knowledge transmission, fair labor practices) will resonate with reviewers.

Who Should Apply

This challenge targets leaders aged 18–35 who are running a registered non-profit, charity, or social enterprise in Canada or the U.S. Your organization must be at least one year old by the application deadline and your proposed project must be delivered by your organization within Canada and/or the U.S.

Not every agricultural project belongs here. The fund looks for regenerative angles — practices that rebuild soil, strengthen water cycles, and bolster community resilience. If your work is centered on extractive monoculture or only short-term relief distribution without environmental restoration, this is probably not the right fit.

Real-world examples of strong applicants:

• A five-person nonprofit in Ontario that runs farmer-led trials on cover crops, has one year of baseline soil data, and plans to expand trials to five additional farms.
• A U.S. 501(c)(3) in the Midwest piloting diversified crop rotations and coop marketing to improve farmer profit margins and reduce pesticide reliance.
• A Native American-led social enterprise documenting traditional seed-saving practices and running youth training programs to revive Indigenous food systems.
• A community food hub in a U.S. city that partners with rural regenerative farms to deliver culturally appropriate produce to underserved neighborhoods, with pre-committed distribution partners.

If your organization is a social enterprise rather than a charity, note the rule that 100% of grant funds must be used for the social project you propose. That means you can’t allocate the award to profit-making activities unrelated to the programme.

Regenerative Agriculture Explained, Plainly

Regenerative agriculture aims to improve farm ecosystems over time. Instead of treating soil as dirt to be controlled, regenerative practices treat it like a living system that stores carbon, filters water, and hosts biodiversity. Examples include no-till or reduced tillage, cover cropping, longer crop rotations, agroforestry, managed grazing, and integrating perennials. Crucially, regenerative work ties ecological improvements to economic and social outcomes: more resilient yields, lower input bills, better animal welfare, and food systems that serve local communities.

If you can show how your project produces both ecological gains and social benefits, you’re speaking the language of this challenge.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application (300+ words)

A strong application is clear, evidence-oriented, and feasible. Here are practical moves winners have used in past rounds of similar funding.

1. Lead with outcomes, not just activities. Start your proposal with an outcomes statement: “In 18 months we will increase average soil organic carbon by X% across Y acres, and increase market access for 30 small-holder farmers, measured by Z.” If you can state measurable targets and how you’ll measure them, reviewers can visualize your success.

2. Present baseline data or credible proxies. You don’t need years of randomized trials, but you should show prior work or pilot data. Simple baseline soil tests, participant surveys, or a documented pilot season are powerful. If you lack hard data, use practice-based evidence: logs of yields, photos, farmer testimonials, or signed MOUs with partner farms.

3. Build a realistic budget narrative. Don’t pad numbers. Itemize key costs and explain why each is essential. If $60,000 covers a 12-month pilot across three sites, show per-site breakdowns: field technician salary, soil testing, travel, materials, and community outreach. Reviewers hate vague line items like “program expenses — $20,000.”

4. Show you can scale (or explain why you’re not scaling). The challenge values both rigorous pilots and scaling-ready models. If you’re piloting, explain how the pilot will inform scale — what metrics will demonstrate readiness. If you plan to scale, show market channels, partnerships, and realistic timeline for expansion.

5. Name partners and include letters of support. Letters that commit resources (land access, lab services, distribution agreements) are better than general endorsements. If a university will run lab tests or a food bank will accept produce, have that in writing.

6. Make equity and safety operational. Don’t just assert you’re equitable—explain your recruitment strategy, translation plans, culturally appropriate outreach, and worker protections. If you’re engaging Indigenous communities, show respectful consultation and benefit-sharing mechanisms.

7. Tell a human story. Start with a one-paragraph vignette about a farmer, community, or problem your project addresses. Reviewers read dozens of dry proposals; a concrete story helps them remember you.

These moves add up. They show you’ve thought through not only what you’ll do but how you’ll know it worked, who benefits, and how you’ll handle bumps in the road.

Application Timeline — realistic, working backward (150+ words)

Treat February 23, 2026 as immovable. Start six to eight weeks early.

• Week -8 to -6 (Dec–Jan): Convene your core team, assign sections, collect baseline data, and draft your outcomes and budget. Contact potential letter writers and provide them with a short brief and deadline.
• Week -6 to -4 (Late Jan): Write full draft of project narrative and budget justification. If your organization needs board sign-off, get it started now. Confirm MOUs and letters of support.
• Week -4 to -2 (Early–Mid Feb): Circulate draft to at least three reviewers: one inside your sector, one outside your sector, and someone who understands grants. Incorporate feedback.
• Week -2 to -1 (Mid–Late Feb): Final edits, proofread, and technical checks. Ensure all attachments are correctly formatted (PDF preferred), secure translations if applying in French, and confirm one application per organization.
• 48–72 hours before deadline: Submit. Systems fail, internet drops, life happens. Submit early to avoid last-minute disasters.

Allow institutional approvals and bank transfers time if needed. If you’re a social enterprise that must commit to spending 100% of funds on the project, have financial controls and tracking templates ready.

Required Materials (150+ words)

Prepare these documents in advance; they’re commonly required and slow to produce under deadline pressure.

• Project narrative: A clear description (objectives, methods, timeline, expected outcomes). Include a concise logical framework or theory of change if possible.
• Budget and budget justification: Itemized budget showing how the funds will be used and why. Include personnel, materials, testing, travel (if justified), and indirect costs (if allowed).
• Organization registration proof: Articles of incorporation, charitable registration, or 501(c)(3) documentation. Social enterprises should show legal registration and clarify their mission.
• Letter(s) of support or partnership: Signed letters that confirm roles, resource commitments, or access to sites/labs/markets.
• Leader bio/CV: Short bios for the project lead and key team members demonstrating relevant experience.
• Monitoring and evaluation plan: How you will measure outcomes (soil tests, surveys, yield records, participation numbers).
• Proof of one-year registration: Date-stamped paperwork or certificates showing your organization has been registered for at least one year by Feb 23, 2026.
• Optional: Photos, maps, or diagrams of project sites; risk assessment and mitigation plan.

Prepare translations if you prefer to submit in French. Keep files concise and clearly named so reviewers can find what they need.

What Makes an Application Stand Out (200+ words)

Reviewers aren’t looking for flashy promises; they want credible projects with track records or convincing plans for measurement and impact. Here’s what makes you memorable.

First, measurable environmental outcomes paired with social benefits. A project that presents a plan to measure soil organic carbon, water infiltration, or pollinator abundance, and ties those metrics to economic benefits or food access, reads as rigorous and mission-aligned.

Second, practical feasibility. Reviewers will ask: can they deliver this within the timeline and budget? Concrete logistics (site permissions, team roles, procurement plans) answer that question. If you’ve already completed a pilot, explain how this funding moves you from pilot to broader adoption.

Third, partnerships that add credibility. Letters committing land, lab services, distribution channels, or in-kind technical assistance reassure reviewers that your idea isn’t just theoretical.

Fourth, clear equity practices. Projects that show how marginalized groups benefit, how decisions are shared, and what safeguards are in place to prevent harm will score higher.

Lastly, strong monitoring and scale logic. Show how you’ll track indicators, how those indicators signal readiness to scale, and what your next funding or scaling steps will be.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (200+ words)

Many promising projects stumble on avoidable errors. Here’s what to not do.

• Vague outcomes: Saying you’ll “improve soil health” without defining measurable indicators leaves reviewers guessing. Specify soil organic carbon percentages, pH shifts, or infiltration rate improvements and how you’ll measure them.

• Inflated budgets: Asking for $60,000 with thin justification looks careless. Build your budget bottom-up and explain every major cost. If you plan to pilot on three farms, show per-farm cost breakdowns.

• Missing partnerships or permissions: If your project needs land access, lab services, or community consent, secure those letters before you apply. A promise to “seek partners later” weakens credibility.

• Ignoring equity or cultural context: Overlooking the needs and rights of local and Indigenous communities is both unethical and a red flag. Include consultation plans, benefit-sharing, and respect for traditional knowledge.

• Over-ambition for timeline: Proposing national-scale change in 12 months will not pass feasibility checks. Be realistic: pilots, replication, and measurement take time.

• Poor formatting and missing documents: Simple administrative errors — wrong file types, missing proof of registration, or unsigned letters — can disqualify you. Use a checklist and submit early.

Fix these mistakes by planning backwards from the deadline, getting external reviewers, and keeping your application tightly focused on measurable deliverables.

Frequently Asked Questions (200+ words)

Q: Who can apply? A: Individuals aged 18–35 who are leading a registered Canadian non-profit/charity, a U.S. 501(c)(3), or a registered social enterprise in Canada or the U.S. The organization must have been registered for at least one year by Feb 23, 2026.

Q: Can a social enterprise apply? A: Yes. If you’re a social enterprise, you must confirm that 100% of the grant funds will be used for the proposed project and that the project has a clear social purpose.

Q: Are collaborative applications allowed? A: You can partner with other organizations, but only one application per organization will be considered. Make sure your lead organization is the applicant and that all partners’ roles are clear in letters of support.

Q: Does the project have to be entirely within Canada or the U.S.? A: The project must be based in and focused on Canada and/or the United States. Transnational projects outside these geographies are not eligible.

Q: What counts as regenerative agriculture? A: The Challenge prefers projects that restore ecosystem function — soil carbon increase, water cycle improvements, biodiversity enhancement, and agricultural practices that produce food while improving the land. Sustainable projects are eligible, but those demonstrating regenerative principles are favored.

Q: Will travel and Summit participation be covered? A: Yes. Winners and finalists receive scholarships that include flights and accommodation to attend the One Young World Summit in Cape Town, Nov 3–6, 2026.

Q: Are applications accepted in languages other than English? A: Applications can be submitted in English or French.

Q: Can an individual apply on behalf of a larger organization? A: The application should be submitted by the organization that will receive and manage the funds. The lead applicant should be the organization’s young leader (18–35).

Next Steps and How to Apply (100+ words)

Ready to go? Start by visiting the official application portal and bookmarking the deadline: February 23, 2026. Gather your registration documents, draft a measurable outcomes statement, and prepare a concise budget justification. Invite partners to submit letters of support and set internal deadlines so you have time to revise. Use the inspection checklist above to avoid administrative errors.

Apply here: https://apply.oneyoungworld.com/scholarship/form/gen-regen-round-one

If you want help polishing your application, have a colleague or mentor read your narrative and budget line-by-line. Remember: this fund rewards projects that combine ecological repair with measurable social benefit and a realistic plan to deliver. Show the reviewers you can make that happen — and say it in plain, memorable language.

Good luck — few opportunities give cash, global exposure, and a gateway into a 20,000+ global network all at once. If you have a strong regenerative idea and a clear plan to measure impact, this could be the push your project needs.