Western Rural Development Center Announces 2026-2027 Grant and Fellowship Recipients
The Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026-2027 funding programs supporting innovative research, Extension, and outreach efforts that strengthen rural and Tribal communities throughout the Western United States. These projects address critical challenges and emerging opportunities facing rural communities while building partnerships among land-grant universities, Extension professionals, researchers, and community stakeholders.
WRDC’s grant and fellowship programs invest in projects that enhance rural economic resilience, improve quality of life, strengthen natural resource sustainability, support agriculture and food systems, and promote community and family well-being. Through these investments, WRDC helps generate practical solutions, foster regional collaboration, and build local capacity to address the complex issues affecting Western rural communities.
The 2026-2027 funding cycle includes awards through WRDC’s Multistate Integrated Research and Extension Seed Grant Program, Fellows Grant Program, and Graduate Student Grant Program. Together, these initiatives support both established Western land-grant faculty and programming staff and emerging scholars in advancing solutions that benefit rural residents across the Western region.
This year’s funded projects support rural and Tribal communities across the West through research and outreach that strengthen food systems, expand economic opportunities in emerging industries, improve community resilience to environmental challenges, and inform decision-making for the people and businesses that depend on rural places. From strengthening regional and Tribal food systems to mapping seaweed supply chains and examining the impacts of wildfire smoke on recreation-dependent economies, these projects leverage partnerships and applied research to generate practical research, information and tools with benefits across the Western region.
We congratulate the 2026-2027 award recipients and look forward to sharing their progress and accomplishments throughout the coming year.
View project descriptions and recipient information:
Current Projects – Western Rural Development Center
By supporting innovative, community-engaged work across the West, WRDC continues its mission of advancing rural prosperity through research, Extension, education, and collaboration.
