Airbnb and American Farmland Trust are launching a national grant program that includes funding for farmers and ranchers who want to start or expand overnight accommodations. Individual awards will range from $5,000 to $10,000, with applications expected to open in late November.
The Farm to Stay Grant Program has $250,000 available and expects to make approximately 25 to 30 awards. American Farmland Trust will accept roughly 350 applications and review them in the order received.
What the Program Will Fund
The grants can pay for renovations or other work needed to prepare a property for overnight guests. Airbnb’s announcement gives examples such as converting or improving existing farm spaces, but the complete list of allowable expenses has not been released.
Current guidance limits the program to eligible for-profit production agriculture operations in the United States. That makes it narrower than Airbnb’s $750 World Cup incentive for new hosts, which targeted homeowners within designated host-city ZIP codes.
American Farmland Trust says it will publish detailed eligibility rules before applications open. Airbnb and the organization will also hold free webinars on October 14 and November 13 covering agritourism and getting started on Airbnb.
Farm Stay Income Is Growing
Airbnb released the grant alongside a report on its existing U.S. farm-stay business. Nearly 10,000 farm-stay listings collectively earned close to $120 million in 2025, while the typical host earned about $8,000, according to the company.
The report compares that host income with USDA data showing that certain categories of small farms lost roughly $2,800 from agricultural activity in 2024. Those figures cover different groups and do not show what a new farm-stay host should expect to earn, but they explain why lodging can matter as a separate source of farm income.
Airbnb says farm-stay listings increased more than 120% between 2018 and 2025, while host earnings rose nearly 400%. Its figures are based on properties whose hosts selected Farm Stay as their Airbnb listing type.
That growth also fits a wider STR shift toward properties that become destinations themselves. Farms can offer a reason to make the trip, rather than competing only as another place to sleep.
Applications Open in Late November
Applications will be submitted through American Farmland Trust’s SurveyMonkey Apply portal. Account instructions, final eligibility requirements, allowable expenses, and details about the award notification process are scheduled to be published before the late-November opening.
The program page is available now for farmers who want updates, but the application portal is not yet open.
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