In this October 23, 2026 YouTube video, CPA Donna Genie explains the new "Farm to Stay" grant program created by Airbnb in partnership with the American Farmland Trust. The program will award 25‑30 grants of up to $10,000 to for‑profit farms that want to develop agritourism accommodations. Genie outlines the grant’s purpose, the three core eligibility requirements (operating a for‑profit farm, at least one year in business, and a minimum $1,000 profit in the most recent year), and the types of expenses the money can cover (guest‑ready improvements, barns, fences, cabins, workshops, pick‑your‑own events, etc.). She then provides a step‑by‑step playbook: (1) clean up bookkeeping and keep farm finances in a dedicated account, (2) generate a 12‑month profit‑and‑loss report, (3) draft a one‑page spending plan with cost estimates and projected guest revenue, and (4) anticipate tax consequences because the grant is generally treated as taxable income, though many expenses can be deducted. Genie warns that winners often overlook the tax impact and stresses the importance of tracking receipts and separating grant‑related income from regular farm revenue. Throughout, she encourages viewers to subscribe, and offers a free consultation through her CPA firm Calculated Moves for anyone unsure about eligibility or the application process.
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There's a new grant that pays farmers up to $10,000. It's from Airbnb, and only about 25 to 30 farms will get it. If you want to be one of them, you need to start getting ready right now. In this video, I'll tell you what the grant is, who can get it, and what to spend on it, and how to give yourself the best shot at winning. Stay to the end because there's one thing that catches winners off guard. Before we start, hit subscribe. We're a CPA firm and we cover money news like this every week, so you don't want to miss out. Here's the problem. Farming is getting harder to make money at. Fuel costs more, feed costs more, and so does equipment. And one bad season of weather can wipe out a whole year. That's why more farmers are adding a second way to make money. Farm stays. People pay to stay overnight on your farm, see the animals, and enjoy the quiet. And people want that. Airbnb says searches for farm stays went up 61% in the first half of 2026. The typical farm stay host made about $8,000 last year. So here's the solution. Airbnb teamed up with a nonprofit called American Farmland Trust to start Farm to Stay grant program. They're giving out 25 to 30 grants of up to $10,000 each. Applications open in November. What can you use the money for? Getting your farm ready for guests, fixing up the barn, building fences, setting up a cabin or a room. Or starting activities that guests will pay for, like farm dinners, workshops, and pick-your-own days. Now, here's the next problem. Not every farm can apply. From what's being reported, you need 3 things. One, you run a for-profit farm that actually produces something. 2, you've been running it at least a year. And 3, you've made at least $1,000 in profit last year. If you're not sure you can check all 3 boxes, Book a free call with Calculated Moves. The link is in the description. We'll look at your numbers and tell you straight if you qualify. Now, problem number 2, proving that profit. You can't just say you made $1,000. You need records to show it. And with only 25 to 30 winners, sloppy numbers could knock you out. So here's the fix. Get your books ready before November. Put all the farm money in its own bank account. Keep personal spending out of it. Pull a report that shows what you made and what you spent over the last 12 months. Clean numbers make you look like a safe bet. Problem number 3, having a plan for the money. A grant with no plan behind it is easy to pass over. The farms that win will know exactly what they'll build and how it'll make money. So here's the fix. Decide what you'll spend on it. Get rough prices. Think about what guests will pay and how often they'll come. Even a single one-page plan puts you ahead of the people who just fill out the form. Now, the thing that catches the winners off guard— taxes. For a for-profit farm, grant money is usually counted as income. So you win $10,000 and it shows up on your tax return. If you didn't plan for it, you could owe a bill you weren't expecting. So here's the fix. Keep every receipt for what you spend from the grant. Repairs and Upgrades can often be written off, which can lower what you owe. And once guests start paying, track that money separately from your farm income and check if your county charges tax on overnight stays. This is exactly what we handle for business owners, so book a free call with us and we'll make sure the grant helps you instead of costing you in April. If this helped, subscribe for more and book your free call with Calculated Moves using the link in the description today.
