At Nate’s Hives, our work goes beyond honey—it’s about sustaining the bees and ecosystems behind it.

That’s why we are thrilled to announce the launch of the inaugural
Nate’s Hives Research Grant Program. This initiative is a direct investment in the future, designed to fuel the scientific research necessary to address the most urgent challenges facing the honey and beekeeping industries.

Why Now? The Urgent Need for Investment
Beekeepers are working harder than ever to keep honey bee hives healthy. While the number of managed honey bee colonies in the U.S. has remained relatively stable over the decades, maintaining those hives comes at a steep cost with historically high annual losses taking their toll. This initiative is our way of investing in real solutions—supporting breakthrough research that strengthens honey bee hive health, empowers beekeepers and keeps the future of honey thriving.

Leading the Industry Forward with Research
We’re committed to supporting real solutions that strengthen every part of the beekeeping and honey world. To guide this effort, Nate’s Hives is inviting proposals from universities, nonprofits and industry researchers whose work supports our mission to protect honey bees and inspire innovation.

Nate’s Hives will award up to $100,000 in funding annually, with grant proposals up to three years in duration. Our goal is to generate actionable insights that benefit the entire industry—from the smallest hobbyist to the largest commercial operation.

Proposals will address one or more of the following critical areas:

Honey Bee Health & Sustainability

• Honey Bee Health: Research focused on understanding and mitigating the leading biological factors contributing to colony loss, such as Varroa mites, viruses and pathogens.
• Sustainable Beekeeping Practices: Developing and testing innovative, data-driven management techniques, including the optimal use of supplemental feeding to mitigate nutritional stress during periods of forage scarcity.
• Environmental Impacts: Studies assessing the effect of pesticides, forage availability and climate change on colony vitality and long-term bee health.

Supply Chain & Market Innovation

• Supply Chain Innovation: Advancements in technology and processes that increase efficiency, transparency and quality assurance from the point of harvest to final production.
• Consumer Demand and Nutritional Impacts: Research on the bioactive compounds and benefits of honey, as well as consumer insights to broaden the appreciation and market for natural sweeteners.
• Trade Policy and Production Economics: Analysis to ensure the stability and long-term viability of the beekeeping and honey production economies.

How to Apply for Our Research Grant Program
We believe the most robust solutions are found through collaboration. Our grant program is designed to be accessible to a wide range of expert researchers.

Eligibility and Proposal Details
The grant is open to researchers affiliated with universities, research institutions, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and industry groups in the U.S. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are strongly encouraged.

Each proposal should be structured to clearly outline the project’s scientific merit, feasibility and expected impact on the honey industry. Key requirements for submission include:

• Project title and abstract
• Detailed project description (objectives, methodology and expected outcomes)
• Budget and justification
• Impact statement (how the project will benefit the honey industry)

Our Review Process
Proposals will be rigorously evaluated by a review board composed of Sweet Harvest Foods employees and external experts from both academia and the beekeeping industry. The board will assess proposals based on scientific merit and innovation, feasibility and methodology, relevance to the honey industry and financial need.

Timeline
Join us in leading the way for honey bee health and innovation.

• Submission deadline: March 1, 2026
• Award notification: April 15, 2026

All program details are the property of Sweet Harvest Foods, parent company of Nate’s Hives and Nate’s Honey. Research topics and timelines are subject to change.

Industry data referenced are based on publicly available sources, such as the USDA and Bee Informed Partnership.