Record Number of Farms Apply for Grants

Small, independent, and family-run farms need all the help they can get, as evidenced by the record number of applicants for The FruitGuys Community Fund’s 2016 sustainable agriculture grants: in a 55 percent increase from last year, 110 farms and agricultural nonprofits from across the country detailed sustainability projects aimed at increasing pollinators; conserving soil, water, and energy; and increasing harvests and food access to low-income communities.

Last year, the Fund awarded eight grantees from California to Maryland a total of $35,643. For 2016, the goal is to award an additional five grants by raising $10,000 through Barnraiser, a crowdfunding site focused on agriculture and food-related projects. The campaign launched on February 22.

Since 2013, The FruitGuys Community Fund, a nonprofit, fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives, has awarded $85,643 in small grants (up to $5,000 each) to 21 farms across the country. Farmers say that small grants can have big impacts. “The pollinator beds did a fantastic job of attracting beneficial insects! We have never seen so many native pollinators in our lives,” said Matthew Sylvester, farmer and co-owner of Happy Acre Farm in Sunol, CA, a 2015 grantee.

 

People interested in supporting sustainable agriculture for small, independent farms are encouraged to support our Barnraiser campaign or volunteer to be a grant reviewer. No experience is necessary, and all reviews can be done remotely. To apply, go to our volunteer questionnaire.


Sheila Cassani is GoodWorks Ambassador for The FruitGuys.

 

Recent Articles

Subscribe to our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Stay Fruitful!

Get your weekly dose of the latest fruit info and exclusive updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
The FruitGuys logo