Since 2013, The FruitGuys Community Fund has given out annual grants of $5,000 or less to small farms and agricultural nonprofits across the country. That first year, we awarded five sustainable farming grants. This year, I’m proud to announce that we’re awarding twenty-one across seventeen states! Each farm will use its grant for a sustainability project.
Nearly all of the farm projects we’re funding this year will help improve soil health (86%) and/or conserve water (81%) in addition to bringing other benefits. These areas encompass so many projects, including planting cover crops, installing landscape fabric for weed suppression, buying a leaf shredder for mulching on site, and adding drip irrigation and water catchment systems.
I know that $5,000 may seem like a small amount, and planting new trees or adding a high tunnel may seem like small improvements. But on farms, most of the money earned goes back into the land, so these small sustainable farming grants can have big impacts. Something as simple as installing a hoop house can extend a farm’s growing season for a few extra weeks or months. That helps the farmers bring in more money to feed their families and keep their operations running.
As I reviewed this year’s class of grantees, it struck me that sixteen of the twenty-one are beginner farmers with ten years or less of farming experience. Farming is an extremely tough job, so it’s exciting to see new farmers taking it on. I hope that these grants not only increase their farms’ environmental and financial sustainability, but also encourage them to keep going. We at The FruitGuys believe small farms are an essential part of our supply chain and our economy.
You can see our full list of 2025 grantees and read about their projects.
We aim to expand our impact by awarding more sustainable farming grants to more farms each year. Check out these links if you’d like to make a contribution or get involved.
Congratulations to our grantees. And thank you to the farms that applied, our volunteer committee who reviewed their applications, and our customers. Your support made these grants possible!
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