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Direct to Farmer Grant
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Grants Ranging from $1,000 - $2,500 Available to Farmers in a Five County Region
BOONE, NC – Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) is dedicated to strengthening the High Country's local food system by supporting women and their families with resources, education, and skills related to sustainable food and agriculture. With funding from Heifer USA, a global non-profit organization dedicated to working with community to end hunger and poverty while learning to care for the earth, roughly $20,000 will be distributed to local farmers in Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes, and Watauga counties in North Carolina and Johnson County, Tennessee. Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture is releasing a request for proposals for farmers focusing on increasing production through innovation and sustainable methods. Applications will be due by November 30, 2017 and can be found on the BRWIA website www.brwia.org/direct-to-farmer-application.html. Interested applicants must attend one of two pre-grant application clinics happening in October 2017. Details for those required clinics are as follows: THE GRANT APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS PAST FOR 2017/18. THANK YOU ALL FOR APPLICATIONS. Farmers are required to work with their local extension agent on the application and throughout the grant cycle. Please contact the County Extension Agent(s) in your county before attending one of the clinics if you are interested in applying. This will help you come prepared to the clinic with a defined goal. You must be within BRWIA’s service area (counties listed above) to apply. Applicants are able to apply for funds from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $2,500. All of those who are awarded grants will receive business planning support and will have a functioning business plan by the end of the grant cycle. Resources on business plan development are available through BRWIA, Ascent Business Network, and local extension agents. This grant program is modeled after WNC AgOptions, exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. Applicants should be farmers who demonstrate the economic viability of farms in the five-county region. Support is provided to farmers who are diversifying or expanding their operations to increase farm income and encourage the sustainability of the farm businesses. Funding requests should be for items directly related to the growing and harvesting of crops for sale, including livestock. Please contact Sherri Gallant by email (sherri@brwia.org) or phone (828-386-1537) with any questions. Applications for the grant are available on BRWIA’s website (www.brwia.org/direct-to-farmer-application.html) or through your local extension agent. Please click here to see the list of Cooperating Agents based on your county. |