Grant Opportunities Available
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Website: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/grants/grants.aspx
Specialty Crop Block Grant: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgp
Projects may be submitted by a single organization or for combined specialty crop efforts. Multi-state projects are also eligible to provide a growing need for solutions to problems that cross state boundaries. Project topics may include, but are not limited to: addressing good agricultural practices, research on crop productivity or quality, enhancing access to federal nutrition programs, pest and disease management, or commodity-specific projects addressing common issues.
Stearns Electric Association
Operation Round Up:
ORU serves local communities by donating funds to local civic organizations and worthy causes. Funds come from Stearns Electric Association members who allow the co-op to round up their monthly electric bill. The rounded up funds (between 1¢ and 99¢) are placed in a trust fund. The trust fund is administered by a trust board appointed by the Cooperative's elected board of directors and grants are dispersed three times per year into communities served by Stearns Electric.
Website: https://www.stearnselectric.org/operationroundup.htm
Community Assistance Program (CAP)
Student Research Assistance:
The Community Assistantship Program is pleased to announce a spring 2012 grant program. The grant will allow rural communities to hire a student to work on a project defined by those communities. The deadline for project proposals is October 30th, 2011. Approved projects will run from January 12th to May 27th, 2012. Winning communities will review job applications and select the student who best meets their needs. Eligible organizations include community groups, organizations, and local governments outside the seven county metro.
The Community Assistantship Program (CAP) provides applied research assistance to community-based groups outside the Twin Cities Metro Area. The research and technical needs of community organizations are matched with the support of talented students. The idea is simple: get the resources of a great University working with communities to address the significant issues facing the people of Minnesota. CAP projects typically place students in a community defined and directed part time research assistantship for one semester or over the summer. Students are selected by and report to the community organization. Throughout the project students are supported by a community supervisor, faculty and community mentors.
Website: http://www.cura.umn.edu/CAP.
AgStar Financial Services
AgStar Fund for Rural America
The AgStar Fund for Rural America is committed to enhancing the quality of life and future opportunities for rural residents and their communities. The Fund supports nonprofit organizations in the service area where AgStar has a significant business presence in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The Fund focuses its giving program in four major areas: education, environment, technology, and quality of life. Grants of up to $10,000 are provided. Online applications will be accepted from October 1 through November 30, 2011.
Website: http://www.agstar.com/enhancingamerica/fundforruralamerica/Pages/default.aspx
National Gardening Association
Youth Garden Grants:
One hundred grants valued up to $1,000 will be awarded to schools and community organizations in the United States working to provide child-centered garden programs. Deadline: November 28, 2011
Website: http://www.kidsgardening.org/grants/2012-youth-garden-grants-1
Otto Bremer Foundation
Community Funding For 501c(3) Organizations:
Activities that Move Communities Forward. Honoring the spirit of our founder, Otto Bremer, and the direction given by the trust he created, the Foundation funds a variety of work important to a community's future. We give highest priority to those opportunities with the potential to move a community forward in meaningful, powerful and broad-based ways. This broadness of vision is intentional in order to encourage innovative responses to community opportunities and challenges.
Twin Cities Funding. A portion of our funding is devoted to support for the seven-county Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. In 2011 and 2012, grants in the Twin Cities metro area will focus on programs that meet basic needs and build on community and individual assets to help people move out of poverty.
Website: http://www.ottobremer.org/index.php
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
For new and established local and regional training, education, outreach and technical assistance initiatives that address the needs of beginning farmers and ranchers.
Funding priority will be given to partnerships and collaborations led by or including nongovernmental and community-based organizations with expertise in new agricultural producer training and outreach. At least 25% of the funds will support programs and services that address the needs of limited resource beginning farmers or ranchers; socially disadvantaged beginning farmers or ranchers; and farm workers desiring to become farmers or ranchers.
According to official guidelines, a beginning farm is considered to be one that is operated by one or more operators who have 10 years or less of experience operating a farm or ranch; additionally, “farmer” is used in the broadest sense and includes traditional agricultural farmers, ranchers, and tree farmers.
Estimated total funding: $19 million
Closing date: November 22, 2011
Website: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/beginningfarmerandrancher.cfm
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE COMPETITIVE GRANTS
• Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change
Total Program Funds: approximately $12 million
This program provides support to coordinated agricultural projects designed to advance adaptation and mitigation of agricultural and forest production systems to climate variables to support the sustainable production of food, feed, fiber, and energy resources. Eligible areas/systems include the following: food and fiber production systems, to include legume production, farmed aquaculture systems, forest systems, and forage and range systems; and animal production systems, to include ruminant, swine, and poultry production.
Contact: Dr. Raymond Knighton, 202-401-6417
Website: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html and www.nifa.usda.gov/afri
• Sustainable Bioenergy
Total Program Funds: approximately $11 million for new awards
This program provides support to sustainability investigations that focus on the interplay between policy, the environment, and bioenergy and protecting and providing habitats for wildlife and beneficial insects in order to achieve economic, environmental, and rural community sustainability. Eligible topical areas are as follows: development and sustainable production of regionally-appropriate biomass feedstocks, policy options for and impacts on regional biofuels production systems, impacts of regional bioenergy feedstock production systems on wildlife and pollinators, socioeconomic impacts of biofuels on rural communities, and environmental implications of direct and indirect land use change.
More information is available at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html and www.nifa.usda.gov/afri
• Food Security
Projects are expected to address one of the several program priorities: reduce the economic, environmental, and social consequences of animal and plant pests and diseases with major impacts on food availability; decrease the use of antibiotics and pesticides in agriculture and food production and associated health and environmental risks; increase animal and plant products produced with the same or fewer resources; increase the number of farms engaged in local and regional food systems that use sustainable practices; increase food security, especially in vulnerable communities; increase and strengthen local, regional, national, and international markets; and strengthen the sustainability and economic resilience of rural communities.
Website: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html and www.nifa.usda.gov/afri
COMMUNITY FOOD PROJECTS COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM
Community Food Projects should be designed to (1): (a) meet the food needs of low-income people; (b) increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs; and (c) promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and/or (2) meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for (a) infrastructure improvement and development; (b) planning for long-term solutions; or (c) the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
Participation in the pre-application submission webinar on October 27, 2011 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern Time is strongly encouraged.
Total Program Funds: Approximately $5 million
Website: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/communityfoodprojects.cfm and www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/cfp/cfp.html
Contact: Elizabeth Tuckermanty, 202-205-0241
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