Small farms are critical stewards of the land and key to creating a more equitable food system. Each spring, The FruitGuys Community Fund awards grants of up to $5,000 to small farms and agricultural nonprofits for projects that promote economic and environmental sustainability for their farms, programs, and communities.
In 2022, The Fund awarded 17 grantees a total of $71,136 for projects that will have big impacts on independent farms. The majority of funds were directed to farms owned or led by Black, Indigenous, People Of Color, and women, in an effort to provide critical support to under-represented farmers.
Portal Opens January 2, 2023
Mark your calendars and please spread the word with small-scale farmers you know!
Our 2023 application portal will be open Monday, January 2, 2023 00:01 am PST through Monday, January 30, 2023 11:59 pm PST.
Visit the apply page to review grant eligibility requirements and project preferences.
Get Involved
Decide Which Farm Projects are Funded
You can support small farms by joining The FruitGuys Community Fund Volunteer Grant Review Committee. Up to 20 volunteers will help evaluate the 2023 farm-grantee applications via an online portal and virtual meetings. Volunteers spend approximately 15-20 hours during February and March to read & score grant proposals, attend group discussions, and recommend grantees.
Interested? Please complete the Volunteer Questionnaire. Or, if you have additional questions, contact us at volunteer@fruitguyscommunityfund.org.
*Volunteers must not be affiliated with a current applicant. Alumni grantees are welcome to participate.
2023 MEETING SCHEDULE & DEADLINES:
Thursday, February 2, 1-2pm PST; Orientation/Reviewer Training
*Deadline: Reviews due by Tuesday, February 7, EOD
Thursday, February 9th, 12-2pm PST; to share and discuss suggestions.
Thursday, February 16th, 1-2pm PST; to make finalist selections.
Wednesday, March 8, 1–2pm PST; Orientation Finalist Phase
*Deadline: Reviews due by Wednesday March 15 EOD
Wednesday, March 22th, 1–2pm PST; Presenting data & beginning discussion
Wednesday, March 29th, 1–2pm PST. Closing discussions & final suggestions
Help Save a Small Farm
Donate to our 2023 campaign
Take an active role in strengthening the success of small sustainable farms by supporting our Small Farms, Big Impacts campaign. Gifts of any amount help us fund the future of small farms and sustainable agriculture. Your donations (up to $15,000) will be doubled through a generous matching gift from an anonymous supporter! All donations are 100% tax-deductible and go directly to grants, not administrative costs.
Red H Farm, a 2-acre women-run farm in Sebastopol, CA received a grant to expand their drip irrigation system to support production for their sliding-scale winter CSA program, establish perennial edible & pollinator-focused hedgerows, & a caterpillar tunnel.
