Advice for Farm Grantee Applicants

FruitGuys Community Fund 2017

Over the last several months, we’ve been reviewing dozens of requests from small independent farms as part of our 2017 grant cycle. Our mission is to help farms and orchards operate more sustainably — both environmentally and economically — as well as strengthen community outreach. We know that small grants have big impacts for farms, investing in projects that promote self-reliance and land stewardship. If you’re a FruitGuys Community Fund grant applicant, follow these guidelines and best practices.

Small Grants That Go A Long Way

Our grants typically range between $2,000 and $5,000. The FruitGuys Community Fund looks for farm grantee applicant projects that support:

• Water Management. Water is a precious resource and we support efforts in conservation as well as collection.
• Soil & Air Quality. Growing healthy food starts with a healthy environment where crops flourish.
• Pollinator Support. Protecting and creating pollinator habitats supports a farm’s ecosystem and overall health.
• Pest Management. Our farm grantees embrace organic practices to manage their crops and create healthy habitats for natural pest predators.
• Energy & Waste Management. Successful grantees use alternative energy sources and recycled materials to reduce their carbon footprint.
• Preserve Heirloom Varieties.  We support farms that buy, preserve and share heirloom seeds.
• Community Involvement. We fund projects that encourage access, education and advocacy of independent farms. Many of our grantees increase low-income consumers’ access to healthy food.

Note: The FruitGuys Community Fund will not fund land purchases, projects that require consultants or administrative work, a start-up operation, or requests that are dependent upon receiving funding from a larger grant.

Farm Grantee Applicants Eligibility 

The FruitGuys Community Fund selects farm grantee applicants that are:

1. Established Working Farm. Owner or operator of the farm or has long-term, legal access to the land. If you lease the land, you must include a letter of support from the landowner specifying the length of the lease agreement.
2. Small to Medium-Sized Farm. Your farm is small to medium-size determined by acreage in agricultural production.
3. Community Engagement. Your farm engages in community outreach, education, or policy advocacy surrounding sustainable agriculture. Details of your engagement must be described in your grant application. Note: up to 10% of a total grant may be used towards community outreach or education.
4. Location Preference. We prefer that your farm is located within 250 miles of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, or Phoenix. If your farm is outside of these areas, we still encourage you to apply for a grant.

Grant Distribution & 3 Reports 

If you are selected as a farm grantee, we award funds in two installments: the first, equaling 75%, is sent in Spring 2017. The remaining 25% is disbursed following the submission of a final progress report (due December 11, 2017) including supporting photos and videos.

Three progress reports are required from our farm grantee applicants:

• Interim Progress Report: due August 25, 2017, this 1-2 page report provides an update and at least two recent photos and a short video clip of your project update.
• Final Progress Report: due December 11, 2017, this report chronicles details of what has been completed, who was involved (including key staff and volunteers), along with full resolution photos ( Please use the highest quality & largest size possible and submit in jpg format with file saved as: YourFarmName.jpg) or video clip outside on the farm with key staff.
• Alumni Report: due April 27, 2018, recaps your project one-year after receiving your farm grant.

We thank you for your efforts and know your time is precious. Your work toward creating a sustainable farming model and growing nourishing food for your community is deeply appreciated.

Happy Harvests!