Empowering the Future of Farming
Our grant program aims to help small 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. To read about our past winners, visit our Alumni Grantees page. If you’re a FruitGuys Community Fund grant applicant, follow these guidelines and best practices.
Submit a Letter of Intent by January, 8, 2018
Each year we award grants ranging from $2,000-$5,000 for 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. Past grant recipients will not be considered.
Farm Grantee Applicants Eligibility
The FruitGuys Community Fund selects farm grantee applicants that are:
- 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.
- Small to Medium-Sized Farm. Your farm is small to medium-size determined by acreage in agricultural production.
- 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.
- Location Preference. We prefer that your farm is located within 250 miles of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Dallas, Boston, Baltimore, New York, or Atlanta. 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 2018. The remaining 25% is disbursed following the submission of a final progress report (due December 10, 2018) including supporting photos and videos.
Three progress reports are required from our farm grantee applicants:
- Interim Progress Report: due August 24, 2018, 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 10, 2018, 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 26, 2019, 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!
