UPDATED 9/25/19 — The Good Farm Fund will also be offering a loan program, in co-ordination with the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op, that will be available to all grant applicants, a new option for local farms first initiated last fall. “Should Good Farm Fund not be able to fully fund a grant request it may offer to collaborate with the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op (UNFC) to supplement our grant funding with interest free UNFC loan funds ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. UNCF loan funds are subject to an 3% annual administrative fee. The Good Farm Fund grant application provides a space for applicants to indicate if they would wish to be considered for UNFC loan funding,” wrote the Good Farm Fund’s Scott Cratty. Applicants interested in applying to the loan program as well as the grant program should indicate that on their application.
MENDOCINO Co., 9/19/19 — Since 2015, the Good Farm Fund has provided over $100,000 in grants to more than 50 small local farms, and now the non-profit is opening its largest round of grant funding yet: $50,000 available in funding to small farms in Mendocino and Lake counties. The non-profit organization works to support the development of our local “foodshed” in part by providing funds for farmers to improve their infrastructure, implement more sustainable practices, and increase production of affordable, locally-grown food.
Know a small farmer that might need some assistance? The grant applications will be open until October 15, with more details included at this link. There’s also a list of past grant recipients to give a sense of what projects have been funded. This year there will be two different tiers of funding for different size projects, as well as a special grant category for Lake County farms.
Much of the funding for these grants comes from local sponsors, and the Good Farm Fund’s two annual local food feasts, and this year’s winners will be announced at the annual Winter Feast on December 10. The Good Farm Fund will also be holding the third annual Mendocino County Homebrew Festival on November 2, 2019. Read more about the Good Farm Fund here.
Here’s the full press release:
Lake and Mendocino County farms, here’s a bit of early rain! Good Farm Fund is pleased to announce its 2019 Farm Grant Cycle is open. This year Good Farm Fund will provide over $50,000 in grants to support local farms and ranches. The goal of the grants provide economic development assistance for small farms in Mendocino and Lake Counties and increase access to fresh local food in our community’s food system.
Good Farm Fund press release.
To apply for a grant and/or loan, go to www.goodfarmfund.org/farm-grant-program, where applicants can find application guidelines and either download and print the application or complete the electronic application. Applications are due by October 15, 2019.
In addition to demonstrating financial need, strong candidates will demonstrate how their funded project will maximize food production for local consumption, provide affordable food for all people in the community and apply environmentally beneficial farming and or ranching practices.
Grant applications can be made in one of two tiers, $500-$4,000 projects and larger projects ranging from $4,000 to $7,000 which will be named for our 2018 business Foundation Sponsors: Frey Vineyards and Sonoma Clean Power. This year we will also feature a special Redwood Credit Union grants targeted for Lake County agricultural businesses. Should multiple farms opt to file coopertaivle for a large project that would serve the wider agricultural community we will also consider multi-farm application in the $4,000-$14,000 range.
2019 grants will be awarded at Good Farm Fund’s winter feast, which will be held on Tuesday December 10 at the Barra Wine Event Center in Redwood Valley. This event sells out early. So get your tickets early! On line tickets are available now at GFFWinter.brownpapertickets.com
For questions about the grant process contact Kelly Hansen at 467-3238 or [email protected].
