The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) encourages specialty crop-related entities and farmers’ markets throughout the state to take advantage of federal funds aimed at supporting their efforts and organizations in 2012 and 2013.


Funding requests under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) are available in the range of $2,000 - $50,000 for activities and practices affecting the specialty crop industry including:
• increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption
• improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems
• helping entities establish good agricultural, handling and manufacturing practices
• investing in research such as enhancing food safety, developing new and improved seed varieties & specialty crops, pest and disease control and sustainability
• market promotion of qualified Indiana food & agricultural products

Applications must be submitted via email to ISDA by June 1st, 2012. Commissions, public entities, associations, and/or nonprofit organizations that represent specialty crops as defined by USDA in Indiana agriculture are eligible to apply.

Funding requests under the Farmers’ Market Cost-Share Reimbursement Program are available for up to $500 per organization for advertising, displays and promotional materials used to increase consumer awareness and overall appeal of Indiana farmers’ markets and enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Farmers’ Market Directors or Market Masters with an established Farmers’ Market listed on ISDA’s website are eligible to apply. Funds will be paid to qualifying entities on a first come-first served basis.

Applications for both programs can be found on the ISDA Web site under Grants and Funding Opportunities.

USDA-Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) is offering a Farm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. The USDA Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) is charged with implementing the farm to school program. In this first funding cycle, FNS anticipates awarding up to $3.5 million in grant funding to support efforts that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.

Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to availability of Federal funds. Applicants are encouraged to first submit a Letter of Intent and then apply for either a Planning Grant or an Implementation Grant. Planning grants are expected to range from $20,000 - $45,000 and represent approximately 25 percent of the total awards. Implementation grants are expected to range from $65,000 - $100,000 and represent approximately 75 percent of the total awards. For both types of grants, the applicant must provide at least 25 percent of the costs of the grant project as the Federal share of costs for this grant cannot exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the project, as required by the HHFKA.


Important Dates and Deadlines
April 17, 2012: Request for Applications Released
May 18, 2012: (Suggested) Letter of Intent Deadline
June 15, 2012: Proposals Due
(Pending the Availability of Federal Funds) Shortly after October 1, 2012: Awards Announced and Funds Available

Two webinars will be offered so that grant applicants can learn more about this grant opportunity.
May 15th, 1:00 EST Implementation grants
Thursday, May 17th, 1:00 EST Planning grants

Application packets as well as sample proposals can be found on FNS's website. 

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is now offering three grants to support Indiana’s vital livestock industry: the Indiana Livestock Promotion Grant, Indiana Livestock Market Development Grant, and the brand new Youth Livestock Grant. The deadline for all livestock grants is May 1, 2012.


The Youth Livestock Grant is an opportunity for 4-H or FFA chapters to “pay it forward” to deserving students interested in the livestock sector for the purchase of breeding stock to start a livestock enterprise or add animals to an existing operation.

The Indiana Livestock Promotion Grant is for qualifying organizations to submit project proposals designed to promote the livestock industry in Indiana through shows, sales, exhibitions, conventions, or similar events and programs.

The Indiana Livestock Marketing Development Grant is for qualifying organizations to submit project proposals for value added feasibility studies, research projects, market development, or other projects that encourage the development of business and industry related to livestock production, processing and distribution.

Eligibility:

Not-for-Profit organizations, commissions, and associations with 501©3 status are eligible for all three grants. All livestock grants are 50:50 matching funds grants.

Youth Livestock Grant: Not-for-profits with a 501©3 status should solicit applications from Indiana 4-H/FFA youth. Youth applicants are reviewed by the non-for-profit and select applicants they wish to request funds for. The Not-for-profit will submit the Youth Livestock application via email to ISDA.

Indiana Livestock Promotion Grant: Not-for-profits organizations, commissions, and associations with 501©3 status are eligible to apply for this grant. The Indiana Livestock Promotion Grant entities must work to promote the livestock industry in Indiana.

Indiana Livestock Market Development Grant: Not-for-profits organizations, commissions, and associations with 501©3 status are eligible to apply for funds that will work to develop or expand business or industry related to the livestock production, processing, and distribution. The Not-for-profit will submit the Indiana Livestock Market Development Grant to be eligible for these funds.

Applications can be found on ISDA's website and the deadline for all grants is May 1, 2012.

Only electronic applications will be accepted.

Winners will be announced by May 15th, 2012

The Monsanto Fund is offering Farmers the opportunity to support their local schools in their communities with the America's Farmers Grow Rural Education Program.  Farmers can nominate their public school district to compete for a grant of up to $25,000.  In all, the program will allow local school districts in 1,245 counties across 39 states to add over $2.3 million to their math and science programs.

Nomination entries for this program must be received between January 6, 2012, and April 15, 2012 and can be found here. 

Farmer Eligibility – Entrants must be 21 years or older and actively engaged in farming of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton; or 40 acres of openfield vegetables (as defined above); or 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in protected culture (glasshouse, nethouse, plastic).
The program is open to all public school districts in the eligible counties within the designated 39 states. To see if your school qualifies click here. 

The Monsanto Fund will award 199 grants in 39 states. Grant applications must be submitted by the school district; individual schools may not apply. Two grant amounts will be awarded: $10,000 and $25,000. Each eligible school district will only be entitled to apply for one grant and must determine the grant amount for which it will apply.

Eligible grant requests will need to focus on increasing interest or improving instruction or learning in science and/or math. School districts must be nominated by a farmer in one of the eligible counties in order to apply for the grants. Once a school district is nominated, that district will be notified and sent an invitation code to apply for a grant at www.MonsantoFund.org.
For more details click here.

The National Gardening Association has partnered with Jamba Juice on a grant program for schools, communities and non-profit organizations to teach kids about growing their own food, nutrition and science.  Recipients will be selected based on plans to promote nutrition education, ideas for incorporating fruit and vegetable activities into the curriculum, and ability to sustain the program over multiple years.

It’s All About the Fruit and Veggies Grant program is open to schools, community organizations, and non-profit programs in the United States gardening with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Schools must be located within a 50 mile radius of a Jamba Juice store

Annually, the National Gardening Association’s KidsGardening.org together with Jamba will award 20 grant recipients with a check for $150 to be used to purchase soil amendments and fruit and vegetable plantings and $350 in gardening supplies including composter, planters, tools, and a curriculum guide from the Gardening with Kids Shop. The total award package is valued at over $500.

Applications are due by February 15, 2012 and decisions will be made my March of 2012.  For more information and the application click here. 

USDA is offering the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant which was established to solve critical industry issues through research and extension activities. SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term; new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops. Applications are due January 31, 2012. Prospective applicants are asked to email a notification of intent to submit an application by close of business on November 25, 2011



Eligible Applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, and Small businesses.

More information is available here. 

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) offers a Matching Awards Program (MAP) to provide support to nonprofit organizations and Native American tribes throughout the U.S. to engage in on-the-ground conservation and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting National Forests and Grasslands. MAP funds can be used to support conservation and restoration projects enhancing wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed health, and community-based forestry.  A common thread connecting NFF program areas is an interest in action-oriented projects that enhance the viability of natural resources while benefiting and directly engaging surrounding communities. The NFF will accept applications from non-governmental, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and Native American tribes working on or adjacent to National Forests and Grasslands throughout the United States.

All grants require at least a one-to-one cash match through non-federal donations. The application deadline is January 17, 2012.

Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the application process. MAP projects are selected for funding through a two-stage process. Applicants must first complete an online questionnaire. Those that successfully complete the questionnaire are invited to submit a proposal to the NFF.
And a helpful webinar with more information regarding this program can be found here.