2010 Western Piedmont Region Demonstration Grant Program

The Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund aims to assist farmers and rural communities to develop new sources of agricultural income through provision of cost-share grants. The Reinvestment Fund will make two types of demonstration awards: Producer Grant Awards up to $10,000 for individuals and Community Grants Awards up to $30,000 for collaborative farmer projects.

The Fund will make cost-share demonstration grants to farmers, farm organizations, and community groups in the Western Piedmont Region of North Carolina. This includes: Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davidson, Forsyth, Gaston, Guildford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Union, Wilkes, Yadkin, Davie, and Rockingham.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION is January 13, 2010.

Tight margins for most commodity crops and changing farm programs provide new challenges for North Carolina farmers. The purpose of the Reinvestment Fund is to help farmers to develop enterprises that allow them to earn more for their products through innovative production, processing, or marketing approaches.

The Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

ELIGIBILITY

Qualifying PRODUCERS must be farmers, who are actively engaged in full or part-time farming in the Western Piedmont region. Priority is given to farmers who earned a significant portion of their income from tobacco at the time of the Master Settlement Agreement (1997-1998) and to projects that create an opportunity for a new generation of farmers.

Qualifying COMMUNITY GROUPS must include qualifying farmers from the Western Piedmont region, and farmers must be active in the leadership of the group. Groups of farmers, farm coops, farmer associations, churches, local business, civic organizations, or combination of these are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Eligible PROJECTS are those that: have a likelihood of generating new farm income; establish new markets for local products and services; develop new uses for greenhouses; add value to existing farm products by processing, packaging or marketing in a special way; make new use of tobacco facilities and equipment; maintain or create quality employment, including self-employment or opportunities for home-based businesses; make optimal use of on-farm and natural resources.

High Priority will be given to projects that are innovative and demonstrate a new direction or opportunity for farmers in North Carolina.

IMPORTANT DATES!

Early Bird Deadline - December 18, 2009
Application Deadline -January 13, 2010
Award Notification - March 9, 2010
Interim Report Due - TBA
Final Report Due - TBA
Projects Completed - TBA

APPLICATION & DETAILED INFORMATION

http://www.ncfarmgrants.org

Jason Roehrig

jason@rafiusa.org

919-542-1396

Meeting to Discuss Grant Possibility ($$$) for Farmers

A meeting will be held on August 12 to discuss the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI) Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund. RAFI will make cost-share demonstration grants to farmers, farm organizations, and community groups. The grant is available to farmers in Alexander, Beaufort, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Craven, Cumberland, Davidson, Forsyth, Greene, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, McDowell, Nash, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Wayne, Wilkes, and Wilson counties.

The meeting will be at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service-McDowell County Center in the Extension Conference Room at 6:30 pm. Jason Roehrig from RAFI will be the speaker. The McDowell County Center is located in the County Administration Building on the 2nd floor at 60 East Court Street, Marion. For directions to the McDowell County Center, please call 828-652-7874 or 828-652-8104.

Cost-share support of up to $10,000 will be awarded to individual producers and support of up to $20,000 will be awarded to collaborative farmer efforts. Demonstration grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process. Grants will be awarded to innovative projects which show farmers a new direction or opportunity.

Priority will be given to projects that benefit farmers under 40 years of age with at least three years of farming experience and to farmers who had income from tobacco.

Deadline for the grant application is October 1, 2008. Funds will be available to farmers in December 2008.

For complete eligibility requirements and guidelines, visit RAFI-USA’s website at: http://www.rafiusa.org/programs/tobacco/2008cfp.pdf.

Jason Roehrig
919-621-0534
jason@rafiusa.org

RAFI-USA is a private, non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. RAFI cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms.

Grant ($$$) Possibility for NC Farmers

The Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA) Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will make cost-share demonstration grants to farmers, farm organizations, and community groups in Alexander, Beaufort, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Craven, Cumberland, Davidson, Forsyth, Greene, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, McDowell, Nash, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Wayne, Wilkes, and Wilson counties.

Cost-share support of up to $10,000 will be awarded to individual producers and support of up to $20,000 will be awarded to collaborative farmer efforts.

Demonstration grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process. Grants will be awarded to innovative projects which show farmers a new direction or opportunity.

Priority will be given to projects that benefit farmers under 40 years of age with at least three years of farming experience and to farmers who had income from tobacco.

Deadline for applications is October 1, 2008. Funds will be available to farmers in December 2008.

For complete eligibility requirements and guidelines, visit RAFI-USA’s website at: http://www.rafiusa.org/programs/tobacco/2008cfp.pdf.

For more information or to discuss potential project ideas contact:

Jason Roehrig
919-621-0534
jason@rafiusa.org

RAFI-USA is a private, non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. RAFI cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms.