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.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is offering a free interactive webinar for those interested in learning more about how to apply for Specialty Crop Block Grants in their state.  This webinar will share  information on how you can use these grant funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.  Many projects funded in the past by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program focus on marketing and promotion, education, production, research, food safety, and pest and plant health.

Specialty crop project applications must be submitted to your State Department of Agriculture for funding consideration. State Departments of Agriculture are encouraged to partner with specialty crop stakeholders, including socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers.

There will be a live question and answer session following the formal webinar presentation. Attendees of previous webinar sessions have included growers, processors, packers and distributors of all sized operations and others along the produce supply chain, as well as representatives from academia and government.

Details regarding the time and date of the webinar are below.

Date: Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011

Subject: USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Don’t miss this informative webinar. Visit http://bit.ly/v21Rfi to register before the Dec. 9, 2011 deadline.

Or, for more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program visit USDA's website at www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp

USDA is offering the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) as a grant program to fund specialty crop industry issues through research and extension activities. 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.

Elligible applicants include: national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.

Applications are due: January 31, 2012, but a letter of intent is requestd by November 25, 2011.  For more detailed information please visit: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/specialty_crop.html 

The National Gardening Association (NGA) and The Home Depot Garden Club are offering Youth Garden Grants (YGG).  Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and inter-generational groups throughout the United States are eligible to apply.  Gardens and programs should contain some of the following: educational focus or curricular/program integration, nutrition or plant-to-food connections, environmental awareness/education, entrepreneurship, social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.Five winners will receive gift cards valued at $1,000, and 95 winners will receive $500 gift cards, for the purchase of gardening materials and supplies specific to the needs of their program from their local Home Depot store.

Applicants must plan to garden with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years.


Applications must be submitted by November 28th, 2011and can be found here.  Award announcements will be made on March 1, 2012 and distributed later that month. 

Grant awardees will be required to submit a year-end impact report due in August of 2012.