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  • From: "Ava Devenport" <essenheal AT iname.com>
  • To: market-farming
  • Subject: Resources for Grants, Loans, Funds
  • Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 16:44:59


I would like to offer some links and advice to those that have been
searching for grants and funds.

The best place to go to first is your local USDA office, they have many
opportunities not only within the Dept. of Ag., but also through some of
their other offices, such as the NRCS, Dept. of Wildlife, Soil & Water,
etc. The Farm Service Agency is located within USDA and they service
direct and guaranteed loans for farm ownership and operating. Direct
operating loans are to $200,000.00 for 1-7 years and Guaranteed operating
loans are to $400,000.00 for 1-7 years. Interest rates run approx. 4-7% or
they have a temporary limited resource rate for those unable to pay the
regular rates. They also set aside a specific amount of funds for
disadvantaged and women farmers. A partnership between the husband and
wife with the wife owning at least 51% of the partnership will qualify for
the disadvantaged farmer loan. These loans can be used to purchase seed,
equipt., supplies, livestock, pultry and conservation practices. If the
loan is for purchase of seed, livestock, the loan does not begin repayment
until after harvest. Almost every county has a USDA office, if not, there
is a nearby county office that services your county.

USDA: www.usda.gov USDA Services & programs: www.usda.gov/services.html
Smallfarm resource links: www.usda.gov/oce/smallfarm/hotlinks.htm
FSA: www.fsa.usda.gov

Natural Resources Conservation Service helps farmers and ranchers improve
their property to protect the environment and conserve water and soil with
education and technical assistance, cost-share assistance and incentive
payments.

NRCS: www.nrcs.usda.gov

Producer marketing grant programs through SARE, $5-10,000.00

SARE: www.sare.org

New funding and technical assistance for small farmers, direct contact is
Susan McAvoy with the Agricultural Marketing Service.

susan.mcavoy AT usda.gov

Federal to State Marketing Improvement program, promises some large grant
capacities for 2000. Direct contact is Larry Summers, request additional
information on Program #10.156 authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act
of 1946. There is est. for year 2000 $1,200,00.00 in grants available with
the range of financial assistance $5,000-150,000.00 with averages at
$57,143.00.

larry.summers AT usda.gov

Center for rural affairs offers many rural opportunities and stewardship
programs, don't pass by any of the incentive programs as they all supply
funds in the form of cost-share and incentive payments up to $10,000.00 per
person per year for a 5-10 year contract.

www.cfa.org

Offering additional cost-share programs, incentive payments and grant
opportunities are:

Dept. of Energy: financial assistance homepage (includes ag.)
www.pr.doe.gov/fahome.html

Office of small & disadvantaged business: business support programs
www.usda.gov/osdbu

The Environmental Protection Agency offers many areas of funds and grants:
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/fund/sources.html

An absolutely great site is the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance,
listing just about every available office and assistance program there is
and how to access the information
www.cfda.gov

As I said before, please don't pass on any of the opportunities, one or two
may be just right for you. Some of the watershed grants cover nothing more
than surface water running downhill into a farm pond. Wildlife habitat
could be putting a small area into reserve and planting around it. Even if
some of these grants state the applicant must be a govt. office, non-profit
or other community resource, bear in mind that the Beneficiary is YOU!
Find which offices are receiving the grants, then apply for the funds
through that office. Research grants are given to producers to plant new
crops and cover crops, etc., etc., don't pass them up, they even give you
details on how to perform the research. As producers, you see every year
what works, what doesn't, what might.

But DO go to your county USDA office and REGISTER your farm with the FSA.
FSA and CCC usually do all the paperwork and groundwork for the other
offices, if your not registered, you don't receive! Talk to your local
NRCS officers, also in the usda office, and your local state dept. of
wildlife biologist, ask what grants and incentives they have available.
They'll help you fill out the papers and assess your needs.

The Clinton-Gore Livable Communities Initiative is offering stewardship
incentives, challenge grants, assistance grants, small project grants,
habitat incentive grants and constructed wetland and conservation grants
all within the farm community.
www.tis.eh.doe.gov/livablecommunity/index2.html

Get your extension officer involved, talk to your Land Grant Universities,
they're always looking for projects including local small farmer
co-operative grants. The more you need them, the better standing they're
in within the Depts. that give them grants and funds.

Now, it's alot of work, sometimes it's easy, sometimes not. If you get in
a bind, find a local community resource and development group to help you.
They can find the sources for you and also write grant papers, etc.
If you don't know how to find them, once again, contact your FSA office and
ask them for the phone number and address, they're probably right next
door.

Happy hunting!

Blessings,
Ava




  • Resources for Grants, Loans, Funds, Ava Devenport, 04/19/2000

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