Sources of Funding
EPA farming transition grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering grants for
“Education and demonstration for Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) transition
and integrated or reduced-risk practices for pest/crop management” through
the Agriculture Initiative in EPA’s Region 9 (California, Nevada, Arizona,
Hawaii, and the Pacific Trust Islands). FQPA, passed by Congress in 1996,
established standards for pesticide residues in raw and processed food
to protect public health and create an environment favorable for the development
of lower risk, effective crop protection tools for U.S. agriculture. Each
grant will be up to $30,000; a total of $170,000 will be awarded. The
grants will support projects that help growers reduce dependence on pesticides,
reduce health/environmental risks from pesticides, and move toward the
implementation of ecologically based or integrated pest and crop management
methods. Proposals should include partnerships and grower participation.
State agencies, universities, cooperative extension, tribes, and nonprofit
organizations (including not-for-profit commodity groups or farmers’ groups)
in EPA’s Region 9 are eligible. New and existing projects are eligible.
These grants cannot be used for basic research, although the projects
may include a component for applied on-farm research if they include demonstration,
education and/or outreach activities. Grant proposals must be postmarked
by May 10, 2002; decisions will be made by June 5. For more information,
contact Lori Ann Thrupp, Agriculture Initiative, EPA Region 9,
75 Hawthorne St CMD-4-1, San Francisco, CA 94105; tel: 415-947-4242; fax:
415-947-3583; email: thrupp.loriann@epa.gov.
Organic Research grants up
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has raised the amount
of its research grants to $15,000 (up from $10,000); applicants are invited
for consideration in its twice-yearly funding cycle. Funds are offered
for organic farming research, dissemination of research results to organic
farmers and growers interested in making the transition to organic production
and consumer education on organic farming issues. OFRF technical program
coordinator Jane Sooby is available to work with farmers and others
interested in doing on-farm research and applying for grants. The foundation’s
on-farm research guide gives an overview of the research process and is
accessible through OFRF’s Web site (www.ofrf.org)
under “research program” or can be ordered free of charge by calling OFRF
at (831) 426-6606. The deadlines for proposal consideration are January
15 for the spring funding cycle and July 15 for the fall funding
cycle. Contact Sooby at OFRF, PO Box 440, Santa Cruz, CA 95061 or email
research@ofrf.org or jane@ofrf.org
Grant resources
Environmental Grantmaking Foundations 2001 directory is a useful
resource for those seeking funding. It is published by Resources for Global
Sustainability, PO Box 3665, Cary, NC 27519-3665; tel: (800) 724-1857;
fax: (919) 363-9841; email: rgs@environmentalgrants.com;
Web site: www.environmentalgrants.com.
The directory is a comprehensive guide to the most significant independent,
community and company-sponsored foundations that fund environmental projects.
These foundations give more $600 million for environmental purposes annually.
The fifth edition profiles 900 foundations that give environmental grants,
including 215 members of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Profiles
of each group include useful data; multiple indexes narrow the search
to the grantmakers that fund particular topics or geographic focus. The
directory is available in print and CD-ROM formats; the printed edition
is $105 plus shipping and handling, the CD-ROM version (PC only) is $115
plus handling.
