Many people do not realize how many different grants are available to help them try new and different things or to start new enterprises. Although many grants are available primarily for farmers who are exploring alternative crops or searching for alternative sources of income from their farm, there are quite a few grants that are available for people other than farmers.

Not being familiar with grants, many people have the mistaken idea that groups or foundations offer money through grants just to help them meet financial obligations for routine projects, businesses, or to expand their operation. Grants are most often offered to provide financial assistance for those people who have a solid plan for doing something different that will meet the objective of the grant. The idea of most grants is to help individuals become successful, so the results of their efforts can then be shared with many other people to help them become successful as well.

Last year, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) offered grants to current or former tobacco farmers in Robeson and surrounding counties to help them develop alternative sources of income to replace the money they were losing due to the decline of the tobacco program. RAFI received their funding from the Golden Leaf Foundation specifically for this purpose.

There was quite a bit of interest in this grant last year, and several of our farmers and groups of farmers were fortunate to receive some money to help them make some unusual changes to their farm operations for the purpose of generating additional income. One good example of a successful RAFI grant was Kenny and Anna Floyd from Fairmont. The Floyds had been successful with their strawberry operation for many years but were aware that there were ways to reduce the amount of berries that were lost when berries ripened faster than customers were available to pick them. Their grant proposal to RAFI was to purchase a commercial ice cream machine and make fresh, homemade ice cream with the surplus. This proposal also included employment opportunities for other people in their community who could no longer find work on farms by hiring workers to operate the ice cream machine during weekends at local festivals, fairs, special events, and farmers markets.

Although this grant did not provide all the funds that were needed to start this new and alternative business, it did provide funds that the Floyds did not have to get started. From all reports from the Floyds, their new business is doing well, and they see opportunities to expand in the future.

I suspect that RAFI will again offer grants to local farmers this coming winter. If you have good ideas of something you can do that is somewhat unusual and different to generate additional income for your farm or for your family, I would encourage you to start putting your plan together now. The first thing needed before applying for any grant is to have a good business plan that is both realistic and doable.

Watch this newspaper and mailings from the Extension Service for announcements about RAFI grants or other grants that may be available. In the meantime, visit with one of the agents on my staff to discuss any ideas you may have and to seek assistance in developing plans or grant proposals. Our agents have had quite a bit of experience with grants and with the foundations that provide these grants, so they will be able to provide some good advise, information, or assistance.

A current grant opportunity for local farmers is the Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG). This program was authorized by the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 and was amended by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, better known as the 2002 Farm Bill. Grants may be used for planning activities and working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products. Eligible applicants would be independent producers, farmer cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, or majority-controlled producer-based business ventures.

The maximum amount that can be awarded is $500,000, and all VAPG funds must be matched by an equal amount of funds from the applicant or a third party. Approximately $13.2 million will be available for grant awards in 2004.

For more information about this program, please visit the website at:

The Rural Development Office, which is located in the new addition behind the Natural Resources Conservation Service on Caton Road in Lumberton, can offer additional assistance.

If you have an idea for new and different ways you can generate additional income from your farm operation or from farmland you own, start looking for grants that will help you make your idea a reality. Keep in mind, all successful businesses started with a simple idea and a lot of determination and hard work to get it started.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 9/1/04