The Kentucky 4-H Foundation is excited to announce the roll-out of the Kentucky 4-H Foundation – Agriculture Mini-Grant Program. This is a new mini-grant program for county and club level agriculture projects and activities. These grants will be provided for, but not limited to: pilot and existing programs, new innovative projects, purchase of curriculum, educational tools/equipment and volunteer training. This is a great opportunity to expand and improve county and club programs and involve more 4-H’ers in exciting agricultural projects.
Any County 4-H Council, 4-H Club, volunteer leader or Extension Agent may submit an application but in order to be eligible for these mini-grants the projects or activities have to be related to agriculture. To be more specific, “related to agriculture” includes any project or activity that involves 4-H members in learning about agriculture production, marketing, processing, career opportunities, or career preparation. This also includes any projects that strengthen the 4-H members understanding of agriculture and its role in the economy and society, from beginning to advanced levels.
We encourage applicants in this first round to be creative and innovative with theirproposals; if you have a new, innovative pilot project in mind this is your chance to get funding for it. This is also a chance to get funding on an existing program that requires financial need. The maximum grant amount is set at $1,000.00. All grant funds shall be matched dollar for dollar with cash by the applicant, in-kind and staff or volunteer time will not be considered as match. The deadline for applications is October 10, 2013.
The Foundation is beyond excited to be able to provide $40,000 for this first year of mini-grants; and even more excited to head yet another program that helps support local programming. It’s the intent of the Foundation for this grant program to be an annual funding opportunity to run with the 4-H program year (September 1 – August 31).
The Foundation will appoint a selection committee to review applications and select grantees. Then the Foundation will announce the funded projects by October 31st and mail out grant funds in early November.
The Foundation would like thank the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB) and staff for its support and working with us to establish this grant program. The KADB was created in 2000 to disburse the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF). The KADB has done a fantastic job on investing in Kentucky’s youth, investing in 4-H and FFA.
The 4-H Foundation received two million dollars from the KADB in 2002 to create an endowment to support 4-H. In 2010, the endowment agreement was changed to allow the proceeds to supported three new 4-H areas; a new Achievement Program, 4-H’ers participation in regional and national agricultural related events and this new mini-grant program. In the past 11 years this endowment has provided just over one million dollars to support Kentucky 4-H. On behalf of the Foundation and Kentucky 4-H we thank the KADB for their incredible generosity, which has allowed us to grow and improve Kentucky 4-H programming all across the state.
Click here for the Kentucky 4-H Foundation Agriculture Mini-Grant Program Application
