With winter approaching, your inbox may be filling up with invitations to the many farm conferences, workshops and seminars held over the next several months. Understanding the importance of these educational events to our young, beginning and small farmers, we created the Grow Forward Grant Program to help with the cost of these programs. Our Grow Forward Grant Program provides up to $40,000 in grants to help offset the cost of educational programs and/or farm business services. Current customers are eligible for up to $1,000. Non-customers are eligible for up to $500.
Examples of grants awarded this year include:
• Tax and accounting services
• Great Lakes Crop Summit
• Field and Crop Workshop
• Agronomy consultant
• Ice cream-making workshop
• Distilling workshop
• Farm business seminars
If you are interested in applying for one of our grants click here or stop by one of our local branch locations.
Qualifications for the Young, Beginning, and Small Farmer program:
• 18-35 years of age, or
• Farming for less than 10 years, or
• Sustain annual gross sales from agricultural production of less than $250,000
• Must be eligible to be a member of GreenStone; reside in Michigan or northeast Wisconsin
Intended grant use must fall within one of the following categories:
• Agricultural programs/events: educational course/program (on-site or online), conference fees, etc. (Program/event not required to be in GreenStone's territory)
• GreenStone resources: accounting and tax services, technology support, etc. (Available for first time use of service only)
• Non-GreenStone services: business and farm consultants, etc.
Exclusions of grant use include:
• Entertainment venues/networking events
• Travel related expenses
• College course as part of a degree program
• Technology software and hardware, farm equipment, farm inputs/operating expenses, building improvements, etc.
• Routine business costs (yearly taxes, etc.)
• External service that is currently offered by GreenStone Farm Credit Services
• Costs associated with loans, fees, etc.
• Costs associated with the Farm Women's Symposium (due to scholarships available directly through the program)
