The Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFIUSA) will award $180,000 in grants to independent family farms in North Carolina for new farming enterprises that demonstrate innovative opportunities in production, processing and marketing.
Known as the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, the program is administered by RAFIUSA, a non-profit organization based in Pittsboro and funded by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. The program is designed to keep farmers in farming and to maintain the economic
base of North Carolina’s rural communities.
In 2013, the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will award up to $8,000 to individual farmers and up to $10,000 for collaborative farmer projects. The deadline to submit applications is December 5, 2012.
Grant applications and eligibility guidelines are available online at www.ncfarmgrants.org. Farmers located in the Mountain Regions are encouraged to visit www.wncagoptions.org for information regarding grants in their area.
Eligibility:
• Farmers must be earning at least 50% of their personal income from their farm operation.
• Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate a way to replace lost tobacco income.
• High priority will be given to innovative projects that show a new direction or opportunity
in farming.
• Past grantees that received a grant from RAFI-USA or Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
are not eligible.
RAFI-USA will offer grant information workshops across the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the workshops is to help potential applicants understand the program’s guidelines and application process. The informational workshops will also provide farmers in attendance with an opportunity to ask question specific to their individual projects.
Grant Information Workshops
A schedule of workshops with locations is below. All workshops will begin at 6:00pm.
• Rockingham County, Cooperative Extension Office, Oct.22, 2012 • Lincoln County, Cooperative Extension Office, Oct. 23, 2012 • Martin County, Cooperative Extension Office, Oct. 24, 2012 • Montgomery County, Cooperative Extension Office, Oct. 29, 2012 • Pender County, Cooperative Extension Office, Oct. 30, 2012 • Yadkin County, Cooperative Extension Office, Nov. 1, 2012 • Chatham County, RAFI-USA (274 Pittsboro Elementary School Rd, Pittsboro), Nov. 13, 2012
• Wayne County, Goldsboro Public Library (1001 E. Ash St. Goldsboro), Nov. 14, 2012
About Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA)
RAFI-USA is a nonprofit organization based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. The organization’s mission is to cultivate markets, policies and communities that sustain thriving, socially just and environmentally sustainable family farms. Founded in 1990, RAFI-USA works nationally and internationally, focusing on North Carolina and the southeastern United States.
RAFI-USA is guided by the belief that in order to ensure a safe, adequate supply of healthy food we must both protect family farms and encourage environmentally sound farming. For more information about RAFI-USA, please visit www.rafiusa.org.
Contact Info:
Melissa Staebner
NC Cooperative Extension
Interim Yadkin County Director
P.O. Box 97
Yadkinville, NC 27055
Phone #336-679-2061
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