Applied Education/Economic Development Program Builds Agricultural Economic Viability
Agricultural Economics & Community Development
Desiree Keever
Farm Business Management & Ag Economic Development Educator
Cornell University
Hamden
Abstract
This applied educational/economic development program achieved dual objectives of farmer education on navigating the grant application process and funding projects to enhance the agricultural economic viability within the county utilizing $1.2 million of American Rescue Plan monies to help farms adapt to the positive and negative economic impacts on their businesses resulting from the COVID pandemic. Cornell Cooperative Extension-Delaware submitted a program proposal to the County Board of Supervisors (CBOS) to secure the initial $500,000 in funding. The program took the shape of a farm infrastructure grant process to solicit, score, rank, and award proposals up to $25,000/project. The educational component of the program was achieved via provision of farmer education on grant application requirements, writing, and management strategies. Staff communicated the program via direct farm mailings,10 print, radio and digital media outlets, and developed a program webpage. Farmers were offered project development guidance and grant writing strategy support through one-on-one communication, promulgation of a Frequently Asked Questions resource shared on the webpage, and an informational session delivered in person and via remote technology with recordings made accessible on the program webpage. The program drew 87 unique applications across 13 different agricultural commodity areas. Applications were scored by a panel of local agency leaders utilizing a comprehensive matrix; funding 26 projects to exhaust the initial monetary allocation. The CBOS awarded an additional $500,000 and a second round of applications were solicited utilizing the same model, yielding 69 participant applicants and funding 23 more projects. The success of the program in the county prompted the CBOS to award a final $200,0000; funding 10 additional projects.
This program yielded participation in the form of a project application submission by 32% of the total farms in the county, the majority of whom were first time grant applicants. Of the 59 successful awardees in this project, 34% went on to apply for additional grant funding. This program has been the catalyst for additional successful grant education programming by CCE, as well as business programming as farmers have now seen greater value in business planning and enterprise budgeting.
Authors: Desiree Keever
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Desiree Keever Farm Business Management & Ag Economic Development Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Delaware County, New York, 13782