Strategic Initiative Grants
Strategic Initiative Grants (known as SIG grants) are targeted mini-grants that the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) gives to its member organizations to advance NSAC’s priority policy objectives. They are awarded for enhanced or additional activities that would not otherwise happen as part of an organization’s regular budget, and they carry with them a commitment to report and share results with NSAC staff and all of the other NSAC organizations.
Implementing NSAC’s 2008 Farm Bill wins and communicating about them with farmers and other grassroots stakeholders presents an important opportunity to advance the policy goals of our coalition and expand the membership base of our movement. Therefore, 2008 SIG grants will promote targeted grassroots engagement and action on farm bill policy wins, including implementation and appropriations outreach and organizing. 2008 SIG grants will also encourage participation in the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service State Technical Committees.
2010 SIG grantees are as follows:
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG) $3,000 to engage NESAWG organizations in agricultural appropriations advocacy by assisting groups in building relationships with Congressional staff in target districts through in district meetings and other strategic grassroots actions. Reaching out and engaging at least one new organization in each target district.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) $3,000 to organize an in-district meeting with Congressman Walt Minnick (Dem), a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, during the August Congressional recess focusing on the needs of organic farmers in southern Idaho, as well as refugee farmers in southwest Idaho. The farmers sought increased support and appropriations for NCAP and NSAC priorities, including organic programs, conservation programs, SARE, research, and beginning farmer programs.
Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society (NSAS) $6,500 to conduct extensive targeted outreach around the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Organic Initiative, Conservation Reserve Program Transition Option and the Value Added Producer Grant Program. Grassroots actions included alerts, engaging farmers in town hall meetings and other venues. And to conduct a farm tour in Nebraska to highlight the success of the Conservation Stewardship Program and to gain the support of key Nebraska Senators and Representatives for these programs.
Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (WSARE) $3,000 to organize visits during August break in MT (Baucus), CO (Markey), OR (Schrader), WY (Lummis), and ID (Minnick). And to conduct listening sessions among 3 socially disadvantaged communities on barriers to engagement in policy advocacy.
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG), Rural Advancement Foundation International, USA, Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group $1,000 each to conduct a regional assessment of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program among stakeholders.
Farmers Market Coalition $3,072 to organize a grassroots network of farmers market managers, producers and sate farmers market association; to build relationships with key House and Senate Agriculture Committee members through in district meetings, hill visits, newsletters and action alerts to win reauthorization and policy reforms to the Farmers Market Promotion Program in the 2012 Farm Bill.
Illinois Stewardship Alliance $3,500 to create a policy advisory committee of farmer, consumers and other stakeholders; garner input and discussion around NSAC Farm Bill priorities; organize 1-3 in district meetings between stakeholders and policy makers with a particular focus on farmers markets, local food system development, specialty crops and conservation programs.
Michigan Land Use Institute $3,500 to gather input on NSAC Farm Bill priorities; cultivate five or more farmer leaders; host in district tour and meetings with Senator Stabenow and Representative Dave Camp or his staff.
Nebraska Wildlife Federation $2,400 to host workshops to gather input and to educate farmers, ranchers, and conservation professionals about the wildlife benefits of the Conservation Stewardship Program(CSP); to identify and cultivate spokespeople for the CSP; educate farmers, media and congressional staff of Representative Fortenberry and Adrian Smith, Senators Ben Nelson and Mike Johann on the benefits of the program.
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group $3,000 to engage existing and new organizations and individuals currently in the NESAWG network and NSAC groups around appropriations advocacy in New York and Maine through action alerts, the NEFOOD social network, and assistance with organizing in district meetings to advance the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Individual Development Accounts Program, SARE, and VAPG.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides $1,116 to ensure representation of organic farmers at the Idaho NRCS State Technical Committee annual meeting; to ensure organic farmer participation in the newly created organic/small acreage subcommittee to review practice standards and payment schedules.
Georgia Organics $2,600 to engage and empower sustainable and organic farmer leaders to interface with key policy makers in Georgia to further farm bill programs that support them through indistinct and on farm meetings; to develop a farmer / citizen empowerment tool kit to encourage action on the next farm bill.
Spring 2011 SIG Grantees are as follows:
California NSAC Caucus. $5,050 To coordinate efforts of 10 NSAC member groups in California; to strengthen relationships with the California congressional delegation serving on the agriculture committee, agriculture appropriations committee, and in leadership positions (e.g. minority leader) through calls, letters and/or meetings, culminating in requests for Member level meetings during the August recess. Communication will focus on funding of 2008 Farm Bill programs and laying the groundwork for the 2012 Farm Bill.
California Farm Link. $3,000 to support development of and advocacy for key reforms/initiatives around the NSAC Beginning Farmer Package of the 2012 Farm Bill. CFL will develop materials and relationships with the California delegation and other key decision-makers; participate in the June Beginning Farmer Fly-in and facilitate Beginning Farmer Individual Development Account Program appropriation advocacy.
Center for Rural Affairs. $1,500 to cultivate Senators Johanns and Nelson and Representative Fortenberry as champions for a beginning farmer and rancher package in the 2012 Farm Bill and to engage Senator Nelson in a meeting about protecting funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); cultivate beginning and CSP farmer leaders for in-district meetings; generate press on beginning farmer issues.
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. $600 to cover staff travel to State Technical Committee meetings in South Carolina and North Carolina with the objective of increasing participation by organic and transitioning farmers in NRCS soil and water conservation programs, in particular Environmental Quality Incentives Program(EQIP) and increasing payment rates to organic producers for EQIP practices where the cost of implementing those practices is higher in an organic system. The STC meetings take place in Raleigh, NC and Columbia, SC respectively.
Farm to Table and the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council. $1,000 to engage a broader group of New Mexico farmers, ranchers, service providers, agencies, food and agriculture related organizations, policymakers, local food policy councils and community based project coordinators in learning about existing federal policy programs; engage New Mexico farmers, ranchers, rural, and tribal communities, urban gardeners, youth, farm to school programs, and five local food policy councils in advocacy training and how to engage in advocating for current and future Farm Bill priorities that most affect them; and to conduct a 2012 Farm Bill listening session to build on current Farm Bill priorities and to engage the group in organizing our advocacy efforts.
Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides. $3,000 to build leadership capacity and knowledge among farmers and other key stakeholders in Oregon; to engage farmers and key stakeholders to effectively provide input on NSAC farm bill and appropriations priorities and influence Oregon’s Congressional delegation; to seek input to help shape programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program, EQIP – Organic Initiative, and other farm bill targets; to facilitate two to four in-district meetings between April and August (during recess times or as can be scheduled) with key targets to discuss our farm bill and appropriations targets.
National Young Farmer Coalition. $2,500 to organize three strategic meetings between young farmers and Congressional representatives, one in New York State and two outside of New York to advance the beginning farmer marker bill; to cultivate beginning farmer champions in Congress; to introduce members of Congress to the next generation of American farmers, and engage new young farmer leaders.
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and Innovative Farmers of Ohio. $3,500 to hold demonstration field day events in western PA and eastern OH to educate farmers about Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative, Value Added Producer Grant Program, and the Farmers Market Promotion Program with invites to include selected media, educators, agencies members of the appropriations subcommittee and the agriculture committees in PA and OH.
Member organizations will be alerted in fall of 2011 about the next opportunity to apply for grants. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Annette Higby at annette@sustainableagriculture.net