Grant Giving FAQ

Who can apply?

You don’t have to be a non-profit to apply. Our grant awards are flexible so we can support projects with strong environmental impact and benefit to the region, along with a just transition to regenerative farming. We also want to note that anytime we say farmer, we mean land or sea farmers! 

I am located outside of your 100-mile food & fiber shed. Can I still apply? 

Yes, as long as you show that your project benefits our designated area. Some ideas on how this might work include:

• Data collected from the project is shared with similar programs or specified partners within the 100-mile radius. 
• Food or fiber might be grown outside the region, but the product benefits those in the area. 
• A farm or organization could test a project or concept in another region and could utilize media or case studies to share the lessons learned in this region.

How will I be notified when a funding decision is made?

We will email all applicants about decisions by May 31, 2025.

When will funding decisions be made?

Spring 2025.

How long is the application open?

Three months, November 1, 2024 – January 31, 2025.

Is there a minimum/maximum dollar amount that I can request?

No, but we do have a set budget for awards each year. Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $75,000, with an average grant size of $25,000. 

How long is the grant period, or how long do I have to spend grant funds?

Our grants are one year long, and the start date is marked when the grant agreement is signed. We ask that grantees plan to spend all funding in that year but can accommodate extensions of a few months if needed. Upon completion of the grant, we will request a short final report and work with grantees to create a functional template.

Do you offer multi-year funding?

At this time, all of our grants are one year in length, and we do not have multi-year grants. That said, applicants could apply for phase one of a project, note what they would do in phase two, and then apply the next year, but phase two funding would not be guaranteed.

What would an ideal application look like?

It would address a gap in our food and fiber shed, improve equity through the approach, and collect or share data or knowledge for others to learn from. Collaboration is also an essential item in our eligibility requirements, and an ideal application will have at least one other entity included for meaningful involvement or direct participation by multiple community members.

Do you fund equipment purchases?

It depends! If the equipment proposed is not widely used in this area OR it will increase the broader food and fiber shed’s ability to meet community needs, we would be more likely to fund that equipment purchase. Unlike many government grants for farms, we do not fund conventional equipment purchases or infrastructure that will increase only one farm’s revenue. There needs to be a broader social benefit or knowledge gathering and sharing from the purchase. This could include a collaborative, fee-free model to share equipment with others and/or a plan to communicate the trial of the new equipment widely.

Can I include staff labor time in the request? 

If your proposal focuses on a project or trial that has a start and end date, then yes, you can and should include staff time. This question is nuanced, and there may be other scenarios where it makes sense to include labor costs in the request; please send questions on this topic to grants@oceanhourfarm.org.

How are you evaluating applications? 

All applications are reviewed to see if they meet our basic eligibility requirements. Those that do will be further evaluated by the grants review committee and our staff. The committee is comprised of community leaders who work directly in and understand our food and fiber systems.