FARM AID DISTRIBUTES NEARLY $1.5 MILLION IN 2024 GRANTS

Funding Aims to Strengthen Community Food Systems and Fight Corporate Power

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of the organization's 39th annual festival, held this year in Saratoga Springs, New York, on September 21, Farm Aid announced that it has distributed nearly $1.5 million in grant funding in 2024.

For this year's End of Year Grant Program, Farm Aid staff reviewed more than 100 grant proposals from farm and rural organizations across the country. The grants team prioritized proposals from organizations that are digging in and supporting racial equity, facilitating farmer-led solutions to climate change, stopping the growth of industrial and corporate power in agriculture, and providing support for farmers experiencing a crisis and farm stress.

"The work to support family farmers and empower communities through agriculture happens on the ground all across this country. We're grateful to the people doing this work and we're proud to stand strong with them," said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. "Thanks to our fans, supporters and advocates for purchasing Farm Aid festival tickets and donating every year. It's because of you that we're able to send these funds to organizations across the country."

In December, Farm Aid distributed End of Year grants in the amount of $1,101,500 to 101 family farm, rural response and urban agriculture organizations, bringing the grand total of Farm Aid grantmaking in 2024 to just under $1.5 million. For a complete listing of Farm Aid's 2024 grant recipients, visit farmaid.org/2024grants.

Additionally, throughout 2024 Farm Aid granted $369,900 through various grantmaking programs, including:

• $57,000 in emergency grants to individual farmers who struggled to make ends meet. These grants are given with the assistance of Farm Aid's Hotline team members, who answer farmer calls to 1-800-FARM-AID and connect them to appropriate resources and recommend emergency grants when support is urgently needed.
• $235,000 in disaster grants in response to disasters that impact farm operations. Beneficiaries included farmers in Texas who were devastated by wildfires and farmers throughout the Southeast who experienced disastrous flooding and wind damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
• $30,000 in strategic grants. A grant made to Farm Commons supported development of resources for farmers after having experienced discrimination from agencies charged with providing direct support. A grant to the Sobremesa Foundation Incubator Program provided leased land access, farm infrastructure, business development and training resources to immigrant, limited resource, and historically underserved individuals as well as emerging farmers. Finally, a grant was made to the Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform, a national alliance of organizations — including Farm Aid — that are working to provide a voice for farmers and ranchers involved in contract agriculture.
• $27,900 in farmer leadership grants for the development of farmers' leadership skills and the elevation of their voices in decision-making circles in which their expertise, experience and best interests are essential.
• $20,000 in scholarship funds to support university students majoring in agriculture and related fields.

Farm Aid also invested $98,000 in 10 New York-based and regional organizations doing work in the state to advance this year's grantmaking priorities. Awardees include GrowNYC and Black Farmer Fund in New York City; Chester Agricultural Center in Chester; Rock Steady Farm in Millerton; National Young Farmers Coalition in Hudson; the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG); Northeast Farmers of Color Network (NEFOC); Braiding the Sacred; Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA); and the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA).

Farm Aid grants will support essential work being done by organizations providing crucial support to farmers across the country, through a wide range of activities and strategies.

Farm Aid's grantmaking is one aspect of its work to keep family farmers on the land, growing good food for all. Other work throughout the year includes efforts to increase demand for family farm food; bring farmers, advocates and activists together to build capacity to change our farm and food system; advocate for policies that serve family farmers and eaters and protect our natural resources; and invite everyone to participate in a thriving family farm system of agriculture.

Farm Aid welcomes donations year-round at farmaid.org/donate.

For updates throughout the year on Farm Aid's upcoming 40^th anniversary, follow Farm Aid on X (@FarmAid), Bluesky (@farmaid.bsky.social), Facebook (facebook.com/FarmAid), Instagram (@FarmAid) and visit farmaid.org/festival.

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For nearly 40 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $80 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

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SOURCE Farm Aid