Eagle Times Staff
The Vermont Community Foundation announced Wednesday that a new grant program will provide up to $10,000 directly to farmers affected by the devastating flooding this summer.
The Farm Disaster Relief Grant Program will be funded with up to $1 million from the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund 2023, which has raised more than $6.1 million and awarded more than $2 million since it was created by the Vermont Community Foundation last month.
The Farm Disaster Relief Grant Program is designed to help farms that sustained damage stay in production or return to production. More than 18,000 acres of farmland was affected by flooding that washed away soil, spoiled crops, and damaged greenhouses, barns, and equipment. The disaster threatened a way of life and an economic sector that is the backbone of many rural communities.
“We know that many farmers are struggling, and some lost an entire season,” said Kate Neubauer, program officer for Climate and Environment at the Vermont Community Foundation. “Immediate relief is critical not only to support the livelihoods of farmers but to avoid long-term impacts on Vermont’s farms and food systems.”
While the fund has already made grant awards to a range of nonprofit organizations that are supporting farms and food production in the wake of the disaster, the new grant program recognizes the need to build on those efforts and provide direct aid at an extremely precarious time for many farms.
To be eligible, Vermont farms must be committed to staying in business and must have been affected by the storms and flooding that took place between July 7 and July 18. Farms must be located in Vermont and be owned or leased by a Vermont resident or residents. The grant program will prioritize applications from farmers who identify as part of a vulnerable or marginalized population, and farms that will not be receiving any other flood assistance.
Applications are being accepted through Sept. 6.
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by the end of September.
Visit vermontcf.org/farmgrants for more information.
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