After a successful month spent fundraising in Nashville and throughout the southeast, The Field of Greens Fund is excited to begin accepting applications for financial assistance from Tennessee farmers effected by the spring flooding.
The Fund, created in June 2010, is a project of the Community Food Advocates, in collaboration with a coalition of food retailers, farmers, businesses, agencies, and individual food advocates to provide disaster relief assistance to organic and/or sustainable farmers located in Middle Tennessee, Northern Alabama and Southern Kentucky who support the Middle Tennessee food shed.
The Fund is intended to be a permanent funding source for farmers to strengthen and expand their sustainable farms. A committee of representatives from the coalition organizations will review applications for funding, and the program will be administered by Community Food Advocates.
A generous donation from Whole Foods provided the seed money for the Fund, and ongoing support will be provided by donations from individuals and corporations.
Initial grants of monies up to $500 from the fund will go toward assisting organic and/or sustainable farms that supply the Middle Tennessee food shed to deal with immediate needs created by the May 1 and 2, 2010 floods.
In order to facilitate this financial assistance to affected farmers as soon as possible, the Fund will accept applications for the initial round of funding through July 29, 2010, with decisions being made approximately every two weeks beginning August 6, 2010 until the first round of funding is exhausted.
Applications will be considered and grants awarded on a rolling basis so early applications are encouraged. If not funded initially, applications will be kept in the pool as long as they meet basic criteria. If future funding rounds for relief are announced, all applicants will be notified and information
will be made available on the Community Food Advocates’ website: www.communityfoodadvocates.org.
Who Can Apply?
Farmers and producers located in Middle Tennessee, Northern Alabama and Southern Kentucky who sell farm-raised products to the Middle Tennessee food shed, are practicing organic and/or sustainable farming methods and who have suffered hardship as a result of the May 2010 flood. Preference will be
given to farmers and producers who do not qualify for federal crop insurance or other federal assistanceor emergency aid programs. Please see fund guidelines for details on qualified farmers.
