The 2018 edition of Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities received 758 farmer applications (a 68 per cent increase from 2017) and 337 charity suggestions (a 200 per cent increase from 2017). Two winners from each of the country’s 33 farming regions (selected by a random draw) were chosen to share $165,000 in funding.

The 2018 Alberta winners (with the nominating farmers in parentheses) are: Acme Swimming Pool (Kelli Becker, Acme), Airdrie & District Victims Assistance Society (Bob and Ellen Cornish, Airdrie), Alberta Central Railroad Museum (M Jean Angus, Wetaskiwin), Donalda Animal Rescue (Marijke Maltais, Stettler), Alberta Legacy Development Society (Douglas Schneider, Leduc), Friends of the Newbrook Public Library (Dalton Trenholm, Newbrook), Beaverlodge Rural Crime Watch (Cori Blum, Hythe), Saskatoon Lake Agricultural Society (David Hegland, Wembley), Stavely And District Agricultural Society (Travis Husted, Stavely), Wrentham Library Society (Alvin Waldner, Wrentham), Peace Region Dance Academy (Derrick Dechief, Falher), Warriors Youth Rec Hockey Team (Marc Brochu, Girouxville), Drumheller & District Humane Society (Lisa Rosgen, Drumheller), Trochu Valley Historical Society (Francis deBeaudrap, Trochu), Beaver County Victim Services Association (Colleen Sears, Tofield), The Heather Curling Club (Cathy Freed, Vegreville), Clandonald & District Recreation Association (Audrey Cusak, Clandonald), and Provost Lions Community Handi-van Service Society (Menzies Farms, Provost).

The money for the initiative comes from the Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer. Applications for the 2019 edition of the program will open in January (and be accepted until next September) at canadasfarmers.ca.

The post Eighteen Alberta community groups get $2,500 grant appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities will hand out 66 grants in November, two in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions — nine of which are in Alberta. Winners will be drawn randomly from all applications received by Sept. 30.

The program, an initiative of the Monsanto Fund, allows farmers to register to win a $2,500 donation for their favourite community charity or not-for-profit group engaged in charitable work. Recipients could include organizations such as agricultural societies, service clubs, 4-H clubs, educational organizations, or other civic groups (such as fire- or health-related organizations or food pantries).

The application is online and takes about five minutes to complete.

The post Win a $2,500 grant for a group in your community appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win a $2,500 grant for their favourite charitable or not-for-profit group in their community.

A total of two grants will be awarded in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions. Nine of those regions are in Alberta. Winners will be drawn randomly from all applications received between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30.

Farmers may make one entry each, but multiple farmers can apply for the same charity or project. As well, charities and community groups can also participate by offering suggestions for farmers to consider.

The list of charities can include almost any non-profit organization based in rural Canada. Past winners have included 4-H clubs, rural daycares, libraries, volunteer fire departments, hospitals, schools, ag societies, senior centres, and other community facilities.

Complete contest rules, eligibility requirements, and an online application form are available at the Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities website.

The post Win $2,500 for a local charity or non-profit appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The six-year-old program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives grants to schools, libraries, historical societies, health and recreational facilities, rural daycares, senior clubs, 4-H groups, food banks, and other community organizations. To be eligible, the organization must be supported by a local farmer.

One of the Alberta recipients is the Bay Tree Community Park Association, which will put its grant toward upgrading the local park and playground facility.

“I am a young senior and I can tell you that as a child I played on the equipment that is currently in the park,” said local resident Lurind Jeaneaux. “That’s a long time to go without any upgrades, so we are thrilled to receive this boost to our fundraising efforts.”

That project was supported by Bay Tree-area farmer Garth Thompson.

“A gift of $2,500 doesn’t seem like a lot, but from talking to some of the farmers and the charities themselves it can make a huge difference in their communities,” said Trish Jordan, public and industry affairs director at Monsanto Canada.

Other Alberta recipients (and the farmer(s) who supported them) were WINGS of Providence Society (William Heidecker, Calgary), Nose Creek Valley Museum Society (Terrie and Scott Copley, Crossfield), Ponoka & District Health Foundation (Dorothy Ungstad, Ponoka), Stettler Regional Child Care Society (Heather Rowland, Big Valley), Beaverhill Bird Observatory Society (Nathan Strilchuk), Leduc & District Emergency Shelter (Gordon Schneider, Beaver County), La Glace People Deterrent Citizens on Patrol (Nancy Schlauwitz, La Glace), Medicine Hat Youth Action Society (Nichole Neubauer, Medicine Hat), Wrentham Fire & Rescue Foundation (Kim Owen, Wrentham), Smoky River Palliative Care Society (Jules Aubin, Guy), Société Centre Communautaire De St. Isidore (Alain Lavoie, St. Isidore), Alix Agricultural Society (Carolyn Barritt, Alix), Trochu Playschool (Ernest Gelinas, Trochu), Community Association for Lasting Success (Wesley Antonchuk, Vegreville), Holden Agricultural Society (Maury Micklich, Holden), Friends of the Innisfree Library Society (Randy and Susan Cannon, Innisfree), and the Mannville Historical Society (Jim and Eileen Kitt, Mannville).

The 2018 edition of the program will be open for submissions in February. Farmers can submit an application for a charity in their area until the end of September.

The post Eighteen good causes championed by farmers receive grants appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.