The Farmer Veteran Coalition has recently announced the opening of the 2024 Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund. According to the Farmer Veteran Coalition, this fund is a small grant program that provides direct assistance to veterans who are in their beginning years of farming or ranching.
The Fellowship Fund does not give money directly to the veteran, but rather to third-party vendors for items the veteran has identified will make a crucial difference in the launch of his or her farm business. Common purchases include all-terrain vehicles, beekeeping equipment, breeding livestock, bulk feed, fencing, storage freezers, tractor implements and walk-behind tractors.
Applications are evaluated based on a number of criteria, such as farm training and experience, transferable skills, personal investment in their farm business, strength of funding request and ability to show how an award will help grow their farm business, vision and goals for the future of their business and community involvement.
Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, and nearly $4 million has been awarded to more than 930 veterans since 2011. Applications can be submitted until Feb. 14 and the winners will be announced in May. For more information about the program, past winners and to apply, visit www.farmvetco.org/fvfellowship/. For questions about the Fellowship Fund, contact the directors at [email protected].
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
