Farm Credit of the Virginias awards $115,000 in grant funding through Charitable Contributions Fund

STAUNTON, VA - Farm Credit of the Virginias (FCV), a lending cooperative that serves Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland, announced the Association would award a total of $115,000 in grant funding to eligible charitable organizations through the Farm Credit of the Virginias’ Charitable Contributions Fund.

The following applicants were awarded grant funding to support their efforts:

Africulture – Agricultural and conservation education (Orange County, Va.)

Augusta County Fair – Improved fair infrastructure, including new pens (Augusta County, Va.)

Blairs Fire & Rescue – Purchase lifesaving equipment for farm accidents (Pittsylvania County, Va.)

Calhoun County Livestock Program – Improved infrastructure for livestock show, including a scale and storage facility (Calhoun County, W. Va.)

Eastern Workforce Opportunity Regional Center and Services – Business and mental health training for agriculturalists (Hardy County, W. Va.)

Fauquier Education Farm – Hands-on agricultural education and food distribution through food banks (Fauquier County, Va.)

Franklin County High School Agriculture Program – Mobile Agriculture Classroom (Franklin County, Va.)

Greene County Livestock Show – Improved infrastructure for livestock show, including a new PA system (Greene County, Va.)

Piedmont Environmental Council – Educational, technical and on-the-ground support for agriculturalists (Fauquier County, Va.)

Virginia Association of Biological Farming – Educational workshops for farmers focused on soil health (Roanoke County, Va.)

Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation – Agricultural education through urban farm and greenhouse (Augusta County, Va.)

West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition – Training, mentorship and resources for youth agriculture entrepreneurs (Kanawha County, W. Va.)

West Virginia University Foundation – Hands-on instruction through a Large Animal Module for U.S. Army/ U.S. Navy Special Operations Force Medic candidates (Hardy County, W. Va.)

FCV’s Charitable Contributions Fund was established in 2022 as a means for the Association to engage with and build stronger partnerships with organizations that preserve and promote farmers and families in their rural communities. The program offers up to $10,000 grant opportunities for eligible organizations serving the Association's 96-county territory and aligns with FCV’s mission. Grant applications for this funding cycle were accepted May 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023, in which 79 eligible applications were received and reviewed.

Jamie Kinsey, Chairperson of the Farm Credit of the Virginias' Board of Directors, said, "On behalf of the board, we were thrilled to see such a great response to the second year of the Association’s Charitable Contributions Fund grant program. This positive response shows a need for funding support for projects related to agriculture in our rural communities, and we are pleased to play a role in fulfilling that need. As a cooperative, the communities we serve are always top of mind, and while our primary focus is meeting the needs of our customer-owners, we also seek to make a positive impact in those communities we serve."

Brad Cornelius, Farm Credit of the Virginias’ CEO, said, “Farm Credit of the Virginias’ mission is to be an engaged partner in our rural communities, and we are proud to be able to provide funding for projects that benefit the future of agriculture and preserve the great quality of life in our communities through our Charitable Contributions Fund. We look forward to seeing the lasting positive impact these funds will have throughout our footprint through the initiatives they support.”

Applications for the next round of funding through the Farm Credit of the Virginias’ Charitable Contributions Fund will be available in spring 2024. Applicants are encouraged to visit our website and follow our social media channels for timely updates related to the Charitable Contributions Fund. Learn more about the program on our website: https://www.farmcreditofvirginias.com/ccf.

About Farm Credit of the Virginias

Farm Credit of the Virginias provides over $2 billion dollars in financing to nearly 12,000 farmers, agribusinesses and rural homeowners throughout Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland. Farm Credit is a cooperative capitalized largely through investments made by farmers, ranchers and the rural homeowners and businesses that borrow from them. In fact, as part of a nationwide network they are the largest single provider of agricultural credit in the United States and have been for over 100 years. Farm Credit helps maintain and improve the quality of life in rural America and on the farm through its constant commitment to competitive lending, expert financial services and for facilitating and sharing knowledge and resources through the Farm Credit Knowledge Center. For more information, visit www.FarmCreditofVirginias.com.