The Pine Cone Foundation (PCF) micro-grant is open to established small California-based farms, ranches, fishing, and aquaculture operations that are looking to accomplish a specific project within one year.
Donor Name: Pine Cone Foundation (PCF)
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/08/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000 to $3,500
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
The Pine Cone Foundation micro-grant program seeks to support those pursuing long-term careers in agriculture, ranching, fishing, and aquaculture. To ensure that the grants are contributing to ending systemic inequity in access to foodways careers, they commit to providing a minimum of 50% of the grants to Black, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, and other people of color, as well as to female-identifying, non-binary, and trans purveyors.
Funding Information
Three to four grants from $1,000 to $3,500 will be distributed this year.
Eligible Projects
- Paying capital costs associated with improving operations and ramping up production. Examples include: irrigation, fencing, refrigeration systems, stainless steel waterers, fishing equipment such as hook and line upgrades, processing tools or machinery needed to bring products to market, water tanks, tumbler/sorter, hoop house, net bags, floating cages, and greens dryer.
- Replacing infrastructure or equipment that was lost or compromised from natural disasters.
- Launching value-added products or starting new sales channels. Examples include: wholesale, CSA, delivery or subscription offerings.
- Acquiring new equipment or making improvements to enhance sustainable practices or launching food access programs. Examples include: soil improvements, beekeeping equipment, creating habitats that sequester carbon or are beneficial to pollinators, and starting a community composting program or increasing food access for low-income and food desert communities.
- The Foundation will not fund land purchases, new wells, consultants, administrative overhead, or marketing costs.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant must be 18+ years of age.
- Applicant and the operation must be based in California.
- Applicant must be the owner of the operation; if there are multiple owners, choose just one owner to represent the operation.
- Applicant’s operation must be an established business for 2+ years and have at least 1 year of sales.
- Non-profit organizations are not eligible at this time.
- Farms and ranches – no more than 100 acres in agricultural and grazing production.
- Farms and ranches – land tenure (ownership, a lease, license, or other written agreement) for a reasonable time period will be required for projects that involve on-the-ground, permanent improvements. If tenure is less than 3 years, please be prepared to demonstrate in the application that the tenure is sufficient in relationship to the improvements being made or services being provided.
- Fisheries and aquaculture – applicant’s operations should be small-scale or considered artisanal.
- Fisheries and aquaculture – land tenure (ownership, a lease, license, or other written agreement) for a reasonable time period will be required for projects that involve on-the-ground, permanent improvements. If tenure is less than 3 years, please be prepared to demonstrate in the application that the tenure is sufficient in relationship to the improvements being made or services being provided.
- Applicant is currently making a portion of their income from their farming, ranching, fishing, and aquaculture operations.
- Applicant must have a specific project in mind with costs and labor calculated; project proposals should be geared toward a one-year completion period.
- Applicant must plan to continue business in 2024.
- Applicants must submit a headshot and operation photo with their application. They love to see the people and places for each application. This does not affect your eligibility or probability of receiving a grant.
- Incomplete applications, or those not meeting the requirements stated above, will not be reviewed.
- Applications requesting funds to hire a consultant (i.e. web developer, marketing firm, financial advising or otherwise) are not eligible.
For more information, visit PCF.
