More Grant Opportunities

In the words of Matthew Lesko, TV pitchman, "You would be crazy to miss this opportunity." Here are some real funding sources that I found to pass on to you.

COMMUNITY GARDEN:
Fiskars Project Orange Thumb Grant Program Community groups are invited to apply for the 2010 Fiskars Project Orange Thumb Grant Program. Fiskars, a leading manufacturer of scissors and garden tools, will award grants worth up to $2,000 each in garden tools and green goods through the Orange Thumb program. The program is open to any community group with a gardening project. Eligible programs include garden projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, sustainable agriculture, and/or horticultural education. Deadline: February 19, 2010.

BEACH CLEANUP: The City has been unsuccessful in two tries to secure DEED funds to clean up the South Shore Beach. Could this Blandin grant opportunity—under the economic initiatives category—be used for the South Shore beach investigation/cleanup? Blandin Foundation Grants are awarded in six strategic focus areas. Each addresses a unique aspect of rural life, with the common vision of healthy rural communities grounded in strong economies, where burdens and benefits are widely shared. 1) Economic initiatives; 2) Educational attainment; 3) Fairness and opportunity; 4) Develop diverse leaders; 5) Rural voice; and 6) Intercultural competency. (Web site); Due March 15, 2010 (letters of inquiry are recommended prior to submission)

LIBRARY LOTTERY
Sisters in Crime announce their "We Love Libraries" lottery. Monthly grants of $1,000 will be awarded from January through December 2010. All U.S. libraries are eligible.

Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment
Got a HISTORY PROJECT? A portion of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, was appropriated to the Minnesota Historical Society for history-related projects around the state. The Statewide Historical and Cultural Grants program, is seeded by a pool of $6.75 million to be awarded in the 2010-11 biennium for "projects of enduring value for the cause of history and historic preservation." Minnesota Historical Society Grants

FOLLOW-UP
Last month I posted the Pepsi Refresh Everything grant opportunity and at least one local go-getter, Nate Dorr accepted my challenge and applied for $25,000 funding to support the Bemidji Skatepark. You can vote for Bemidji's project here.

Got Local?

Many people are talking about local foods--eating local, buying local and growing local. If you listen to KAXE on Wednesday mornings, you will hear Scott and Maggie and their interviews with local producers.

The City of Bemidji has had a free community garden for anyone's use for several years. It was located behind Northview Manor, a senior apartment building on the north side of town. This year may be the first time for many years that the City will not be providing a garden. The property was sold to a private firm and community members are no longer be able to use it. The City is currently looking for a new site. Unfortunately, one was not found in time to till last fall. Here are some requirements for a new site:

• City owned
• Access to City water
• Easy to get to
• Safe from vandals
• Reasonably good soil

The picture above is of my brother in his community garden spot in Littleton, CO. We both like to garden and come by it naturally from my mom who was a dedicated gardener. At my house, I grow flowers and my husband grows veggies including parsnips, which I love. I am always surprised at the number of people who have never eaten them. At the grocery store I have had the checkout ask me how to cook them. Here is my favorite way to fix them.

Cut 3 or 4 strips of bacon into 1" pieces and sauté until crispy. Pare parsnips, quarter and cut into 3" to 4" sticks. Add parsnips to pan with bacon and cover. Fry/steam until parsnips are tender-stirring occasionally. (Parsnips can be par-boiled first if desired.) You may have to add a bit of water during cooking. You can also add onion wedges for flavor. Enjoy!

If you are interested in local buying and growing, you may want to attend an upcoming one day conference, "Got Local? Farmer/Buyer Networking" on February 9th in Bemidji. The event will be held at BSU Crying Wolf Room from 10-4pm. It is presented by the Renewing the Countryside and you can register on their web site. More information is available from Margaret Schnieders at margaret@rtcinfo.org.