Cute Dog Pics + Big News for Farmers

I’m happy to report that our 2025 grant cycle is now open!?Each year since 2012, The FruitGuys Community Fund (TFGCF) has had the joy and pleasure of issuing micro-grants to small farms across the US. To date, we’ve awarded 143 grants across 38 US states and territories.?

?When our committee picks a new class of grantees, I’m always amazed at the variety of projects and farms they choose to fund. We’ve supported everything from one-acre urban farms that help educate the community to larger (but still small) rural island farms. We’ve helped fruit and vegetable growers, apiaries, and ranchers complete all kinds of projects, from purchasing more bees to installing deer fencing. All of those projects have two things in common: They cost less than $5,000 and increase the sustainability of the farm. Many of our grant recipients are also women and/or BIPOC farmers.?

Farming is hard work. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported in December 2024 that, “Given the broad USDA definition of a farm, many small farms are not profitable even in the best farm income years,” noting that, “At the median, household income from farming was -$900 in 2023.”?

?Many farmers stay afloat with off-farm jobs and don’t have extra cash to make improvements on their farms. We’re grateful for the opportunity to help make their land and livelihoods more sustainable.

?If you know a farmer, please spread the word about TFGCF and our grant program in case they’d like to apply before the January 31 deadline. You can find eligibility and application information here. If you’d like to support the Community Fund, you can join our grant review committee or donate.?

We can only carry out these grants each year thanks to our amazing partners and clients. Every purchase you make helps us uplift farms nationwide. Thank you for your support!

In gratitude,

Erin Mittelstaedt

CEO

The FruitGuys