OCIA Research & Education Micro Grants

OCIA International (Organic Crop Improvement Association) offers grants in the range of $300 to $1,500 for organic research, organic education, and other ideas supporting organic agriculture. Grants can be for any of the following areas that involve organics, and benefit multiple producers, processors and/or consumers.

1. Organic Research

• Crop and/or livestock production, storage improvement, processing improvement
• Marketing of organic products

2. Organic Education

• Development of educational material (i.e. student related, producer related, consumer related, web related, etc.)
• Development of programs supporting organic agriculture (i.e.e various types of camps, community gardens, grocery store taste tests, presentations to interested parties, etc.)

3. Other ideas supporting/promoting organic agriculture

• Subject to board approval

Criteria

Typical grants would be in the range of $300 to $1,500, on a first come-first served basis provided projects meet requirements. The intent is to spread grant awards among as many regions as possible. Therefore, there may belimitations on the number of grants given within any one region. Proposals must support organic agriculture in some form. A progress report or final report is due by December 31. The final report should be no more than two pages.

 

Project results must have the capability of being repeated by other individuals who may want to apply the concept to their circumstances. The final report becomes property of OCIA R&E, which reserves the right to distribute to appropriate venues. On-farm field research should include a control or check treatment, or compare at least two different treatments or variables so valid conclusions can be made.

 

For more information contact Angela Tunink at 402-477-2323 x 320.  To download an application click here.