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Rural Coalition

$550,000

Total funding

2

Grants

Funding over time

peak $500K · FY2019–21

$500K$375K$250K$125K$0

'19

'20

'21

Funding mix

By agency

USDA$550,000 · 2

By mechanism

—$550,000 · 2

Investigators at Rural Coalition

Investigator-initiated All funding

Investigatorsi

Rising Stars

First grant in the last 5 yrs

Not enough data

Emerging Leaders

6–10 yrs in

Not enough data

All-Time

Most funded here, all years

Not enough data

Largest grants

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PROPOSED PROJECT COMMUNITY RESILIENCE THROUGH LAND TENURE RIGHTS WILL ENGAGE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED (SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED, LIMITED RESOURCE AND VETERAN), SMALL TO MEDIUM-SCALE PRODUCERS WITH RESEARCHERS TO BUILD A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW VARIOUS LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AFFECT FARM OPERATIONS.THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE SEASONED GROUP OF COLLABORATORS-RURAL COALITION, THE NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAWYERS LAND LOSS PREVENTION PROJECT, OUR RESEARCH COLLEAGUES, DR.SPENCER WOOD OF KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, DR. ROBERT ZABAWA OF TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY AND PROJECT DIRECTORS JOHN ZIPPERT, WILLARD TILLMAN, GARY REDDING AND DR. ANNA KLEINER--EACH WITH DECADES OF RESEARCH AND/OR DIRECT EXPERIENCE ON LAND TENURE ISSUES; WITH SKILLED COMMUNITY- BASED PROJECT PARTNERS AMERICAN INDIAN MOTHERS(NC), CONCERNED CITIZENS OF TILLERY(NC), COTTAGE HOUSE, INC.(AL), GRUPO AMOR DE HOMESTEAD(FL), HEMPSTEAD PROJECT HEART(WI), KANSAS BLACK FARMERS ASSOCIATION, LATINO FARMERS OF THE SOUTHEAST(FL),OKLAHOMA BLACK HISTORICAL RESEARCH PROJECT, INC., ORGANIZACI&OACUTE;N EN CALIFORNIA DE LIDERES CAMPESINAS AND RURAL ADVANCEMENT FUND OF THE NATIONAL SHARECROPPERS FUND(SC)-- IS TO MORE FULLY IDENTIFY AND DEFINE THE LAND TENURE CHALLENGES AND ENCUMBRANCES THAT IMPEDE THE ABILITY OF FARMERS TO OPERATE AND MANAGE VIABLE FARMS AND PASS THEM TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. USING FINDINGS, THEY WILL DEVELOP STRATEGIES AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO HELP THEM BETTER NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGES. THEY WILL FURTHER ENDEAVOR TO IMPROVE THE DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE TYPES OF INSECURE LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AND ENCUMBRANCES TO INFORM AND IMPROVE FUTURE RESEARCH.THE PARTNERS, INCLUDING 11 SEASONED FARMER LEADERS ON THE PROJECT'S FARMER ADVISORY TEAM, WILL DIRECTLY ENGAGE PRODUCER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PRODUCTION, ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS THAT DEFINE AND ASSESS THE IMPACT OF LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS ON FARM OPERATIONS AND HOW THESE MAY IMPEDE THE VIABILITY OF THE FARM OPERATION, INCLUDING ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL USDA PROGRAMS FOR FARMERS. EMPLOYING RESEARCH FINDINGS AND METHODS DEVELOPED TOGETHER OVER 2 DECADES, THE DOZEN PARTNERS WILL CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS AND SURVEYS IN A DIVERSE ARRAY OF 34 COUNTIES. THE OVERALL PROJECT TEAM AND RESEARCH PARTNERS WILL COMPARE THE RESULTS AMONG THE TARGET GROUP OF FARMERS TO OTHERS IN THE SAME COUNTY AS REFLECTED IN NASS DATA. THEY WILL FURTHER ANALYZE FINDINGS AS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS FINDINGS OF ALL THE RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS TO PROVIDE AN ENHANCED PICTURE OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AND ENCUMBRANCES POSE REAL BARRIERS TO THE VIABILITY OF SMALL SCALE LARGELY HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AND HOW THE BARRIERS VARY AMONG THE COUNTIES.LAND LOSS PREVENTION PROJECT WILL LEAD THE ASSESSMENT OF THE LEGAL NEEDS AND ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE FARMERS RELATED TO ESTATES, SUCCESSION PLANNING, LEASES, CLOUDED TITLES, AND ALSO NON-OWNERSHIP ENCUMBRANCES INCLUDING ENERGY LEASES, RIGHTSOF WAY, EASEMENTS, WETLAND DESIGNATIONS, AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RIGHTS. USING THE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE SURVEYS, THE KNOWLEDGE AND PREVIOUS FINDINGS OF OUR RESEARCH PARTNERS, COMBINED WITH ADDITIONAL IN DEPTH RESEARCH IN SEVERAL AREAS OF NORTH CAROLINA, THE FULL TEAM WILL THEN WORK TOGETHER TO MORE CLEARLY DEFINE AND CLASSIFY THE ARRAY OF LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AND RELATED ENCUMBRANCES THAT ARE FOUND TO IMPACT FARM OPERATIONS IN ORDER TO FILL OUTREACH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RESEARCH GAPS ON THE IMPACT OF INSECURE FORMS OF LAND TENURE AND NON-OWNERSHIP ENCUMBRANCES ON THE AGRICULTURAL BASE OF THE COMMUNITY.THE PROJECT WILL BE COORDINATED BY RURAL COALITION (RC), AN HISTORIC ALLIANCE OF FARMERS, FARMWORKERS, INDIGENOUS, MIGRANT AND WORKING PEOPLE FROM THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, CANADA, HAS WORKED SINCE 1978 TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROGRESSIVE POLICIES RESPONSIVE TO RURAL NEEDS; AND DEVELOP THE CAPACITIES OF RURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE TO SECURE SYSTEMATIC CHANGE AND PROTECT AND SUSTAIN THEIR LAND AND COMMUNITIES. OUR DURABLE COALITION OF 50 COMMUNITY- BASED ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTS DIVERSE LARGELY HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND FARMWORKERS SEEKING ENTRY TO FARMING. OVER THE YEARS, RC AND OUR PARTNERS HAVE DEVELOPED STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH USDA AND EXTENSION STAFF AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. OUR NETWORK HAS BECOME OUR TECHNOLOGY TO SUSTAIN A STRONG PEER-TO-PEER EXCHANGE NETWORK THAT LINKS OUR MEMBERS WITH OUR USDA PARTNERS AND HELPS US INCREASE CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND MAINTAIN SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO HELP PRODUCERS TO ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS. ALL PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE SHARING AMONG GROUPS WORKING IN VARIOUS REGIONS AND FROM STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROMOTE EFFECTIVE EDUCATION, COMMUNICATIONS, RESPECT AND TRUST.IN ONGOING FARMER OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WORK SINCE THE EARLY 1980S, RURAL COALITION AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE FOUND THAT MANY HISTORICALLYUNDERSERVED FARMERS WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH USDA ARE OFTEN RETICENT TO REVEAL ISSUES RELATED TO UNRESOLVED FAMILY PROPERTY OWNERSHIP OR INSECURE LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS THAT PRECLUDE THEIR PARTICIPATION. THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE PRODUCERS' DOUBTS THAT THEY WILL BE TREATED EQUITABLY IN ACCESSING USDA PROGRAMS GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING INFORMATION AND APPLYING FOR SERVICES THAT HAS BEEN LINKED TO SYSTEMIC AND HISTORICAL DISCRIMINATION, THE RECOGNITION OF WHICH HAS NOT YET ADEQUATELY CHANGED THE OUTCOMES FOR THESE FARMERS. THE FARMERS AND RANCHERS WE SERVE REPORT CONTINUED DIFFICULTIES IN ACCESSING ESSENTIAL USDA FARM, CREDIT, CONSERVATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR NUMEROUS REASONS. THESE INCLUDE THE LACK OF AVAILABILITY AND/OR HIGH COST OF LEGAL SERVICES, THE HIGH COST OF LAND, AND IN MANY CASES, THE PREPONDERANCE OF INSECURE LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AND RELATED ENCUMBRANCES, INCLUDING THE LACK OF A CLEAR TITLE OR DEED TO LAND OR A SECURE LONG TERM LEASE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A FARM AND TRACT NUMBER NEEDED TO ACCESS MOST USDA PROGRAMS.THE PROJECT WILL HELP INFORM POLICIES AND STRATEGIES LEADING TO MORE SECURE LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS THAT IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BY BETTER UNDERGIRDING THIS SECTOR OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS. IT WILL ALSO INFORM FUTURE RESEARCH BY BETTER DEFINING THE TYPES OF LAND TENURE ARRANGEMENTS AND NON-OWNERSHIP ENCUMBRANCES PREVALENT IN AN ARRAY OF DIVERSE FARMING COMMUNITIES.$500,000

· FY2021 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture

SCALING UP RURAL RESILIENCE RESEARCH FORUM: BEST FARM BUSINESS AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES FOR MINORITY, VETERAN AND NEW ENTRY PRODUCERS$50,000

· FY2019 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture