$217K Awarded in General Use Grants
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards $217K in General Use Grants
40 Grants Awarded to Organizations in Compeer Territory
Sun Prairie, Wis., (February 1, 2021) – Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 40 General Use Grants, totaling $217,113. General Use Grants fund initiatives and organizations whose work enriches agriculture and rural America, aligning with Compeer Financial’s mission.
These grants will directly impact the lives of 1.2 million people and will touch 6.2 million lives. Eighteen grants, totaling $91,293 went directly to coronavirus-related efforts.
Since the program was established in 2018, the Fund has awarded 235 General Use Grants, totaling over $1.3 million. The Fund will offer this grant again in May 2021 to provide funding for summer 2021.
“The General Use Grant is integral to our organization’s commitment to the farmers and communities we serve,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial. “This program impacts the communities where Compeer clients and team members live and work, and embodies our commitment to enriching agriculture and rural America.”
The 40 organizations in Compeer Financial’s territory receiving support from the General Use Grant Program, include:
Illinois
Black Hawk College: purchasing a new multiparameter anesthetic monitor for the small animal surgical lab
Bushnell Area Ministerial Association: shelving, tables, refrigeration and freezers, lighting, bathrooms, and other repairs in warehouse to store and distribute the food
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences: Urban Ag Teacher Exchange Year 3: Cultural Relevance in Agriculture
Illinois State University: installing a high quality and energy efficient dust collection system in the agricultural technology laboratory and purchasing a Utility Task Vehicle for the ISU Farm
Kane County: creating a Growing for Kane agricultural product feature website and support for the Farming with Pollinators project
LaSalle County Farm Bureau Foundation: developing new individual agricultural packets
Livingston County Extension Council/PTHS FFA: Meals of Hope food packaging event
Midwest Food Bank NFP: new flatbed carts to assist with food distribution
United West Elementary: creating an outdoor student learning lab
University of Illinois Extension: replacing and replenishing of tools used in food production with the high tunnels for the new Jr Master Gardeners Program
Minnesota
Albany FFA Alumni: purchasing tractors to restore
Blue Earth Area and United South Central Schools: filming and editing rural businesses for Virtual Business Tours
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud: walk-in freezer
Changing Gaits Inc.: Rural Jobs Training Program
Crossings Center: equipping the greenhouse with grow lights, irrigation system, growing stations and classroom learning tools and technology
Farm Commons: purchasing high quality microphones, video recorders, software, facility adaptations, and technical training to create effective media
Feeding Our Communities Partners: vouchers for milk, bread, and fresh produce at local vendors
Lakewood Health System: meals for at-risk COVID patients and their families
Project FINE: Hmong Growers CSA project
Sibley County Food Shelf: a walk in freezer cooler
University of Minnesota Extension: energy efficiency upgrades for rural grocery stores to reduce operating costs
Wisconsin
Catholic Charities, Inc., Diocese of Madison: Mobile Food Pantry program
Community Connections Free Clinic: for desktop computers, phones and a portable blood pressure machine to equip exam rooms and the telehouse suite to serve patients virtually
Dairy Girl Network, Inc.: developing program materials, marketing and events for cultivating gender respect and inclusion on your dairy farm program
Envision Greater Fond du Lac Agri-Business Council: Little Hands on the Farm interactive mock farm
Feed My People: rural pop up food pantries
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: concrete repairs in the facility and a refrigeration unit for the delivery van
Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association: purchasing television air time for the Humble Logger ad
ICAA, Inc.: digital marketing technical assistance for rural businesses
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc.: digital program expansion to schools in rural communities
Living Hope Food Pantry: purchasing dairy, fruits, vegetable boxed meals, quick cook meals, and healthy snacks to supplement Second Harvest and TEFAP boxes
Marshfield Medical Center - Beaver Dam: Recovery Meals Program for discharged patients
Mutual Community Mission Group: weekend food supplementation program for elementary students
Rice Lake Area Free Clinic: air purifiers, face shields, touchless thermometers, vials of insulin, and support for coordinated care via telephone: telemed platform subscription, electronic stethoscope and a camera
Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program: purchasing food and expenses for rural pop up food pantries
Stepping Stones of Dunn County Inc.: support for rural pop up food pantries
Sunshine Place, Inc.: rent and utility assistance, food, clothing or personal care items for families financially impacted by COVID19
Turtle Lake Area Food Pantry: a walk in freezer and shelving
UW-Platteville Pioneer Farm: a new water pump, piping, hose and installing water flow sensors in the milking parlor to reduce water use
Wisconsin Rural Women's Initiative: rural community outreach to promote mental and personal health
About the Fund for Rural America
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of agricultural advocacy and development, agriculture education, cooperative initiatives, rural development and community enrichment; and youth engagement. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $23.7 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
-30-