Nonprofit organizations in rural America provide more than just services to people in need. They provide hope. Now, farmers and rural community members have a chance to support their favorite local nonprofit organization with a $2,500 donation through America?s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.
Now through Nov. 30, 2012, eligible farmers in Scott County, Indiana can enter for a chance to win the right to direct a $2,500 donation that can be given to a local nonprofit. New this year, ?Plant Your Idea? provides rural community members the opportunity to suggest an idea or initiative that needs funding for a nonprofit in their county, such as food donations, repairs, or technology updates. Farmers may review the ideas and consider them in their application. To plant your idea and encourage farmers to support your nonprofit organization, go to GrowCommunities.com
With more than 90 percent of the U.S. corn and soy production currently impacted by the drought, a farmer?s ability to invest in their business and community is affected. To help, the Monsanto Fund will provide additional financial support. Winning farmers from counties that have been declared natural disaster areas will now receive a double donation. These winners may choose the eligible community nonprofit(s) to which the additional $2,500 disaster relief donation will be directed based on community needs that have surfaced due to the drought. This means $5,000 can come to Scott County, which has been declared a disaster area.
?We are committed to supporting farmers and the rural communities in which they live and work,? said Deborah Patterson, Monsanto Fund president. ?Through Grow Communities and the additional disaster relief funding, we hope to positively impact the people and places that are affected by this devastating drought.?
Last year, winning farmers directed more than $3 million to nonprofit organizations across the country.
Farmers can apply online and find official rules for the contest at GrowCommunities.com or call 1.877.267.3332 to apply by phone. The Monsanto Fund will select one winner at random from each of the eligible 1,271 counties and announce winning farmers and recipient nonprofits in January 2013. The deadline for registration is November 30.
This program is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund to invest in farm communities and highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to our society. Local farmer Denny Wilson was this year’s winner of the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. He directed his $2,500 award to the John and Janice Martin Unrestricted Fund at the Scott County Community Foundation, which funded charitable projects during the 2012 Community Grants Program.
