PURPOSE and Eligibility: The South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED) has partnered with USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Service to address food insecurity and access among high-risk and underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and rural residents.
One of the objectives is to make available grant awards in the amount of $10,000.00 for the establishment and expansion of hoop houses in low-income, rural communities. The Hoop House grant is available to communities who, in partnership with SCACED and USDA to increase awareness of hoop houses by:
- Establishing hoop houses in rural and low-income communities as an effort to create equitable opportunities for rural residents to purchase fresh quality produce
- Encouraging intergenerational experiences in agriculture and conservation
Eligible applicants must meet ALL the following criteria:
- The project must be in a rural, low-wealth, or food desert community
- Must recruit volunteers to be Local Community Advocates who are interested in leading a hoop house effort in the area.
- Must recruit no less than three (3) Resource Partners who are willing to assist Community Advocates with planning and development of their hoop house (e.g., Grow Food Carolina, SC Food Hub, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CSFA) local food pantries, SC Food Policy Council, Clemson Extension/4-H Councils, churches, and Master Gardeners)
- Must participate in follow-up activity with SCACED including training, technical assistance, conference calls, face-to-face meetings, reporting, and regional convening to assist community advocates with the planning and sustained development of a hoop house in the area.
- Must incorporate sustainable practices and encourage gardening practices that nurture, maintain, and protect the environment such as capturing rainwater in rain barrels; composting and mulching; and/or encouraging beneficial insects that feed on destructive pests.
- Must collaborate with SCACED, Local Community Advocates, and Resource Partners to ensure hoop house success.
- All applications will be reviewed and scored on a scale of 0-100. See each section for the maximum points
Submission Requirements
If you are leasing land, you must provide a copy of your lease agreement with your application. The application must be complete, signed, and submitted by NOON March 12th, 2024.
Please contact Ken Harvin at: Ken@scaced.org with the subject line: SCACED/SCORH Hoop House GRANT APPLICATION if you have any questions.