Educational Sponsorships

****  The October 1, 2011 application deadline for this program has been extended. Applications will be accepted until November 1, 2011 for events scheduled on or after April 1, 2012. *****

SARE grantees are important outreach partners in fulfilling SARE’s mission to advance sustainable production and marketing practices to the whole of American agriculture. SARE Educational Sponsorships provide financial support for educational events that advance SARE grantees or project results to beginning, minority, underserved and/or commodity producers and/or the extension and educational professionals that serve them.

• Download an application form   Word | PDF
• Download a summary report form   Word | PDF

The intended outcome of this program is to improve and expand the dissemination of SARE-funded grant results to audiences with limited knowledge or usage of sustainable production or marketing practices.

Funding:
Sponsorships are available in the amount of $500-$5000.  Sponsorship amounts will be determined by the event’s capacity to achieve clear outcomes in the priority areas stated below. Sponsorships are intended to supplement event budgets only and are not intended to offset 100% of event expenses.

Reporting:
Recipients of sponsorship funds must submit a short report form summarizing how the activities and outcomes specified in application have been accomplished. Summary reports are due no later than 90 days after the completion of activities outlined in the application. Applications for future sponsorship support will not be reviewed until all pending summary reports have been submitted.

Eligibility:
Sponsorships are available to organizations or individuals providing educational services to farmers, ranchers, or agricultural professionals. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Developing a track of conference workshops featuring SARE grant recipients as speakers
• Featuring SARE-funded grant project results in a poster session or display for beginning farmers
• Incorporating SARE-funded research sites on a farm tour for out-of-state producers and/or agricultural professionals
• Basing conference sessions on SARE publications
• Providing scholarships for producers who are unfamiliar with sustainable practices to attend a workshop featuring a SARE grantee

Priority Area:
Successful proposals must have a national or trans-regional scope, advance the results of SARE-funded research or education projects, and address one or more of the following priority areas:

• Extend innovative, sustainable production and marketing practices to producers or agricultural professionals, especially beginning, minority, underserved and/or commodity producers
• Feature speakers or other content from SARE-funded research and education projects or SARE publications
• Facilitate networking and exchange of SARE-funded research results across state and SARE regional boundaries

Other Requirements:
Applicants may be asked to provide additional sponsorship benefits such as, but not limited to:

• Registration or display space  for a SARE representative to attend
• Distribution of SARE materials in conference packets
• Identification of SARE sponsorship and SARE-funded grants in outreach and promotional materials
• Selling or giving away SARE publications at the event
• Conducting an evaluation survey of scholarship recipients and/or attendees of activities funded by SARE Outreach

Application:
Applications are accepted twice a year with the following deadlines: April 1 and November 1. To apply, download, complete and submit the application form by the posted deadline. Applications must be submitted no later than six months prior to the event.  Awarded funds must be disbursed within two years of notification of the award or SARE may rescind the sponsorship at its discretion. Applicants may submit up to one application per calendar year. Contact SARE Outreach to request a print copy of the application form and guidelines by mail.

Review:
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of SARE Outreach staff members and members of the SARE Outreach Advisory Committee in consultation with the respective regional SARE office and state coordinator(s). Applicants will be notified of the decision and funds will be made available to successful applicants no later than 45 days after the submission deadline.

Questions:
Contact the SARE Outreach team for more information about this or other SARE resources available to agricultural educators.