King Conservation Regional Food System Program 2015 Grant Awards
KCD’s Board of Supervisors awarded $663,878 in 2015 KCD Regional Food System Grants to the organizations in the chart below. The goal for KCD’s Food System Grants Program is to support projects that contribute to the economic viability of local farmers, encourage new farmers, expand acreage in food production, improve food access, and increase demand for King County farm products.
| Applicant Organization | Project Title | Grant Request | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelli Farms | Pasture-Raised Poultry & Egg Cooperative Start-up | $80,000 | Establish a poultry and egg cooperative to help King County farmers increase the profitability of egg sales. |
| Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment | King County Farmers Market Access Coordination | $49,086 | Provide coordination and support to farmers markets to expand access for low income shoppers through use of SNAP and Fresh Bucks incentives. |
| Northwest Agriculture Business Center | Food Hub Development for King County Farmers | $95,000 | Increase production, distribution, and consumption of sustainably produced food within King County by providing food hub sales, aggregation, and delivery services. |
| Highline College | Urban Agriculture/Agroforestry/Food Security | $80,000 | Expand educational access for south King County immigrant-refugee communities and youth to become growers/producers in dense urban environments. |
| SnoValley Tilth | Experience Farming Project Infrastructure Upgrades | $31,295 | Upgrade critical infrastructure for Experience Farming Project site to increase production capacity for participating farm businesses. |
| King County Agriculture Program | Beefing Up Infrastructure Needs for King County USDA Meat Processing | $120,000 | Establish USDA slaughter services through a partnership between the King County Agriculture Program, livestock producers, and membership organizations such as SnoValley Tilth and the Puget Sound Meat Producers Cooperative. |
| Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance | Launching a Successful Watershed Improvement District | $95,650 | Launch the first watershed improvement district in the Snoqualmie Valley to address key barriers to food production, including water supply, water rights and agricultural drainage. |
| Washington State University | Bringing WSU Extension Expertise to King County Farmers | $99,852 | Provide Cultivating Success courses, agriculture workshops, and other programs for King County farmers. |
| HumanLinks Foundation/21 Acres | Hedgerow Trial to Attract Beneficial Insects to Farm Edges | $12,995 | Construct a native plant hedgerow at 21 Acres Farm to determine the prevalence of beneficial and pollinator insect populations. |
| TOTAL FUNDED | $663,878 | ||
Senior Manager, Regional Food System Program
O: 425-282-1958 – C: 425-529-4801
Mary coordinates the KCD Regional Food System Program, including Strategic Initiatives and Food System Grants, with the goals of making an enduring contribution toward strengthening King County’s food economy.