Agriculture Past Programs

Villa Maria Farm 

While this project is just in its feasibility study phase under its partner agency The Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, Community Partnership is exploring a long-term relationship with the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Lawrence County, with the intent of preserving and developing the Villa Maria Farm. If this project moves into implementation, the Villa Maria Farm would expand its support of charitable food programs, increase its agricultural education programming, and offer innovation and entrepreneurship programming and infrastructure for food and farm-based businesses in Western Pennsylvania.

CP has been awarded a H.R. 133 Speciality Crop Block Grant. Under this grant, we will work with Penn State Extension's horticulture team to provide specialty crop education to beginning and established fruit and vegetable growers in Western Pennsylvania. Growers (three cohorts of ten over the next three years) will participate in a series of 16 workshops covering soil health, pollinators, and greenhouse growing with a focus on brassicas (broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage) and tomatoes/peppers.

This Grant will include the installation of four demonstration gardens at Villa Maria over the next four years. CP is currently looking for local farmers in Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties to participate in the cohort, but growers outside of these counties will considered if space is available.

UPDATE!! We are currently enrolling for the final Grower’s cohort, which will be offered virtually via Zoom starting in April. Sessions will include soil testing, soil analysis, macro and micro nutrients, transplant production and direct seeding, integrated pest management, organic fungicides and insecticides, and specialized sessions on cut flowers, greens, tomatoes, pumpkins, winter squashes, and cover crops. If you are interested in signing up for the class, you can sign-up using Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seeding-the-future-of-ag-specialty-crop-grower-education-series-tickets-824745194077.

Veterans in Agriculture Grant Program

The Veterans in Agriculture grants are funded through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill. Veterans in Agriculture grants are mini-grants of up to $10,000 that can be awarded to farm operations owned by an honorably discharged service veteran.

Community Partnership’s Veterans in Agriculture grants target new and beginning farmers (farms in operation three years or less). Farms chosen to participate in the 2025 cohort will participate in a beginning business model class, receive a mini-grant, and ongoing support and referrals for additional services throughout the year.

Community Partnership’s application process is competitive. Applications will be taken until May 15th, 2025. Farms will be notified of their acceptance into the grant program on or about the middle of June.

Business Development Past Projects

Veterans in Agriculture Grant

This project seeks to provide capital funding to for-profit agricultural businesses owned and operated by veterans in the state of Pennsylvania. Community Partnership’s focus is on new and/or beginning veteran-run farms that have been in operation for less than two years.  Veteran Farmers may request up to $10,000 in grant funding from CP.

Our program is built on a combination of business education, production education, and access to start-up capital. All selected farmers will participate in a farm-focused, 13-week business education class and agree to periodic check-ins with our program staff during the grant period. Farms may also participate in a specialty crop production education series. Selected farms will also agree to participate in the evaluation of the grant program.

CP Has awarded nine (9) Veteran Farmers through the Grant for the year of 2023!

CO.STARTERS

CO.STARTERS is a nine-week, cohort-based program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action and turn a passion into a sustainable and thriving endeavor. CO.STARTERS provides an action-driven, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded people. Over nine weeks, you’ll identify your assumptions about why and how your businesses will work and then talk to customers in order to validate your ideas. This approach enables you to rapidly uncover flaws in your concept and find viable models more quickly. You’ll leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate your model, and repeat the process with your next great idea. CO. STARTERS will be The Butler Innovation Lab flagship program.