Agriculture Awareness Grants

Agriculture awareness grant applications are evaluated based on mandatory requirements and evaluation criteria listed below.

Mandatory requirements

1. Have a regional scope (impacting more than one municipality)
2. Be located in Metro Vancouver
3. Be administered by a non-profit organization in good standing
4. Have matching funding (dollars or in-kind) from another organization
   

The Metro Vancouver Agricultural Advisory Committee evaluates all submissions and makes a grant award recommendation to the Regional Planning Committee and the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors.

Evaluation criteria

1. The agriculture awareness activity is unique. A high score will be given to awareness activities that are one of a kind in the region and are currently not being done by another organization in Metro Vancouver.
2. The geographic scope of the grants awarded reaches out to municipalities across the region. A high score will be awarded to projects that provide a broad reach in Metro Vancouver or are targeting areas that are not currently well served by agriculture awareness activities.
3. The activity reaches out to culturally diverse audiences, urban residents, youth or K-12 school children. A high score will be awarded to when these audiences are targeted in the awareness activity.
4. The activity contributes to the following desirable outcomes that support regional policy objectives, where a high score is awarded when the agriculture awareness activity aligns with two or more of the regional policy objectives.
   • Educates residents about local food production;
   • Enhances food literacy and skills in schools;
   • Communicates how food choices support the local economy;
   • Supports the next generation of food producers; and
   • Involves community gatherings that educate residents about local food.
5. The grant request is in the range of $500 to $6,000. A higher score will be awarded if the Metro Vancouver cash contribution is greater than 20% of the total cash budget, so that new or smaller projects that may have a greater financial need are prioritized.
6. The extent grant applicants previously completed the Agriculture Awareness grant required conditions listed on the application form. Groups that have not previously received a grant would automatically score high, while the previous grant recipients would be scored based on past compliance with the five conditions.

The Metro Vancouver Agricultural Advisory Committee evaluates all submissions and makes a grant award recommendation to the Regional Planning Committee and Metro Vancouver Regional District Board.

Conditions

1. All grant recipients must provide Metro Vancouver a brief report on the results of the project by no later than February 14, 2025​. The report should include how the funds were used, the results of the agriculture awareness activity and whether the objectives were met.
2. Grant recipients must acknowledge the support of Metro Vancouver on all promotional materials related to the funded project.
3. If making significant changes to the scope, schedule or budget of the funded project as described in this application, the organization will inform Metro Vancouver staff about the changes.
4. If the project proposed in this application is not completed; and there remains regional funds on hand; or if the project is completed without requiring the full use of regional funds, the outstanding funds should be returned to Metro Vancouver through the Finance Department.
5. Information provided in this application may be subject to disclosure under the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of ​Privacy Act.​
   

Agriculture Awareness Grant application form​​

Previous grant recipients and projects

Since 2008, Metro Vancouver has awarded over 163 grants totaling $630,000. In 2023, 14 grants were awarded from $1,750 to $5,000.​​​

Examples of grants awarded from 2008 to 2017:

​​Metro Vancouver Agriculture Awarenes​s Grants Recipients (2008-2017)​