Foundation offering $10K grants for agricultural water projects
A rural community preservation and development foundation has announced it is offering Montana ranchers farmers and ranchers the opportunity to receive grants of up to $10,000 to develop innovative approaches to using water in agriculture.
The LOR Foundation (Livability, Opportunity & Responsibility) headquartered in Lander, Wyoming, is now accepting applications for its Field Work Initiative which provides funding to promote research into water use efficiency, water reliability, water quality enhancement, improved crop yields and better labor efficiency. Grants of up to $10,000 will be available for farmers and ranchers in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, and Colorado.
"As the Mountain West faces the worst drought in the past 1,200 years, the pressures facing farmers and ranchers as they contemplate their use of water are extreme," a LOR Foundation news release states. "At the same time, demand for agricultural products is increasing, with food demand expected to increase between 59 and 98 percent by 2050. "We believe those closest to a problem have the best solutions, and Western farmers and ranchers are on the front lines of the fight to solve water challenges."
"Our goal is to get money quickly into the hands of the people in the field and on the ranch who have the potential solutions — and just need a little help to implement them," the release continues. "Ultimately we hope this initiative reveals the best solutions for using water efficiently to grow food in the West — and sustain thriving communities — while in the grip of unprecedented drought."
The LOR Foundation was privately founded in 2007 to work in partnership with rural communities in the Intermountain West to identify and support community driven solutions to address their greatest challenges. In October 2022 the LOR Foundation awarded David Thompson Search and Rescue (DTSAR), a volunteer group that responds to dozens of calls for help around the Libby each year, a $28,000 grant to purchase 25 two-way radios to replace the aging, short-distance radios the rescuers had been using.
To be eligible for the Field Work Initiative grants the applicant must have the independent authority to make changes to water use on the land. Funding is intended for projects that improve outcome in the following areas: “water efficiency, water reliability, water quality, crop yield or crop devastation, and labor efficiency.” All projects must be completed in the current calendar year and must include a plan for reporting project findings.
The deadline to apply is February 22. Applicants will be notified by March 15.
To learn more about the LOR Foundation and about the Field Work Initiative grant application process contact the LOR Foundation at lorfoundation.org/field-work or contact them directly at connect@lorfoundation.org or by telephone at 307-699-5343.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Foundation offering grants for innovation in agricultural water use
