Farm Income Improvement Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Farm Income Improvement Foundation supports practical research on improvements in farming techniques and practices in Kentucky.

IP TAKE: This is a niche funder, but a good resource for conservation groups that work in Kentucky. It lacks transparency and does not guide applicants on its strategies.

PROFILE: Established in 1997, the Farm Income Improvement Foundation is an operating foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Mark Haney, president of the Kentucky Farm Bureau, is the foundation president. Taxes indicate that this funder invests in practical research on improvements in farming techniques and practices.

The foundation does not have a website to guide grant seekers. However, it typically supports agriculture-related educational tours, expenses for improvements of agricultural marketing materials, and efforts such as no-till transplanter programs. It has supported the Christian County Conservation District in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and the Pulaski County Conservation District in Somerset, Kentucky.

Foundation grants are around $5,000 each, and the funder typically awards only a few grants per year. Review the funder’s recent tax records to learn more about its local giving. The foundation’s giving is focused on communities in the state of Kentucky. The foundation does not publicly share its grantmaking guidelines.

This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. The funder does not require specific application forms for its programs, and program expenditures are chosen by the foundation’s executive committee. The phone number to reach the foundation staff is 502-495-5000. The best point of contact is David S. Beck, the foundation’s secretary and treasurer, at David.S.Beck@kyfb.com.

PEOPLE:

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