Grow Communities Frequently Asked Questions
Want to find out more about the America's Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM Program? Below you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
- What is the America's Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM Program?
- Who can apply?
- How does a farmer apply?
- I know of a great local community project that needs funding. How can I tell eligible farmers about it?
- When will the winners be announced?
- How did you determine which counties are eligible?
- What are the criteria for organizations that can receive the donations?
- Does the donation have to be made in the county in which the farmer lives?
- Why aren't the winners based on merit/need of their organization?
- Why can only farmers apply?
- Why does Monsanto Fund support this program?
- Is this the first year for this program?
- Can a farmer participate and win more than once?
- Are seed or retail dealers eligible to apply?
- Does a farmer have to make a purchase from Monsanto in order to win?
Drought Relief Donation
- How does the double donation for drought work?
- What are the Drought Disaster Declared counties that are eligible for double donations?
- Can you split the donation between two organizations?
- Why is the monsanto fund offering the drought relief donation?
What is the America's Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM Program?
America's Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM is sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, to support farming communities by offering farmers the opportunity to enter to win a $2,500 donation for their favorite community charity. Recipients could include FFA, 4-H, schools or other civic organizations – e.g., hospital, fire department or food pantry.
Community members may also suggest a project that needs funding their local community. Eligible farmers may review the ideas and consider them in their application.
It takes less than five minutes to apply, and the application period runs August 1 through November 30 of this year. The program is available in 1,271counties across 39 states.
Who can apply?
A farmer is eligible to enter if he or she is at least 21 years old and actively engaged in farming a minimum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton; or 40 acres of open field vegetables; or at least 10 acres of protected culture vegetables.
How does a farmer apply?
Eligible farmers can enter at GrowCommunities.com or by calling 1-877-267-3332 to receive a copy of the entry form and rules. Completed entries can be mailed to Grow Communities, 914 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
One winner will be randomly selected for each eligible county from all eligible entrants received for that county by a third party. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.
I know of a great local community project that needs funding. How can I tell eligible farmers about it?
Any community member can suggest a project that needs funding in their local community. Eligible farmers may review the ideas and consider them in their application. Those interested in “planting an idea” can do so at GrowCommunities.com.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be selected in December 2012 and announced in January of 2013.
How did you determine which counties are eligible?
Counties were selected based on crop parameters from the January 2011 USDA report. The eligible counties are those where a minimum of 30,000 acres of corn and/or soybeans and/or cotton and/or vegetables are planted each year.
What are the criteria for organizations that can receive the donations?
The recipient of the donation must meet the Internal Revenue Code definition of a charitable organization. The organization must be a tax-exempt 501c3 public charity or unit of government, such as a volunteer fire department, school, library, etc. The organization must also operate in the county in which the winning farmer was selected.
Does the donation have to be made in the county in which the farmer lives?
We want all of the counties to benefit from the program so we ask that farmers choose an organization in their home county. Farmers who live and farm in two different counties should enter using their address from the county in which they want to make the donation.
Why aren't the winners based on merit/need of their organization?
We believe farmers who enter will make a good decision on where the money is most needed to support their communities. We also believe that community members will make helpful suggestions in regards to projects and organizations that need funding in their communities. We also wanted to make the process as simple and easy as possible.
Why can only farmers apply?
Monsanto Company's only business is agriculture. As the philanthropic arm, the Monsanto Fund is dedicated to strengthening the farm communities where farmers live and work.
Why does Monsanto Fund support this program?
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the farmers that feed, fuel and clothe the world. The majority of these farmers reside in rural America. Therefore, this program is important because it positively impacts the heart of America. For more information visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.
Is this the first year for this program?
No, Grow Communities launched in 2010 and is currently in its third year. Since its inception, the program has expanded by adding 794 counties in 29 states, thus increasing the investment in rural communities by $1 million.
Can a farmer participate and win more than once?
Yes, farmers are encouraged to enter to win each year. There is no limit on the number of times a farmer can participate and win.
Are seed or retail dealers eligible to apply?
No, only eligible farmers may apply. However, dealers can still participate in this program by encouraging farmers to apply or by submitting an idea for a project that needs funding in their community.
Does a farmer have to make a purchase from Monsanto in order to win?
Absolutely not. Any eligible farmer that enters in any eligible county can win.
The official rules for America’s Farmers Grow Communities are available here.
Drought Relief Donation
How does the double donation for drought work?
Winning farmers from counties that have been declared natural disaster areas by the USDA will now receive double the donation, a total of $5,000. These winners may choose the eligible community nonprofit(s) to which the additional $2,500 disaster relief donation will be directed based on community needs that have surfaced due to the drought. If your county is not declared a disaster area, one $2,500 donation will be given, and we ask that one organization be selected in each community.
What are the Drought Disaster Declared counties that are eligible for double donations?
The following counties were declared a disaster area by the USDA by 6 p.m. EST on November 30, 2012.
ALABAMA Counties: Baldwin, Cherokee, Coffee, Escambia, Geneva, Henry and Houston.
ARIZONA Counties: Maricopa, Pinal and Yuma.
ARKANSAS Counties: Arkansas, Ashley, Chicot, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Miller, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saint Francis, White and Woodruff.
CALIFORNIA Counties: Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Riverside, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare and Yolo.
COLORADO Counties: Baca, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld and Yuma.
DELAWARE Counties: Kent and Sussex.
FLORIDA Counties: Escambia, Jackson and Palm Beach.
GEORGIA Counties: Appling, Baker, Berrien, Bleckley, Brooks, Bulloch, Burke, Calhoun, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Grady, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Lee, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Screven, Seminole, Sumter, Tattnall, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Wilcox and Worth.
ILLINOIS Counties: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Kalb, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago and Woodford.
INDIANA Counties: Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Benton, Blackford, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, De Kalb, Decatur, Delaware, Dubois, Elkhart, Fayette, Fountain, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jackson, Jasper, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Kosciusko, La Porte, LaGrange, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Orange, Owen, Parke, Pike, Porter, Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Union, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, Wells, White and Whitley.
IOWA Counties: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Muscatine, O Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.
KANSAS Counties: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood, Harvey, Haskell, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Rawlins, Reno, Republic, Rice, Riley, Rooks, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Thomas, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson and Woodson.
KENTUCKY Counties: Ballard, Barren, Breckinridge, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Larue, Livingston, Logan, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Shelby, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren and Webster.
LOUISIANA Parishes: Acadia, Caddo, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Rapides, Richland and West Carroll.
MARYLAND Counties: Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester.
MICHIGAN Counties: Allegan, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Newaygo, Ottawa, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Tuscola, Van Buren and Washtenaw.
MINNESOTA Counties: Becker, Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Pennington, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Redwood, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, Wright and Yellow Medicine.
MISSISSIPPI Counties: Carroll, Chickasaw, Coahoma, Desoto, Monroe, Noxubee, Panola, Pontotoc, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate and Tunica.
MISSOURI Counties: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barton, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Buchanan, Butler, Caldwell, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Dade, Daviess, De Kalb, Dunklin, Franklin, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Knox, Lafayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Mercer, Mississippi, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, New Madrid, Nodaway, Pemiscot, Perry, Pettis, Pike, Platte, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Saline, Scotland, Scott, Shelby, St. Charles, St. Clair, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Sullivan, Vernon, Warren and Worth.
NEBRASKA Counties: Adams, Antelope, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dawson, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Fillmore, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Gage, Garden, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Howard, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearney, Keith, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Perkins, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Stanton, Thayer, Thurston, Valley, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler and York.
NEW MEXICO Counties: Lea, Union
NEW YORK Counties: Cayuga, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Saint Lawrence, Seneca, Steuben, Washington, Wayne and Wyoming.
NORTH CAROLINA Counties: Yadkin.
NORTH DAKOTA Counties: Barnes, Benson, Cass, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, La Moure, Logan, McIntosh, Nelson, Ramsey, Ransom, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman and Traill.
OHIO Counties: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Highland, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Warren, Wayne, Williams, Wood and Wyandot.
OKLAHOMA Counties: Garfield, Grant, Jackson, Kay, Leflore, Noble, Ottawa, Texas, Tillman and Wagoner and Washita.
OREGON Counties: Malheur.
PENNSYLVANIA Counties: Adams, Erie and Schuylkill.
SOUTH CAROLINA Counties: Allendale, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, Horry, Lee, Marion, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg.
SOUTH DAKOTA Counties: Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Douglas, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, Lyman, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Potter, Sanborn, Spink, Sully, Tripp, Turner, Union, Walworth and Yankton.
TENNESSEE Counties: Carroll, Coffee, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion, Robertson, Shelby, Tipton and Weakley.
TEXAS Counties: Andrews, Bailey, Bee, Bell, Borden, Briscoe, Burleson, Calhoun, Cameron, Carson, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Collin, Collingsworth, Concho, Cottle, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Fisher, Floyd, Fort Bend, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Haskell, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley, Howard, Jackson, Jim Wells, Jones, Kleberg, Knox, Lamar, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Matagorda, McLennan, Medina, Midland, Milam, Mitchell, Moore, Navarro, Nolan, Nueces, Ochiltree, Parmer, Reagan, Refugio, Runnels, San Patricio, Scurry, Sherman, Swisher, Terry, Tom Green, Uvalde, Victoria, Wharton, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson and Yoakum.
VIRGINIA Counties: Caroline, Essex, Hanover, King William, Northumberland, Sussex and Westmoreland.
WISCONSIN Counties: Adams, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marahton, Marinette, Marquette, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara and Wood.
WYOMING Counties: Goshen
Can you split the donation between two organizations?
If you are a winning farmer from a county that has been declared a natural disaster area, you will receive double the donation, a total of $5,000. These winners may choose the eligible community nonprofit(s) to which the additional $2,500 disaster relief donation will be directed based on community needs that have surfaced due to the drought. If your county is not declared a disaster area, you winners will receive one $2,500 donation, we ask that you select one organization in your community.
Why is the monsanto fund offering the drought relief donation?
U.S. farmers are facing the worst drought in more than 50 years, with nearly 90 percent of the U.S. corn and soy production currently impacted. We understand that when farmers face crop losses, it impacts their communities. This is why we’re providing disaster relief through additional funding of our America’s Farmers Grow Communities program to directly assist those drought stricken counties.
