Engaged Community Offshoots

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** EMPOWERING EMERGING, HISTORICALLY-UNDERSERVED URBAN FARMERS IN THE DC METRO AREA

CAPTURING MOMENTUM: GROWING URBAN FARMERS AND FARMS IS A MULTI-PRONGED PROGRAM TO COUNTER THE EPIDEMIC OF FOOD INSECURITY AND DIET-RELATED ILLNESSES IN OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH PROLIFERATING LOCALLY-GROWN FOOD, FARMS AND FARMERS. OUR POTENTIAL URBAN FARMERS ARE DRAWN FROM THE DIVERSE POPULATIONS OF THE DC METROPOLITAN AREA WHERE ECO CITY FARMS HAS RUN A NON-PROFIT URBAN FARM ON TWO SITES FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS. THE PROJECT OFFERS A ONE-STOP LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH A SELF-PACED COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM, WHERE THE EARNING OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE CERTIFICATION AND BADGES SIGNIFIES MASTERY AND AWARDS ACHIEVEMENT. WE OFFER A COLLABORATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE HANDS-ON SETTING WITH PASSIONATE AND EMPATHETIC PRACTITIONER EDUCATORS WHERE ALL VOICES HEARD AND RESPECTED. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF URBAN FARMERS AND FARMS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, WHERE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS HEALTHY FOOD IS STILL SCARCE, OPEN SPACE FOR FARMING IS STILL ABUNDANT, AND MANY DIVERSE CULTURES AND FOOD TRADITIONS COEXIST. WE BUILD ON OUR FY2016 BFRDP (2016-70017-25342) WHICH TRAINED 51 FARMERS (90% LIMITED RESOURCE, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND/OR NEW IMMIGRANT) TO GROW HEALTHY FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THE MARKET. FOR FY 2019, PARTNERING WITH THE PRINCE GEORGE'S SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT ANDPRINCE GEORGE'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE,ECO PROPOSES TO CONDUCT THREE ROUNDS OF TRAININGS FOR 45 DC METROPOLITAN RESIDENTS (AT LEAST 80% LIMITED RESOURCE, SOCIALLY- DISADVANTAGED AND/OR NEW IMMIGRANT) WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THROUGH INTENSIVE CLASSROOM TRAINING, HANDS-ON WORK, STRATEGIC NETWORKING AND CUSTOMIZED SUPPORTS, THEY CAN ACQUIRE EVERYTHING THEY REQUIRE TO BECOME COMPETENT AND CONFIDENT URBAN FARMERS.

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY: GROWING URBAN FARMERS AND FARMS

THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ENCOURAGE, PROMOTE AND EXPAND URBAN AGRICULTURE BY HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE MANY TRAINEES AND APPRENTICES WITH WHOM WE HAVE WORKED OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS (AND OTHER AREA RESIDENTS WITH SIMILAR AMBITIONS) HAVE ACCESS TO LAND AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BECOME COMPETENT, CONFIDENT AND SUCCESSFUL URBAN FARMERS.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY: ECO CITY FARMS AT BLADENSBURG, MD

A THRIVING FARMERS MARKET FOR THE PORT T

A THRIVING FARMERS MARKET FOR THE PORT TOWNS

THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE LEARNING THAT MOVES YOUTH ALONG THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CONTINUUM, FROM ACQUIRING AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE TO PROBLEM SOLVING, DECISION-MAKING AND ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP. THIS PROJECT WILL EDUCATE YOUTH ABOUT ECO'S SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND THEN PROMPT THEM TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THESE PRACTICES IN A HOME OR SCHOOL SETTING. THE PROJECT CHALLENGES THEM TO QUESTION THEIR ROLE IN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND SOIL REGENERATION, AND TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCES, TO BECOME INVOLVED IN LOCAL ACTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING.

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE ENGAGED COMMUNITY OFFSHOOTS, INC. (ECO) CITY FARMS TO PARTNER WITH THE COMPOST CREW (CC), PRINCE GEORGE'S SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT (PGSCD) AND INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL SELF RELIANCE (ILSR) TO CREATE AND PROMOTE A MODEL 'COMPOST OUTPOST' (OUTPOST) FOR A DISTRIBUTED COMPOSTING/VERMICOMPOSTING NETWORK TO GENERATE THE HIGH QUALITY COMPOST NEEDED FOR HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD GROWTH IN AND AROUND CITIES IN EPA'S REGION 3.

TO INITIATE AND CONDUCT A YEARLONG OUTREACH AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN DEVOTED TO EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENLIST LOCAL RESIDENTS, MUNICIPALITIES, BUSI

TO SUPPORT CULTIVATING COMMUNITY/CULTIVAR LA COMUNIDAD WHICH INCLUDES THE CREATION OF A PUBLIC MURAL LED BY ARTIST MATTHEW GIFFORD.

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.