Grants for Growing supports FFA chapters with up to $5,000

Tractor Supply Co. launched its 10th annual Grants for Growing fundraiser in support of FFA chapters across the country. Grants for Growing is a competitive grant program for middle and high school FFA chapters that are developing and improving project-based or experiential learning opportunities.

“This year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 40 years of partnership with FFA, making our Grants for Growing fundraiser more special than ever,” said Kimberley Gardiner, chief marketing officer at Tractor Supply. “Over the years, the projects funded by these grants have empowered FFA members to make a lasting impact on their communities, and the funds raised this year will ensure that this vital work continues for generations to come. We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from our customers, and we invite them to help us make this anniversary year our most successful fundraiser yet, continuing to fuel the dreams of young people and the future of Life Out Here.”

Customers can still purchase a paper FFA emblem at checkout in store or online at TractorSupply.com until February 22.

FFA chapters can begin applying for a grant of up to $5,000 on March 3 by submitting details of a project that fits into one of three focus areas:

• Grow Your Classroom, in which funding can be used to support increasing students’ classroom knowledge. The Quapaw FFA in Quapaw, Oklahoma, grew their classroom by using their grant to build robots, enabling members to engage in electrical engineering, robotics and computer coding.
• Grow Your FFA Chapter, in which funding can be used to support the development or expansion of an FFA chapter and leadership opportunities. Grants for Growing recipient Trent FFA in Trent, Texas, grew theirs by developing a greenhouse and community garden program through which they grow and sell produce to the community. Proceeds are utilized to support the chapter, scholarships and supervised agricultural experience (SAE) projects.
• Grow Your Ag Awareness, in which funding can be used to support the development or expansion of an agricultural literacy event or campaign. Sidney FFA in Sidney, Montana, increased awareness in their community by using their grant to create a community composting program. Members supplied local residents with small totes to house red wiggler worms in a secure location to help them compost home scraps into rich soil.

To date, Tractor Supply has awarded 1,795 grants impacting more than 182,000 students through Grants for Growing. Tractor Supply has been a proud partner of FFA since 1985, donating nearly $24 million through various initiatives to support FFA’s work preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. In 2022, Tractor Supply committed $5 million over five years to the FFA Future Leaders Scholarship, making it the largest agriculture scholarship fund of its kind. Through the fund, nearly 300 students have been awarded scholarships to support their ongoing education at four-year universities, two-year colleges and vocational and trade schools.