Agricultural and Rural Community Outreach Program (ARCOP)

Grant applications are generally considered for projects that fulfill the following criteria:

• The project benefits rural residents or low-income farmers.
• The project will have a long-term impact on the community either economically or through an improved quality of life.
• The project is in collaboration with a substantial agency (ie: The Ohio State University Extension, FMHA, ASCS), a governmental entity (ie: school districts, city council, county commissioners), or long-standing organization (ie: United Way, Grange, Farm Bureau).
• The project goes beyond legally required activities or functions that are a routine expectation of an organization, agency, or governmental body such as county fair maintenance, highways, school landscaping, shop equipment, or handicap access improvements on public property. 

Project Ideas

ARCOP Grants are to be used for agricultural education, awareness and promotion and local economic development. Programs that specifically focus on bringing fresh, healthy foods to communities will be given priority. The following list of acceptable projects and is not meant to limit other project ideas, which meet the Agricultural and Rural Community Outreach Program (ARCOP) criteria.

• Bring fresh vegetables to menus through a school garden
• Arrange a culinary event to educate children and community members on how to prepare fresh food
• Create K-6 agricultural day with focus on fresh foods or food preparation
• Develop bioscience/STEM programming for K-6 classrooms with an agricultural focus
• Diversified farming workshops (e.g., hydroponics, niche markets, small fruits, etc.)
• Public land lab creation and improvement
• Educational agricultural products display or activity
• Educational activity or display at county fair
• Develop local farmers’ market
• Develop and operate a community vegetable garden
• Develop local hunger relief program

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)