Youth scholarship and grant funds available

Applications for Farm Credit Illinois’ annual agriculture scholarship and community improvement grant programs are open until Feb. 29, 2024.

Agriculture Scholarships

High school seniors pursuing an ag-related curricula or trade in a college or vocational school next fall in pursuit of a career on the farm or in the industry are invited to apply for a $2,500 Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholarship. Thirty scholarships will be awarded in 2024 with two applicants of color to be designated “Diversity in Agriculture Scholars.”

Recipients are selected based on a combination of participation and leadership in school and community organizations, a genuine passion for farming and/or agriculture, and the applicant’s commitment to an agriculture-related career. Applicants must be high school seniors enrolling in a college, university, or vocational school during the 2024 fall semester to pursue an agriculture-related academic major and career. Applicants must reside in – or immediate family must farm in – one of 60 central and southern counties in Illinois served by FCI. Recipients will receive $1,250 for the fall 2024 semester and $1,250 for fall 2026 semester.

Community Improvement Grants

Farm Credit Illinois also invites 4-H clubs and FFA chapters organizing projects to apply for a $500 Community Improvement Grant.

Fifty $500 grants will be awarded to assist youth members in bringing positive change to their local community. Clubs should choose a project that delivers tangible value where the outcome is visible. Farm Credit encourages collaboration with other local organizations to develop and complete the improvement project.

Online applications for the scholarship and grant programs are available at http://www.farmcreditIL.com and must be submitted by February 29. Questions or requests for additional information may be sent to [email protected].

“Investing in the youth of today is a great way to secure success for agriculture tomorrow,” says Aaron Johnson, FCI president and CEO. “Farm Credit Illinois’ Agriculture Scholarship and Community Improvement Grant programs help these young leaders develop skills and knowledge to grow and strengthen their rural communities.”

Farm Credit Illinois (FCI) is an agricultural financial cooperative owned by 18,900 farmer, rural landowner, and agribusiness voting stockholder members in the southern 60 counties of Illinois. Dedicated to Helping Farm Families Succeed, FCI provides competitive and flexible financing, crop insurance expertise, and Rural 1st® country life lending. FCI manages a $6.3 billion loan portfolio, sells 1.5 million acres of crop insurance coverage, and employs 300 staff in the Mahomet headquarters and 14 regional offices. The Association will return $40 million of 2023 earnings as cash patronage to member-borrowers in 2024. The U.S. Farm Credit System is a network of locally owned cooperatives supporting rural communities, farm families, and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow.