Sprout City Farms Inc

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPROUT CITY FARMS (SCF) IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BUILT COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATIONAL URBAN FARMS ACROSS THE DENVER METRO AREA FOR OVER A DECADE (SINCE 2010). OUR PROPOSAL BUILDS UPON OUR EXISTING WORK OF FARM-TO-SCHOOL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR GRADES K-12 AND STUDENT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE AND THE WIDER FOOD SYSTEM.AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, THERE IS A GENERAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FOOD SOURCES, AND LACK OF INTEREST IN AGRICULTURAL CAREERS. MANY AMERICAN CHILDREN KNOW THAT FOOD COMES FROM THE SUPERMARKET AND GOES INTO THEIR MOUTHS, BUT OFTEN NEGLECT TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW IT ARRIVED ON THE SHELVES OR HOW THE FOOD IMPACTS THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR BODIES. IN REALITY, MUCH OF THE FOOD KIDS CONSUME (WHEN THEY HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD) IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR THEIR HEALTH OR THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET. FURTHERMORE, THE CURRENT POPULATION OF FARMERS IS RAPIDLY AGING, POSING A NEED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENTER INTO AGRICULTURAL CAREERS.CREATING A FULL-TIME YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION COORDINATOR POSITION, IMPLEMENTING AGRICULTURAL CURRICULA IN K-8 CLASSROOMS, AND PROVIDING PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WILL EDUCATE STUDENTS IN THE DENVER METROPOLITAN AREA ON METHODS OF MODERN FOOD PRODUCTION, THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AND WHAT HEALTHY EATING LOOKS LIKE THROUGH HANDS-ON AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE LEARNING MATERIAL. BY PROVIDING PAID EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASPIRING FARMERS IN SUSTAINABLE SMALL-SCALE FOOD PRODUCTION, PRIORITIZING CAREER-ENHANCING RESOURCES FOR HISTORICALLY-DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, SPROUT CITY FARMS IS CULTIVATING AN AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE THAT IS PREPARED TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH SUSTAINABLE GROWING PRACTICES THAT WILL CONTINUE NOURISHING THEIR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE AND LARGER UNITED STATES.SPROUT CITY FARMS WILL WORK WITH A K-8 DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOL, DENVER GREEN SCHOOL, ON INTEGRATING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION INTO CLASSROOM CURRICULUM FOR 550 STUDENTS ALL GRADES AND SUBJECTS; ASSIST IN TEACHING A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTIVE COURSE YOUTH FOOD LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM (YFLAP) TO AT LEAST 50 STUDENTS ACROSS THREE DENVER PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS; AND STREAMLINE ENTRY INTO AGRICULTURE WORK FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES THROUGH FOUR PAID YOUTH AGRICULTURE INTERNSHIPS PER SUMMER FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR FARM-TO-SCHOOL CURRICULA. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL PASS AGRICULTURAL SKILL ASSESSMENT TESTS ANDMARK AT LEAST AN 85% INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NATURAL SCIENCES, FOOD PRODUCTION, INDUSTRIAL AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS (INCLUDING FOOD APARTHEID) AFTER THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH SCF, AS MEASURED IN PRE- AND POST-SEASON SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS.

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

SPROUT CITY FARMS' PROPOSED AGRIVOLTAIC INCUBATOR PROJECT IS AN EXTENSION OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION TO SUPPORT BEGINNING FARMERS IN ENTERING THE CHALLENGING SMALL-SCALE SPECIALTY CROP FARMING INDUSTRY IN COLORADO. FOR THE PAST DECADE, WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR FARMER TRAINING PARTICIPANTS THAT MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED FOR THEM TO ADVANCE FROM FARM WORKER TO FARM OWNER. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR AN INCUBATOR PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO LAND AND ESSENTIAL BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL SKILLS TRAINING, IN A NOVEL PRACTICE CO-LOCATING SOLAR ENERGY AND FOOD PRODUCTION ("AGRIVOLTAICS"), TO ENHANCE THE SUCCESS OF NEW FARM BUSINESSES AND TRAIN THEM IN A NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE GENERATION. THE TARGET AUDIENCE IS BEGINNING FARMERS WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO LAND, ESPECIALLY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) AND LOW-INCOME FARMERS, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FURTHERING THEIR SKILLS IN SMALL-SCALE, SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN PREPARATION FOR OWNING THEIR OWNBUSINESS. SPROUT CITY FARMS WILL COLLABORATE WITH COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY'S (CSU) BUILDING FARMERS PROGRAM, FLATIRONS YOUNG FARMERS COALITION, AND THE INCUBATOR FARM AT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE (FLC), IN ADDITION TO OUR ON-SITE PARTNERS WHICH INCLUDE CSU, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY, AND COLORADO AGRIVOLTAIC LEARNING CENTER. ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS, SPROUT CITY FARMS WILL DO SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH AND OUTREACH TO UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE OF FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS ACROSS COLORADO'S FRONT RANGE; BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT JACK'S SOLAR FARM, OUR NEWEST SITE IN LONGMONT, CO WHERE WE ARE PRODUCING FOOD ORGANICALLY UNDERNEATH SOLAR PANELS; AND CREATE A RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM AND TOOLKIT FOR THE AGRIVOLTAIC INCUBATOR PROGRAM, AS WE ARE TRAILBLAZING AGRIVOLTAICS WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LARGEST AGRIVOLTAICS SITE FOR SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES.