Questions and Answers
What is the FCC AgriSpirit Fund?
The FCC AgriSpirit Fund is one way Farm Credit Canada works to enhance rural Canada. This year, FCC is again supporting capital projects in rural communities across Canada where the population is less than 150,000. The fund supports projects such as hospitals and medical centres, childcare facilities, fire and rescue equipment, playgrounds, food banks, libraries, recreation centres and community gardens.
To qualify, projects must enhance the quality of life for people in at least one rural community.
How much funding is available for each project?
Between $5,000 and $25,000 is awarded to each successful applicant.
When will I be contacted regarding the status of my application?
Applicants will be contacted by email in November.
I’m having trouble submitting the online application. What should I do?
Email your name and contact information to agrispirit-agriesprit@fcc-fac.ca.
Why do some projects receive the full amount of funding requested and others only receive partial funding?
Some projects only require a partial amount because additional funding is secured from other sources.
The amount of funding is also relative to the number of eligible projects in a specific area. FCC may be unable to provide full funding for all successful projects in a particular region.
Sometimes the total cost of a project exceeds the maximum amount funding available ($25,000). In this case, funding is often approved for smaller portions of larger projects. For example, funding might cover the cost to install flooring in a new community centre or supply medical equipment for a new community clinic.
I have applied for FCC AgriSpirit funding in previous years and my applications have not been successful. Why hasn't my project received funding?
Thank you for your applications. Each application is evaluated based on eligibility and is reviewed against other applications from your area. Projects are awarded AgriSpirit funding based on their evaluation score.
Why are third-party fundraising groups ineligible to apply?
FCC prefers to provide funding directly to the charitable organization or beneficiary. Funding an organization that’s raising funds for another organization or charity does not provide a direct connection to the beneficiary.
Do we require a portion of funds raised on our own prior to applying for AgriSpirit funding?
No you can be in the beginning stages of fundraising when you apply for AgriSpirit funding or you can apply to FCC for the entire amount.
If we receive funding from FCC, do we need to match any portion of it?
No, organizations are not required to match any funding received from FCC.
We have numerous projects happening in our organization, can we apply for all of them? Do we do it separately?
Yes, organizations can apply for more than one project, just be sure to apply separately. It’s important to note that the projects will be competing against each other.
What is the role of a municipal partner and why do I need one?
There is no national registration for non-profit organizations so they must partner with their local municipal body to qualify for funding. If you’re selected for funding the cheque will be made payable to the municipal body c/o your project. You must then work with the municipal body to obtain the funds. The municipal body must also sign off on a letter we’ll provide you if you’re chosen for funding indicating they’ll provide you with the funds and control the expenses any way they see fit.
As a municipal partner, can we partner with more than one organization and apply for our own projects too?
Yes, there’s no limit to the number of projects a municipal body can partner with. You can also apply for your own projects, but they will be competing against each other.
What is debt reduction?
FCC considers debt reduction to be re-payment of any expenses incurred prior to receiving funding from FCC which typically occurs in December. When you apply for funding, keep in mind the project or expenses must not be completed prior to December 2013 or they will be ineligible for funding.
Where can I find more information about the FCC AgriSpirit Fund?
