The Bowling Green-area Tractor Supply Company store will collect donations during National FFA Week to
support grants for FFA chapters in Ohio.
During National FFA Week, Feb. 17-26, Tractor Supply shoppers can donate $1 or more at checkout.
Donations will fund the Grants for Growing Program, which supports FFA chapters in Ohio that are making
a difference in their communities with unique and sustainable agricultural projects. The program is
coordinated through a partnership with the National FFA Foundation and Tractor Supply.
“Through the commitment of our loyal customers and team members who raise money for the Grants for
Growing program, Tractor Supply is excited to support Ohio’s FFA chapters that represent America’s
bright future in agriculture,” said Christi Korzekwa, senior vice president of marketing at Tractor
Supply Company. “When we invest in FFA students through this program we are making a great investment in
the next generation of agricultural leaders.”
In 2016, the program’s first year, Grants for Growing raised more than $700,000, funding 374 grants
supporting projects involving 39,038 students. Notable 2016 grant recipients included the Jemison,
Alabama FFA chapter, which used program funding to construct an addition to its animal science lab to
house show animals such as pigs, donkeys, rabbits and Texas Longhorn heifers. In Cedar Springs,
Michigan, the local FFA chapter built a garden to provide the community with food donations, as well as
help students learn more about raising vegetables.
Earlier this year, FFA chapters submitted applications detailing how they will start or expand a project
that will benefit their communities and future FFA students. Funds have been requested to purchase
vegetation, trees, seed, chickens, feed, mulch and tools, for projects ranging from greenhouses to
aquaculture labs.
Winning FFA chapter initiatives will be awarded Grants for Growing in the spring.
The minimum competitive grant amount is $500 for chapters. All in-store donations remain within the state
in which they were raised.
For more details about the program, visit https://www.ffa.org/grantsforgrowing.