Horizon Farm Credit Young, Beginning, and Small (YBS) Farmer Grant Program

The Young, Beginning, and Small (YBS) Farmer Grant Program is Horizon Farm Credit's unified grant program for young, beginning, and small farmers, consolidating its former Farmers on the Rise award and JumpStart grant into a single initiative. Horizon awards ten $20,000 grants ($200,000 total). The application deadline is August 21, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Previous JumpStart and Farmers on the Rise winners are not eligible to apply.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older, and must have at least three years of experience, but no more than 10 years of farming experience. Applicants must also live in Horizon Farm Credit's territory.

An independent panel of qualified judges will review all of the written applications and select the top 20 finalists moving onto phase two of the judging process.

Each application in phase one will be evaluated based on the following criteria to achieve a score out of 200 possible points:

• Agriculture and Growth: 60 points

• Financial Character: 40 points

• Leadership & Community Involvement: 40 points

• Environmental Stewardship: 40 points

• Spelling and Grammar: 20 points

• Total: 200 points

The applicants selected as the top 20 finalists will receive an invitation to participate in an in-person interview with the judging selection committee to answer questions and give further context to their application.

All interviews will be held in person exclusively on November 10, 2022, in York, Pennsylvania. Interviews will be no longer than 30 minutes in length and are intended for the applicant to provide additional clarification regarding their application and for the judging committee to ask questions. A formal reception will be hosted on November 10, 2022 to award the winners.

During the interview process, only the named applicant(s) are permitted into the interview room. No guests will be granted access to the interview. No access to audio visual/PowerPoint/Prezi will be supported during the interview process. 

Each application in phase two will be evaluated based on the following interview selection criteria:

• Introduction: 20 points

• Ability to explain application and answer interview questions: 60 points

• Professional appearance, overall tone, eye contact, mannerism, and gestures: 20 points

• Total: 100 points

To apply, follow this link to the application. You will need to create a SurveyMonkey account and verify your email.

Fill out the application form and attach the following required documentation:

• Completed Application

• High resolution photo (.jpg or .png)

• Letter of Recommendation - The letter must include your name, title, address, email, phone number, and not be dated before August 15, 2022.

Incomplete applications will not be accepted or contacted. If you have any questions about this program or application, please email learning@horizonfc.com.

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