Webinar to give veterans leg up on competition when applying for farm start-up funds from Farmer Veteran Coalition

A grant program that provides direct assistance to veterans starting up a farming or ranching operation is accepting applications and a Big Island nonprofit wants to help those interested in applying put their best foot forward.

Hoʻōla Farms is hosting a free webinar, “How to Apply for the Farmer Veteran Coalition Fellowship,” at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7 online via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Farmer Veteran Coalition founder and farmer Michael O’Gorman.

O’Gorman will offer tips for how to apply successfully for the coalition’s Fellowship Fund. Last year, the Farmer Veteran Coalition awarded nearly half a million dollars, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. The coalition has given almost $4 million to more than 930 veterans since 2011.

With more than 50 years of farming experience, O’Gorman is one of the pioneers of the local and organic food movement in the United States and Mexico. His insightful thoughts about how to get a hand up in the application process and business plan writing is applicable across all mediums or requests for funding.

To learn more about O’Gorman, click here. To register for webinar, visit the Hoʻōla Farms website or click here.

To apply for the Fellowship Fund, click here. The deadline is Feb. 14, seven days after the webinar with O’Gorman.

Hoʻōla Farms was established in 2015 to provide natural agriculture educational training and hands-on experiences for military veterans and first responders, their families and caregivers and the community in hopes of creating a more sustainable future and well-being for all.