A new philanthropic partnership called the Trust for Civic Life announced this week that it awarded one of its first grants to Partridge Creek Farm (PCF) in Ishpeming, MI as part of an $8 million investment into strengthening communities across rural America. Partridge Creek Farm will receive $300,000 over 3 years for its work to provide local food access and education to connect the community with their food and one another. In total, the Trust for Civic Life awarded 20 grants to innovative groups that are bringing people together with creative civic programs and helping residents solve important problems in their Communities.
“This support is invaluable to Partridge Creek Farm. Our organization has experienced massive growth the past 4 years–going from a fully volunteer-run organization to now having a staff of seven. We are continuing to develop and implement programming, steward five established community gardens, while also developing the new 3.75 acre Intergenerational farm to expand our growing capacity,” said Sara Johnson, Executive Director of Partridge Creek Farm.
The Trust for Civic Life’s first grants support “civic hubs,” groups like Partridge Creek Farm that are reinventing local civic programs and initiatives to meet the changing needs of their communities, at a time when Americans are pulling away from traditional civic life.
The Trust’s new grantees are responding with an entrepreneurial spirit: many are using the arts, hobbies, economic issues, and digital tools to encourage civic participation and help people with different viewpoints and backgrounds work together. The Trust for Civic Life’s funding will help the new grantees expand current programs and introduce new civic opportunities and projects.
Partridge Creek Farm will use the new grant to stabilize the organization over the next three years to ensure long-term sustainable growth to be able to continue serving the Ishpeming community and building a resilient local food system.
“Our new grantees are critical connectors and problem solvers in their communities. They are helping neighbors find common ground, solve local problems and improve the community for everyone in it,” said Charlie Brown, the Executive Director of Trust for Civic Life. “Community-led work is transforming American life for the better, and the Trust for Civic Life is proud to support its momentum with these new grants.”
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