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program information page

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Disclaimer:  The information below is to help emergency services organizations in understanding the goals and requirements of the PA Department of Agriculture’s Farm Safety and Occupational Health (FSOH) Grant Program.  This website is not connected to the PA Department of Agriculture, and there are no guarantees either expressed or implied regarding the understanding and use of this information. 

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The stated purpose of the Farm Safety and Occupational Health (FSOH) Grant Program is “to fund projects which will increase the knowledge and awareness of farm safety measures and occupational health issues in Pennsylvania, in particular, among the youth of rural Pennsylvania”. This grant program is authorized by the Pennsylvania Farm Safety and Occupational Health Act (1994), which “provides for the establishment and implementation of farm safety and occupational health programs”.

 

Unlike most other grant programs available today to emergency services agencies, this grant program is specifically geared towards farm and agricultural safety education, as opposed to equipment purchases.  Successful grants are the ones that demonstrate that the majority of funds will be used towards the training purpose. 

 

This program is not unlike other grant programs in that it requires a comprehensive project narrative; justifiable and predictable outcomes; and “agricultural community effort”.  If emergency services organizations take the same approach to this grant application as they do to the Federal Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant program, they should be able to produce a competitive application relatively easily.

 

So how does an emergency services organization prepare a successful grant application?

Before even starting, understand the types of programs/initiatives this grant program may be used for:

The FSOH grant program has very specific requirements:

 

(1)   Projects related to methods of preventing or mitigating farm accidents;

(2)   Educational programs relating to agricultural equipment safety programs for farm youth;

(3)   Educational seminars or field demonstrations relating to first aid programs for farm youth;

(4)   Agriculture safety training programs at day camps and demonstration projects for farm youth;

(5)   Development and implementation of age-appropriate rural school curricular;

(6)   Fire/Educational Safety programs specific to farms;

(7)   Development and implementation of age-appropriate adult farmer and farm worker safety training programs;

(8)   Farm related emergency response training programs.

 

Some general examples of successful grant applications from emergency service organizations include:

• Farm Safety and Accident Prevention Programs – Emergency services agencies can be excellent groups to promote the farm safety message.  This can easily dovetail with current safety and prevention programs that are already provided.  Your county Extension Service Office and local farm organizations such as Farm Bureau, Grange, Farmers Union, etc. would be good places to start garnering ideas and assistance with such programs.

• Farm Safety Day Camps – Some agencies, in cooperation with farm organizations, or the Extension Service sponsor youth specific programs.  Keep in mind that farm youth is where most farm safety efforts are centered on a national basis.  Look at efforts by organizations such as Farm Safety 4 Just Kids for ideas on how to organize such an event.

• Farm Fire Fighting, Rescue, and Emergency Response Training – This is probably the biggest reason that emergency services agencies request and utilize this grant program.  However, the training must be accepted and accredited in some manner and mostly specific to farms and agriculture.  The PAgricultural Rescue Training program is currently the only program recognized for funding by the FSOH grant program.

As with all grants, understanding why some grant applications are not successful is just as important.  Emergency services agencies need to understand that a grant application where the majority or the entire grant is designated for equipment purchases or infrastructure improvements will most likely be rejected.  (And this is often the case.)  Everybody understands that emergency services groups can always use more money for equipment, etc., but keep in mind that the specific focus of this program is outreach education on farm safety topics.

 

Does this mean that you cannot use any of the money for equipment?  No.  Let’s say you want to purchase a multi-gas meter to use when responding to potential confined space issues at a farm.  Submitting a grant that uses a small portion of the grant to help offset the cost of the meter, and uses the larger percentage of the grant funds to conduct confined space training in an agricultural environment may be successful, especially if you partner with local agricultural/community organizations.

Understand your farm community:

Does your emergency services organization even know the extent of agriculture and its impact on the area that is serves?  Amazingly many rural responders do not. Agriculture is a $4.5 billion industry in Pennsylvania. Take some time to learn what exactly you are protecting and you may find that the scope of your project may expand greatly.  What may start out as a farm rescue training program, may lead to another project of providing farm safety evaluations and pre-plans in the future.  Grants will be evaluated not only on the immediate impact, but also on the long-term (post-grant period) impact.

 

Two questions on the grant application deal with geographic area and number of people to be impacted by the grant activities.  Examples of some questions you should be able to answer before sitting down to write your grant are:  Do you know how many farms are in your first-due?  What percentage of your first due acreage is in production agriculture?  Have there been many significant farm accidents in your area?  What impact does an accident have in your area?   Discuss the potential for a farm related accident or an accident that where tractors and/or machines are used in or around the community.

 

One place to start is the National Agriculture Statistics Service.  This will at least give you the data for your County.  You may end up surprised by the what you read.

 

Understanding and defining the scope of agriculture in your community is part of the education that occurs as you prepare your grant.  In this manner you can better document the need for a grant.

Partner with the farm/agricultural community on grant activities:

The grant specifically asks the applicant to “list any agricultural and/or community organizations supporting/working with project”.  If you decide to put down “none” or “not applicable”, you should not even waste the time and paper to fill out an application.  Farm safety programs need to be a community effort. Does you coverage area include a chapter of the Future Farmers of America or 4-H? What agricultural suppliers are in your coverage area? Will your local hospital contribute to your proposed program?

 

Another area that the grant deals with is what amount of “donated/in-kind contributions”.  Break down your projected costs for your program.  Don’t forget little things like the Ladies Auxiliary who provided lunch.  There may not have been a “bill”, but there is a value that can be attached as a donated service. 

 

Both of these grant areas can be enhanced by talking to representatives of the local Grange,  County Farm Bureau, Cooperative Extension Service, and so on.  These groups will welcome the chance to work with the local fire company or ambulance service on a joint project.  They may be able to help you secure other resources, including people to make the project successful.   An added benefit is that the farm community sees that their local responders are concerned with the health and safety of the farm family, and not just knocking on the door for money all the time.

Have well defined project description, goals, and, objectives, as well as effectiveness and impact statements:

First, the people who read and score these grants are agriculture-oriented, NOT emergency services oriented per se.  This does not necessarily mean that they don’t know what you are talking about, but you will need to spell out what you want to do, why you want to do it, how you want to do it, and what will happen as or after you do it...

 

The best advice is to take the same approach as when applying for any other emergency services grant.  First, have your facts and figures straight.  Next, develop well-defined and concise goals and objectives.   Then sit down and begin to prepare the grant paperwork itself.   Give yourself time to have others review the grant for clarity, etc. 

 

Know the people involved:

The grant application asks for a biographical sketch of the primary persons involved.  This is simple to accomplish.  If you are doing a farm safety day camp for example, list the key people along with their agriculture and/or emergency services experience.  If a local schoolteacher is playing an important role, list him/her and his/her basic credentials.  If you are doing a program such as the PAgricultural Rescue Training program, contact the course instructors and ask them for a brief resume or bio. 

 

The more people involved and the diversity of their background again helps the grant succeed its primary goal – farm safety education.

How good is your grant presentation?

Make sure that the application is prepared neatly and legibly. Remember that the persons reviewing the application are not familiar with your project and that you need to thoroughly and simply explain what you want to do. Sloppy, handwritten and haphazard applications may present the idea that the proposal was last minute and poorly planned.

How grants are graded:

Group Cooperation

• A project that bring together community/agricultural groups and specifically provides an active role for each group should have a higher priority than a project that has all the work being done by one main group. The more diverse the groups and more specific the role for each group the better.

• A project that provides incentive for new partners to become involved should have a higher priority than one that supports only “existing partners”.

• A project that involves families should have a higher priority than a project that involves only one (1) segment or age group. 

Hazard Elimination

• A project that focuses on identifying, eliminating, correcting and/or guarding physical hazards should have a higher priority than a project that focuses only on safety behaviors.

• A project that addresses immediate trauma, disease or illness should have a higher priority than a project that involves delayed effects of injury.

 Innovative Approach

• A project that represents a fresh, creative, innovative approach to safety should have a higher priority than a project that “looks and sounds” like the same old thing.

• A project that involves an under-served or non-traditional group should have a higher priority than a project that involves a currently served group. 

Continuous/ongoing

• A project that allows the benefits to continue at a high or effective level, irregardless of additional effort, should have a higher priority than one that doesn’t.

• A project that involves on-going activity over time should have a higher priority than a project that is a one-shot or single day effort.

• A project that uses a train-the-trainer approach should have a higher priority than a project that delivers only to the end user.

And last, but most important...   A suggestion to help improve the whole program:

When you have completed your grant application, make copies and send them to both your State Representative and State Senator to let them know that you have applied for the grant. 

 

Like any of government grant funding, the Legislature has to hear from the people in the community that this program is needed and that the funding is being put to good use.  In this way, the Legislature understands the need to not only keep this program, but also the need to increase the annual funding so that more people and communities can benefit from them.

 

If you are not sure who your local legislators are, you can go here.

This website was last updated on Friday, January 04, 2008.

Copyright © 2004-2008 Eric J. Rickenbach - All rights reserved.

This website is solely under the direction and control of the author, Eric J. Rickenbach. 

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