The Orange County Beekeepers Association (OCBA) is proud to announce a new grant program to promote and support honey bees and the art and science of beekeeping. The OCBA will sponsor up to one grant each year. Each award will be no more than $1,000 and the maximum amount any applicant can receive within 3 consecutive years is $2,000.
The deadline for applications for the Spring award is May 2, 2025.
What is the OCBA looking to fund?
Successful recipients of an OCBA grant will use the funds to further the Purpose of the Association in Orange County, NC, as specifically stated in Article 2 of the OCBA Bylaws. Examples could include gardening/small-farm training programs that incorporate best-practices for the use of honey bees; home school educational programs that include meaningful, substantive instruction on the role of honey bees in our society; programs focused on underserved populations that include beekeeping as a means to supplement a household’s income as well as provide recreational and mental health benefits; and so on.
There is no predetermined type of project that will receive funding – the reason for the OCBA Grant Program is to encourage a wide variety of honey bee related education, training and supportive activities within Orange County.
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must complete and submit their application either by email or in person or by mail. All requests must meet the following criteria and all required information must be submitted with the grant application.
- Nonprofit, charitable organization, civic organization, educational organization and similar entity is located in Orange County, NC;
- Applicant is a nonprofit as defined under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or tax-exempt educational organizations. For these guidelines, tax-exempt educational organizations are defined as public schools and charter schools. Private schools and home-schooled individuals are eligible to be recipients of funds from OCBA, but please be aware these funds may be treated as taxable income and the recipient should consult their own tax advisor as to the tax consequences before accepting any funds.
How will the grant be paid?
- OCBA will pay the grant recipient the total amount at the conclusion of the project or in increments upon receipt of a detailed invoice. Advances of a portion of the total award or other terms may be made to the grant awardee, if negotiated before the grant agreement is signed.
- The grant recipient(s) will sign the Grant Agreement.
- The grant recipient(s) are expected to retain receipts, photos, reports, news articles, and other proof of relevant expenditures for the project and make required status reports.
Who judges the applications and how is the money distributed?
- OCBA’s Special Committee will review the applications and make a recommendation to the OCBA Board of Directors by the June Board Meeting.
- The OCBA’s Board of Directors will make the final decision on who they approve as the grant recipient(s).
- Immediately following the Board approval, a grant agreement will be drafted by the Special Committee and signed by all parties. Funds will be released as per the agreement.
- All applicants will be informed in writing by the Director of the Special Committee’s decision to fund the grant, fund the grant with conditions, deny funding, or seek more information. If the committee denies a grant request, it shall provide the applicant with a reason the grant was denied.
The deadline for applications for the Spring award is May 2, 2025.
The grant application can be found online here.
The completed application must be emailed to: PresVP@theocba.org, presented in person at a meeting of the OCBA, or mailed to The OCBA; PO Box 683; Hillsborough, NC 27278.