Compeer Financial awards grants

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded 34 General Use Grants, totaling $190,975.

General Use Grants fund initiatives and organizations whose work enriches agriculture and rural America, aligning with Compeer Financial’s mission.

These grants will directly impact the lives of 594,000 people, with one quarter of the funding having a direct impact on farmers across the grant’s categories of education, environment, technology or quality of life.

In addition, half of the grants will support rural vitality through educational experiences or local health care.

This is the 12th cycle of the grant, which has awarded more than $2.5 million and impacted the lives of over 6 million people since inception. The fund will offer this grant again in May to provide funding for summer.

“The fund is proud to provide support to the communities in which our team members live and work,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial.

“The General Use Grants directly contribute to the health and vibrancy of rural America. These innovative ideas and work make a lasting difference.”

Thirty-four organizations receiving support from the General Use Grant Program throughout Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Illinois recipients were:

• Farmers Rising — Livestock handling and corral system for regenerative livestock incubator and education farm.

• La Salle County Farm Bureau Foundation — Take-and-make agriculture kits.

• Monmouth College — Rural education initiatives educational farm curriculum equipment.

• Northern Illinois Food Bank — Distribution center improvement.

• Quincy Children’s Museum — Outreach experience for hands-on programming.

• River Bend Food Reservoir — Pallet wrap machine for safe food transportation.

• Two Rivers Council Foundation — Additional storage capacity at food pantry.

• Western Illinois University School of Agriculture — Feeding Home First snack bags and agriculture education.