Grant Announcement - The Champlin Foundation

CAPITAL GRANT WILL GROW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE EDUCATION

PORTSMOUTH, RI – The Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District (ERICD) has announced that it received a grant from The Champlin Foundation to support its Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm project, located at Cloverbud Ranch in Portsmouth. The grant in the amount of $64,622 funds key elements of running the farm including deer fencing and irrigation, and will help to fund the purchase of a tractor and tractor shed.

The Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm is a student-run farm where kids learn about sustainable agriculture with hands-on problem-solving experiences. It is a collaboration between Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District and Portsmouth Middle School. The school district plans to hold STEAM education classes, as well as after-school programs at the farm. The vision is for the farm to grow into an island-wide program, servicing all three municipalities and school districts.

According to The Champlin Foundation’s website, “As the nation’s most densely populated state, open space is a precious, priceless resource in Rhode Island. Preserves and parks contribute mightily to the high quality of life enjoyed in the Ocean State, which is why working to conserve has been a priority for the foundation.”

Sara Churgin, ERICD’s District Manager, said, “The AgInnovation Farm has come such a long way in a short amount of time. Born in the midst of the pandemic, the farm offers a perfect outdoor opportunity for kids to learn about sustainable agriculture. This generous grant from The Champlin Foundation allows us to take a big step in providing meaningful agricultural education in a time when it is most crucially needed. It gets us closer to our vision of being a student driven island wide farm education program.”

For more information, visit easternriconservation.org/aginnovation-farm or contact Sara Churgin at schurgin.ericd@gmail.com or 401-225-6033