2020 Scholarships

Scholarship Options

We would like for everyone and anyone interested in attending the OGS 27th Annual Spring Conference to be able to come. The easiest way is to sign up to volunteer, and in exchange you can get registered for one or more days of the conference. We understand that may not always be possible so there are other options below. Keep checking back on this page for updates as specific opportunities keep arising. Many thanks to our partners.

Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation:

We have a limited amount of funds for new and beginning farmers (within first 10 years of farming journey) to attend the Spring Conference. Funds are limited to Buncombe County residents; one scholarship is available per farm operation.

To apply, please fill out an application form

EmPOWERing Mountain Foods for Far West NC Counties:

This year, EmPOWERing Mountain Foods is offering scholarships for residents in the Southwestern NC counties to attend the 27th Annual Organic Growers School Spring Conference. This is for “producers, educators, nutrition educators, Cooperative Extension agents, business owners, and others” to “attend professional conferences or events that will help grow local food businesses in the region. If you are interested in applying for scholarship funds, please fill out this application and we will be in touch with additional details.” More information can be found at their website.

Their funding and programs focus on the seven counties of Western North Carolina (Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee, Clay, and Graham) and is based at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension Office in Cherokee through a partnership between the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension.

NC Rural Center Scholarships for residents of the Sandhill Region of NC:

This year, NC Rural Center’s Rural Food Business Assistance Project, is offering up to $300 per person to attend the 27th Annual Organic Growers School Spring Conference for anyone engaged in a rural small business related to food or farming who lives in the Sandhill region of NC. You must also register with the NC Rural Center to qualify (click here for details). Scholarships cover the full conference, including pre-conference workshops, Saturday and Sunday classes, and half-day workshops. Scholarship does not cover lunch or kids program. If you are from a county within the Sandhill region, please reach out to Jamilla Hawkins at the NC Rural Center at jhawkins@ncruralcenter.org.

Mountain Biz Works offering 50% Scholarships:

Mountain Biz Works is offering to sponsor 20 food and farming business owners (or business wanna be’s) at 50% support. Please stay tuned for a coming link to their site for the application process.

Other Ways to Afford:

We try our best to keep our prices as affordable as possible. We are the lowest cost event of it’s kind in the Southeast. And please keep in mind that we are a 501c3 non-profit, so your dollars help fund the organic growing movement.

For creative ways to fund your learning journey, check out this page from an organization we love. There are some great ideas about crowdfunding and other kinds of broader support.

Apply for a scholarship through OGS:

Have you run out of ways to be able to attend the 27th Annual OGS Spring Conference? We have a limited number of scholarships that we are offering on a first come first serve basis. Please fill out an application form and we will be in touch.