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Hay Springs FFA Chapter has been notified that we have received an $8,000 matching funds grant from the Nebraska FFA Foundation.

Last fall our FFA Chapter discussed having our own goat production program to providing livestock production experience for our students and FFA members as well as potentially provide livestock for students to exhibit at the county fairs. I would have to say that everyone was super excited about this awesome idea. With that being said, we spent time discussing and putting together our plans to make it happen. We knew when we first discussed the possibilities of getting this started that we were going to need to develop a financial plan. As an FFA Chapter that had just received our Nebraska membership in the fall of 2019, we knew we were going to need to apply for grants, and ask for donations from the community to get this project started. We felt that having the strong support of our school and community a matching fund grant would be an excellent way to finance this expansion to our Agricultural Science program. After researching available grant opportunities, we thought the Nebraska FFA Foundation program would be an excellent program that might support our new Agricultural Science/FFA program.

After developing a budget for our goat production program we completed the application and submitted it in June of 2020.

I am extremely happy to say that we have received an $8,000 matching fund grant from the Nebraska FFA foundation funded by Farm Credit Services of America! With that being said, we are all excited to get started on our livestock development project as soon as possible.

Our initial financial plan for our Hay Springs FFA Chapter/Ag Science Livestock Development Project, totals $15,994.50. Although we are thrilled about receiving the fantastic FFA grant, we are still in need of donations in any way you can support this project. I believe that this project will be an excellent way for our ag students and FFA members to put into practice the words of our FFA Motto;

Learning to Do – Doing to Learn – Earning to Live – Living to Serve.

Your Support is Needed and Appreciated
One way in which you can become involved in this project is through the FFA’s “I believe in the Future of Ag” program. Your donations sent to the Nebraska FFA Foundation listing the Hay Springs FFA Chapter as the designated FFA Chapter will be returned directly to the Hay Springs FFA Chapter with the possibility of matching funds up to $35,000 state wide. There three ways you can donate to the Nebraska FFA Foundation to help us make this happen.

1. Checks to the Nebraska FFA Foundation attached to donation cards. (available from FFA Members)
2. In person donation to local Advisor or chapter members
3. Online: www.neffafoundation.org

As we begin this process our chapter will be involved in other fund raising activities to help make this happen. It is our hope that we can have things in place to make this happen yet this fall.