Join the 2026 cohort of Real Organic Champions! Are you excited to be a part of the growing grass roots movement of Real Organic farmers and inspired to really get stuck in – to connect with your regional organizers and host an on farm event for your farmer network?
A truly authentic grass roots movement isn’t achieved by a giant marketing budget, but by connecting and weaving together our communities. Communities of farmers who know the importance of using organic practices centered around soil health, of raising animals humanely on well managed pasture and of treating the people who grow our food with fairness.
There are three tiers of funding for events of all shapes and sizes. From more intimate educational workshops to farmer mixers or farm dinners you can choose what suits your capacity and farm community.
As well as a microgrant and some ROP merch, the folks over at the Market Gardener Institute are big fans of the Real Organic Project and have kindly donated a selection of modules from the Market Gardener Institute teachings so, get those applications in. The 2026 Real Organic Champions are also invited to join our annual conference at Churchtown Dairy in Hudson New York on September 18th with a travel stipend provided.
Check out the funding tiers below and reach out to melissa@realorganicproject.org with any questions, comments or suggestions – we want to hear your ideas and see these as flexible guidelines to help get our event planning juices flowing!
- Tier 1: Educational Workshop (Funding of $250 + A Real Organic Project Hat)
- Focus: Narrow expertise sharing (e.g., specific organic weeding techniques or soil health).
- Target: 10–20 farmers.
- Deliverable: 90 – 120 minute session
- Tier 2: Community Mixer (Funding of $400 + A Real Organic Project Hat & T-Shirt)
- Focus: Social networking and farm visibility.
- Target: 20–50 farmers.
- Deliverable: Farm tour or meet-up + snacks and beverages.
- Tier 3: Farm Tour & Harvest Dinner (Funding range $600-1000 + A Real Organic Project Hat & Hoodie)
- Focus: Deep relationship building and community celebration.
- Target: 15+ farmers.
- Deliverable: Comprehensive farm tour + full dinner.
Additional Champion Benefits:
- A Champion Media Kit with helpful resources to learn and share the Real Organic mission with your networks
- Inclusion in our Fall Churchtown in person event on 9/18 in Hudson, New York. Travel stipend provided with option to contribute to a panel discussion on being a Real Organic Champion. More info to follow.
- Inclusion in an Online Champion Cohort for networking and resource sharing
We have a limited number of Market Gardener Institute modules for the first few Champions from our friends at the Market Gardener Institute!
Apply below and reach out to melissa@realorganicproject.org with any questions.