(BLOOMINGTON) The Illinois Farm Bureau has announced thirty (30) recipients of its 2025-2026 Rural Development Gants as response to the program continues to grow, there were 139 total applications representing 64 county Farm Bureaus this year. Compared to the pilot year in 2023-2024 when the program distributed $30,000 to ten (10) projects, this year’s total funding increased to a record $120,000. Here’s the list of downstate recipients in our region :
- Edwards County : West Salem Fire Department to buy lifesaving medical equipment
- Clay County : County Food Pantry to buy a refrigerated box for its delivery truck
- Jefferson County : Woodlawn High School FFA chapter to build a new greenhouse
- Coles County : to equip the Mattoon Police Department with external defibrillators
More information on all the grant recipients will be available soon at ilfb.org/rdgrants.