A group that wants to help rural Manitoba change with the times has announced how it will give out about $4 million to help spur new projects.
The Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council is handing out applications for the funding to individuals, groups, associations, communities and companies.
The council will fund one-third of the total cost of a project, to a maximum of $100,000.
“We wanted to ensure that there were going to be a number of projects out there that this fund could address,” said council chair Les Jacobson.
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“It takes a lot of dollars to change agriculture from what it was to what we’re doing, so it’s a way of helping rural Manitoba face the future challenges,” he said.
Jacobson explained the council germinated from the end of the Crow rail transportation subsidy.
Because Manitoba farmers are now spending more on transportation costs, the council wants to help them follow through on ideas for using grain closer to home.
“The farmers themselves are adapting and looking for these kinds of things that are going to change the agricultural face we have out in rural Manitoba now,” Jacobson said.
Areas considered
The council is looking for projects not eligible for other government programs. Projects may include developing business plans, conducting feasibility studies, developing new products, investigating new markets, improving skills, exchanging information and improving technology.
The executive director of the council said 15 to 20 people have already come forward with ideas that the council may consider.
Ed Tyrchniewicz gave the example of communities working with businesses and gas suppliers to study the feasibility of natural gas service.
Smaller projects may also qualify. Tyrchniewicz said a business could apply for help to send a graduate student to another country for six months to investigate a particular type of food processing technology.
The council will not pay for things like past costs already incurred, debt restructuring, buying land or equipment, or costs associated with normal business practices.
“The bottom line, what we’re looking for are innovative new ideas as opposed to more of the same,” he said.
The council’s work in Manitoba was kicked off when Agriculture Canada gave it $4.37 million through the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development Fund earlier this year.
Applicants must pay $250 to cover the costs of processing the proposal. Projects have to be completed by June 30, 2000.
The deadline for the first round of applications is June 30. The council is expected to announce grants later this summer.
