CCBA Grant Program

The Board of Directors has allocated up to 15% of the general operating fund's balance as of December 31st of the previous year for the upcoming year's CCBA grant program. Institutions, groups, or corporations, but not individuals, with priority given to schools and non-profit organizations, may competitively apply for grants which will be reviewed and scored by the CCBA grant committee. The grant committee will make recommendations to the Board on who should be awarded the grant money. The Board will determine if the grant(s) will be funded by the operating fund or another funding source, such as the "Save the Bees" fund.

General

The grant application period will start on January 1st of each year and run until April 1st or until allocated funds are exhausted. Grants are not automatically renewed. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Grants shall be for no more than $1,500 per awardee, and the CCBA may choose to award a lesser amount than requested.

The Objectives of the CCBA are: "To assist members in the art and science of beekeeping, including sharing effective techniques, coping with problems, meeting challenges, and supporting each other in our efforts; To educate members about and encourage compliance with laws pertaining to beekeeping, including inspection and suppression of contagious diseases among honey bees; To promulgate information to the public about beekeeping and the valuable role of honey bees and other pollinators in nature and agriculture; To encourage more people to become involved in beekeeping."

Proposals must further one or more of the objectives of the CCBA concerning the art and science of beekeeping, pollinators, conservation, agriculture, and/or education within those areas.

Applications

Applicants must not be CCBA members or close relatives (spouse, child) of a CCBA member, due to our 501(c)(3) status which prohibits a party realizing gain through their membership. 

If a CCBA member is a paid employee, officer or board member of an organization that is applying for the grant, the nature of that relationship must be disclosed in the application. The intent is to avoid the perception of nepotism or favoritism.

Preference will be given to applicants that reside or have operations within the CCBA membership area, which includes Chester County and Delaware County, PA and selected portions of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Applications must be received no later than April 1st to be considered for a grant in that calendar year.

Applications must describe the scope of the project, the timeline, the budget, the reasons that it would advance the objectives of the CCBA, the number of people to be involved, and an itemization of costs and materials. Applications should be sent via email to: Paul G. Lysko, CCBA Grant Committee Chair, at grants@chescobees.org.

Requestors must provide an organizational background including a list of executive leaders, e.g., Officers and Board Members, a mission statement or equivalent, history of other funding, and must describe how receiving a CCBA grant will have an impact on their project.

An interim written report on the project's progress will be due 6 months after the grant has been awarded, and awardees will be required to make a final written report on their project one year after the grant has been awarded.