atlas-mcp-server

Prompt: # Grant Research Task: Covington, KY Community Projects Conduct comprehensive research on publicly available grants for solo-owned community projects in Covington, Kentucky using atlas_deep_research to gather information. Focus on funding opportunities specifically suitable for individual owners of community gardens and similar local initiatives. Identify grant programs from government sources (federal, state, and local), private foundations, and community organizations that support urban agriculture and neighborhood improvement projects. Research should prioritize: - Current open application periods and upcoming deadlines - Grant amounts and funding cycles - Eligibility requirements specific to individual applicants rather than organizations - Any special programs targeting the Covington area or Northern Kentucky region - Application processes and documentation requirements - Past successful community garden projects in the area Include information on matching grant opportunities and any technical assistance programs available to support the application process. Perform extensive research and provide a detailed report on your findings in /Users/casey/Developer/github/atlas-mcp-agent/workspace. Use the perplexity search tool for LLM augmented searching (search-augmented-generation); use the firecrawl tools for web scraping when necessary. Keep the atlas db completely up to date with all details. Perform extensive research. Include specific details about the grants. Include details on how to apply for the grants. Start by clearing the db. --- # Grant Research Report: Solo-Owned Community Projects in Covington, KY **Date:** April 1, 2025 **Project:** Grant Research: Covington, KY Community Projects (ID: `proj_a67039840514408386ec549c53668a8b`) ## Executive Summary This report details findings on grant opportunities for individuals seeking to start or manage community projects, such as community gardens, in Covington, Kentucky. Research indicates that **direct grant funding for solo individuals is limited**. Most federal, state, and foundation grants require applicants to be registered non-profits, government entities, schools, or tribes. However, several viable pathways exist, primarily through **collaboration and partnership**: 1. **Forming Informal Groups:** Applying as a small, resident-led group (even informal ones) is often accepted, particularly for local programs like the Covington Neighborhood Grant. 2. **Partnering with Existing Organizations:** Collaborating with established non-profits (like The Center for Great Neighborhoods) or schools can provide access to grants requiring organizational status. 3. **Fiscal Sponsorship:** Utilizing a fiscal sponsor allows individuals to apply for grants under the umbrella of a registered non-profit. The most promising local opportunity is the **Covington Neighborhood Grant Program**, facilitated by The Center for Great Neighborhoods, which supports resident-led group projects. Technical assistance for grant writing is available through various state and local organizations. ## Key Grant Opportunities & Programs ### 1. Covington Neighborhood Grant Program - **Funding:** $1,400 - $5,000 per project. - **Eligibility:** Resident-led groups (formal associations, emerging groups, or informal neighbor collaborations). Individuals must partner or form a group. - **Focus:** Neighborhood beautification, blight removal, community events, public space improvements (including gardens, landscaping). - **Application:** Process involves meeting with The Center for Great Neighborhoods (CfGN) for guidance, submitting a detailed application/budget. CfGN assists applicants. - **Deadline:** FY25 cycle closed Sept 30, 2024. Future cycles TBA. - **Source/Contact:** - The Center for Great Neighborhoods (CfGN): [https://www.greatneighborhoods.org](https://www.greatneighborhoods.org) - Program Info: Often via City of Covington documents or direct contact with CfGN. - CfGN Contact: Cate Douglas, cate@greatneighborhoods.org, (859) 547-5550. - _(Atlas Sources: know_a62b36b9..., know_46e966ad..., know_194abba6..., know_ddae3b81f..., know_1d2b459a..., know_8a77ae38..., know_cdaf9b90...)_ ### 2. Kentucky State University Small-Scale Farm Grant Program - **Funding:** Up to $5,000 per household. - **Eligibility:** Small-scale farms (<$250k annual sales), potentially including urban farms. Individual farmers may be eligible. Priority for limited-resource, women, minority farmers. - **Focus:** Improving farm operations, value-added enterprises, organic/specialty crops, agroforestry. - **Application:** Submit detailed farm improvement plan & budget via email/mail. - **Deadline:** Previous cycle closed Dec 1, 2024. Future cycles TBA. - **Source/Contact:** - Official Program Page: [https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/co-op/small-scale-farm-grant-program.php](https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/co-op/small-scale-farm-grant-program.php) - Contact/Submission: M. Allison Noel, allison.noel@kysu.edu, Kentucky State University, 400 East Main Street, CEB-218, Frankfort, KY 40601. - _(Atlas Sources: know_46e966ad..., know_3005a083..., know_0dc8d825...)_ ### 3. GrantWatch Listings (Potential Direct Individual Grants) - **GrantWatch Website:** [https://www.grantwatch.com](https://www.grantwatch.com) - **Urban Gardeners Grant:** Up to $5k potentially for individuals/orgs (for-profit focus). Verification needed via GrantWatch. - **KY Agricultural Producer Grant:** Up to $5k potentially for specific producer categories (BIPOC, female, etc.). Verification needed via GrantWatch. - **Application/Deadline:** Recurring/unspecified. Check GrantWatch.com for current status and specific application details. - _(Atlas Sources: know_8f2cb3e98..., know_10e0f081..., know_4c3d6e43...)_ ### 4. USDA Repair Loans & Grants (Indirect Support) - **Funding:** Loans up to $40k; Grants up to $10k (for elderly 62+ removing hazards). - **Eligibility:** Low-income homeowners (individuals). - **Focus:** Home repairs/modernization, hazard removal. Not garden-specific but could fund related property repairs. Check USDA local office for details. - _(Atlas Sources: know_194abba6...)_ ### 5. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Loans (Not Grants) - **Funding:** Direct Operating Loans & Microloans (up to $50k). - **Eligibility:** Individual small-scale urban farmers/gardeners. - **Focus:** Startup costs (equipment, seeds, etc.). Requires repayment. Check USDA FSA local office for details. - _(Atlas Sources: know_a62b36b9...)_ ### 6. Pure Farmland Grants / Alternatives - **Pure Farmland:** Specific grant not found in recent searches; may be inactive or misnamed. Past grants ($1k+) supported Covington gardens (e.g., Redden Gardens). Check for recurrence. - **Alternatives:** - GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant (Scotts): $1.5k, youth focus, Jan 30 deadline. Check Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation website. - Columbus Foundation Grants: $1.5k, Central OH focus, Mar 21 deadline. Check geographic eligibility. - _(Atlas Sources: know_1d2b459a..., know_ed478734...)_ ### 7. Other Federal/State/Foundation Grants (Partnership Required) - **Federal (USDA Urban Ag, People's Garden, Community Facilities):** Primarily target organizations. Individuals need to partner. Check specific USDA program websites. - **State (KY Urban Forestry):** Requires partnership with non-profits/local govt. Check KY Division of Forestry. - **Foundations (Horizon Community Funds, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, National Garden Grants):** Fund non-profits or schools. Individuals need to partner or use fiscal sponsors. Check foundation websites. - _(Atlas Sources: know_33bca161..., know_490fcce4..., know_ddae3b81f..., know_214bee7f...)_ ## Matching Grant Opportunities - Direct matching grants for individuals are unlikely. - The **Kentucky G.R.A.N.T. Program** offers state matching funds for federal grants but requires county, city, or 501(c)(3) status. Partnership is necessary for individuals/groups. Check KY Cabinet for Economic Development website. - Other programs (e.g., USDA People's Gardens, some state environmental grants) may require local matches and partnerships. - **Key Strategy:** Partnering with eligible entities (esp. CfGN) is the primary way to access matching funds. - _(Atlas Source: know_7ad86d22...)_ ## Technical Assistance & Grant Writing Support Several resources can assist individuals/groups: - **The Center for Great Neighborhoods (Covington):** Direct assistance for the Neighborhood Grant Program. ([https://www.greatneighborhoods.org](https://www.greatneighborhoods.org)) - **Kentucky Nonprofit Network (KNN):** Grant writing workshops in Covington. (URL not found in search) - **Grant Ready Kentucky (GRKY):** Statewide direct assistance for federal grants. ([https://grantreadyky.org](https://grantreadyky.org)) - **Kentucky SBDC (Covington):** Free coaching for nonprofits/entrepreneurs. (Official URL not found; related SBA KY page: [https://www.sba.gov/district/kentucky](https://www.sba.gov/district/kentucky)) - **Appalachian Community Fund (ACF):** TA grants for training in Appalachian KY counties. (Official URL not found) - **USDA Rural Development:** Grants focused on cooperative development and capacity building. Check USDA RD website. - **KY Farm to School Network:** TA specifically for school gardens. ([https://www.kyfarmtoschool.com](https://www.kyfarmtoschool.com)) - _(Atlas Sources: know_114ca14f..., know_4c3d6e43...)_ ## Examples of Funded Covington Projects Successful local projects often involve resident groups and partnerships: - **Redden Gardens (Eastside):** Allotment garden with CfGN partnership. - **Orchard Park (Westside):** Urban farm/community space created by 'Grow the Cov' group with CfGN/city support. - **Riddle-Yates Community Garden:** Covington's oldest, managed by CfGN. - **Make Goebel Great:** Resident-led park improvement project with city collaboration. - _(Atlas Source: know_bc417d3a...)_ ## Conclusion & Recommendation Funding a solo-led community project in Covington requires strategic planning. While direct individual grants are scarce, opportunities significantly increase through collaboration. **The most recommended approach for an individual is to partner with neighbors to form a small group or work directly with The Center for Great Neighborhoods ([https://www.greatneighborhoods.org](https://www.greatneighborhoods.org)).** CfGN can provide guidance, assist with applications for the Neighborhood Grant Program, and potentially act as a fiscal sponsor or connector for other funding sources requiring organizational status. Exploring the KYSU Small-Scale Farm Grant ([https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/co-op/small-scale-farm-grant-program.php](https://www.kysu.edu/academics/college-ahnr/school-of-anr/co-op/small-scale-farm-grant-program.php)) or specific GrantWatch listings ([https://www.grantwatch.com](https://www.grantwatch.com)) are secondary options if eligibility criteria are met. Leveraging available technical assistance resources (like GRKY: [https://grantreadyky.org](https://grantreadyky.org)) is also highly advised. --- ## Atlas Database Export For a complete export of the research collected in the Atlas database, including detailed information about each grant opportunity, eligibility criteria, application processes, and contact information, please refer to the file: [./full-export.json](./full-export.json) This export contains all structured knowledge nodes created during the research process, including relationships between different funding sources and programs. The database can be imported into other Atlas instances or used for reference when developing grant applications.