Sweetgrass Garden Coop PreProposal April2015

1
Pre-Proposal Application
Save this form to your device, complete and submit it via email to The Joanna Foundation with all the required
attachments (see checklist) as a single pdf file. The submission address is <[email protected]>.
Paper applications will not be accepted. Late applications will not be accepted. Organizations that are invited to
submit full proposals will receive additional instructions by email. Organizations that are not invited to submit
a full proposal also will be notified by email.
Section 1: Organizational Information
Organization Name Sweetgrass Garden Co-op Inc.
Mailing Address
3121 Plow Ground Rd., Johns Island, SC 29455
Physical Address
Same as above
Website Address
Sweetgrass Garden Charleston SC @Facebook.com
501(c) (3) Status
Yes
✔
Date Received
05/24/2010
Pending
Date Anticipated
No
Specify Other Exempt Status
Section 2a: Contact Information for Applicant Organization
Name and Title of Chief Executive
Dale Snyder
Phone Number (843) 270-0889
Email Address [email protected]
Name and Title of Primary Contact
Same as above
(if different from above)
Phone Number
Email Address
Will another organization serve as Fiscal Agent?
No
Yes
✔
(Proceed to Section 3)
(Complete Section 2b)
The Joanna Foundation – Pre-Proposal Application
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Section 2b: Organization Acting as Fiscal Agent
Organization Name
Mailing Address
Physical Address
Website Address
501(c) (3) Status
Yes
Date Received
No
Specify Other Exempt Status
Name and Title of Chief Executive
Phone Number
Email Address
Name and Title of Primary Contact
(if different from above)
Phone Number
Email Address
Section 3 – Project Information
Proposed Program or Project Title (75 character limit including spaces and punctuation)
Growing and Sharing with the Sweetgrass Garden Co-op, Inc.
Proposed Amount
$1,244.00
Direct relevance to one or more of five designated areas in South Carolina: Berkeley, Charleston and
Dorchester Counties and/or the communities of Joanna and Newberry (500 character limit including
spaces and punctuation)
The Sweetgrass Garden Co-op grows and provides fresh produce at no charge for
distribution to the hungry on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands in Charleston County through
Wadmalaw Island Community Senior Center Food Ministry, Our Lady of Mercy Community
Outreach, Meals on Wheels of Charleston (serving the Sea Islands), Meals on Mondays at
Rockville Presbyterian Church, Holy Spirit Catholic Church Emergency Food Pantry, Hebron
Zion Emergency Food Pantry, and Blessing Baskets at Stono Baptist Church.
The Joanna Foundation – Pre-Proposal Application
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Section 4 – Primary Purpose of the Proposed Funds
Brief Description of Primary Purpose (3000 character limit including spaces and punctuation)
Sweetgrass Garden Co-op, Inc. requests the funds to purchase farm implements for the tractor that
will be utilized to plow, disk, prepare and plant two fields: two acres on Johns Island, SC and five
acres on Wadmalaw Island, SC (within twelve miles of each other). These fields provide fresh
produce for distribution free of charge to the poor and hungry on the islands. These implements will
greatly increase the efficiency and productivity of the Co-op.
Frontier PM1001 Integral Middle Buster
HARDEE 48" bedder
Lovett & Tharpe single row cultivator w/sweeps
Equipment Total
$ 246.00
$ 449.00
$ 549.00
$ 1,244.00
Sweetgrass Garden Co-op, Inc. was established in 2010 to assist in meeting the needs of the
hungry on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are used to assure that
environmental, economic, and social sustainability techniques are utilized, resulting in safe,
wholesome and quality food products. Twenty to twenty-five volunteers per week (year-long) assist
at the Co-op and are learning sustainable growing techniques and replicable agricultural and service
practices. Approximately seven thousand (7,000) pounds of organic produce is grown and
distributed to about one thousand (1,000) food recipients annually during the growing seasons. The
emphasis is on providing healthy food and healthy options. The major crops grown are: asparagus,
broccoli, carrots, collards, cucumbers, kale, and squash. Blueberries and bee-keeping, which
provides pollination for plants and produces honey for consumption, are a part of the Co-op. Healthy
and safe food-handling and cooking and nutrition classes are also taught.
The produce is distributed to residents in need on:
Johns Island with 14.7% of the population (approx. 20,000) below the poverty level;
5% who are 50 % below the poverty level.
Wadmalaw Island with 26.2 % of the population (approx. 2,800) below the poverty level;
8.8% who are 50 % below the poverty level.
These statistics are examples of the fact that hunger is highest among rural communities, especially
in children and the elderly. The lack of adequate food affects the cognitive and behavioral
development of children and increases diabetes and hypertension in the elderly.
Section 5 – Required Attachments / Checklist
✔
List of Organizational Officers and Directors with primary business or professional affiliations
✔
Documentation of IRS tax-exempt status (IRS letter of determination – not Federal EIN or State letter)
✔
Most recent audited financial statements – If your organization does not conduct an audit,
include a note of explanation and provide unaudited financial statements for the most recently
completed fiscal year plus your most recent IRS Form 990 Tax Return. If your program is a
component of a complex institution or national organization, include a note of explanation and
provide statements of financial status and operating results that accurately represent the
resources and operations of your component.
The Joanna Foundation – Pre-Proposal Application
Section 5:
List of Organizational Officers and Directors with primary business or professional
affiliations. Pasted below:
Dale Snyder: President - Volunteers as the Sweetgrass Co-Op, Inc. Farm Manager. Mr. Snyder
has served his church for 18 years as its liaison with One80 Place and the Lowcountry Food
Bank. He is Adjunct Instructor for the Department of English and Journalism and The Learning
Center and the Department of Orientation Services at Trident Technical College in Charleston,
SC.
Jennifer Wicker: Treasurer - Volunteers as the Sweetgrass Co-Op, Inc. Assistant Farm
Manager. Ms. Wicker is Assistant Principal at Daniel Jenkins Middle School
Kathryn Cullinan: Secretary - Office Manager of Circular Congregational Church in downtown,
Charleston, SC.
Helen Moorefield - BOD Member - Owner/operator of a small gardening business, specializing
in raised bed/containers for growing vegetables and herbs. She is also a personal cook for a
multi-generational family, participating in both a CSA and CSF (Community Supported Fish),
using only local and organic ingredients for the meals that are prepared.
Chris Hernandez - BOD Member - Biologist Coastal Program South Carolina Field Office
Documentation of IRS tax-exempt status (IRS letter of determination – not Federal EIN or
State Letter). Attached
Most recent audited financial statements – If your organization does not conduct an
audit, include a note of explanation and provide unaudited financial statements for the
most recently completed fiscal year plus your most recent IRS Form 990 Tax Return. If
your program is a component of a complex institution or national organization, include a
note of explanation and provide statements of financial status and operating results that
accurately represent the resources and operations of your component. There is not an
annual audit at this time. Attached is the 990 for 2013.
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Date:
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JUL 0 2 2010
SWEETGRASS GARDEN CO-OP INC
C/0 GEORGE TAYLOR
18 WATER ST
CHARLESTON, SC 29401
Employer Identification Number:
27-1706489
DLN:
17053074327000
Contact Person:
PAULA J MOLL-MALONE
ID# 31262
Contact Telephone Number:
(877) 829-5500
Accounting Period Ending:
December 31
Public Charity Status:
170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Form 990 Required:
Yes
Effective Date of Exemption:
May 24, 2010
Contribution Deductibility:
Yes
Addendum Applies:
No
.....
Dear Applicant:
We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax
exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are
deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive
tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106
or 2522 of the Code. Because this letter could help resolve any questions
regarding your exempt status, you should keep it in your permanent records.
organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Code are further classified
as either public charities or private foundations.
We determined that you are
a public charity under the Code section(s) listed in the heading of this
letter.
·
Please see enclosed Publication 4221-PC, Compliance Guide for 50l(c)(3) Public
Charities, for some helpful information about your responsibilities as an
exempt organization.
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JAN 1 9
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CHARLESTON/BERKELEY COUNTY FSA ILetter
947 (DO/CG)