Volume 3 | Issue 2
January 23, 2026
A publication of the National Grange
National Grange Announces In This Issue Rural Life Initiative: “Bridging the Gaps” Grants National Grange Announces Rural $40,000 in grants available for Community and Pomona Granges by Philip J Vonada
National Grange Communications Director
The National Grange continues its commitment to revitalizing rural communities with the launch of a new competitive grant cycle through the Rural Life Initiative. On January 13, during a webinar entitled “From Ideas to Impact,” National Grange President Christine Hamp announced the start of the “Bridging the Gaps” grant cycle through the Rural Life Initiative (RLI), a program designed in partnership with Grange Advocacy to strengthen rural communities through health, wellness, agriculture, and community projects and events. Bridging the Gaps allows Community and Pomona Granges to identify unmet, underserved, or under-attended needs in their areas, and to create projects, programs, or events to assist in meeting those needs. “We want to help give Granges the results to show that they can be a change agent in their communities through partnerships that haven’t been possible before,” said Hamp. “This is about building capacity and resiliency in local communities.” To date, more than $175,000 has been distributed to State and Community Granges through previous Rural Life Initiative grants and programs.
Life Initiative: “Bridging the Gaps” Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Tune in for the Strategies to Strengthen Our Communities webinar series . . 3 Help shape the future of the Grange .................................4 New National Junior Grange Director appointed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 View from the Hill: National Grange Policy & Issues Updates . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Celebrate the Semiquin with America250: A Guidebook for Granges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Join the Grange Foundation’s Common Routes Challenge . . . . . . . 9 Apply for the Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Recipes from the Heartland . . . . . . . . 10 How to Live to be 100 Years Old . . . . 11 Grange Store: Guidelines for Grange Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Grange Store: People, Pride and Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Member Benefit: StartHearing . . . . . 12
The grant is as follows:
$1,000 Bridging the Gap Grants (40 available) • Applications reviewed as received. Must apply by February 28, 2026. • Projects must be completed by August 31, 2026, with final reports submitted by September 30, 2026.
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