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Spring update

So happy to share again after a long break! Moving with a 1 and 3 year old was a big job, but it is finally done. Now, we can re-focus on this project again. As you all probably know, the weather hasn’t been cooperating for spring planting and it doesn’t look like it will be for a few more weeks.

Nevertheless, we have been using this delay to layout our plans in more detail. We also have ordered all of our raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb, and asparagus plants/crowns, transplanted the bell pepper, eggplant, and tomato plants to larger trays (about 300 plants-see the pics), and are working on many other details such as hoop house, irrigation and various supply needs. We also hope to have a variety of fruit trees to put in the ground once it’s thawed.


Despite the challenges we have had to get to this point, we are so thankful for all God has provided to get this project established! Many who pledged for the GTA grant still donated their pledge, some even beyond their pledge, and we have more than enough funds to keep us very busy. Thank you to everyone for your continued support, and if you want to come get your hands dirty, we will have hundreds of plants to get in the dirt in May!

—Katie Harris

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Donor update

To all those who have pledged generously to Bear Canyon Farm:

First of all, we want to thank you for your support! We appreciate it so much. Second of all, we’d like to share an update.

On February 8th we made our proposal to the Growth Through Agriculture Grant Board. After a long two-week wait, we received a letter notifying us that Bear Canyon Farm had been denied the grant funding requested. There are a couple reasons for this: 1) the Growth Through Agriculture Grant board had five times more requests for funds than funding to disperse and; 2) Bear Canyon Farm was not in a priority category (this year the board focused on projects such as expanding businesses).

Although this was very disappointing news, we know God is leading in this project and will continue to provide as we move forward, according to His will and in His time. Again, thank you for your pledge and support as we applied for this grant.

The pledges were made on the condition that Bear Canyon Farm would receive the Growth Through Agriculture Grant. However, if you would still like to donate all or part of your pledge, we would certainly appreciate the support. If you choose to contribute, please make checks payable to “Bear Canyon Farm” and send your donation to: Bear Canyon Farm c/o Mount Ellis Academy, 3641 Bozeman Trail Rd, Bozeman, MT 59715.

Due to the snow, we haven’t yet been able to move to Bozeman. We hope to be able to break through the snow drifts starting mid-March and get settled! After March 31st, the Bear Canyon Farm mailing address will be: Bear Canyon Farm, 3271 Bozeman Trail Rd, Bozeman, MT  59715. Until then we will continue to use the Mount Ellis Academy address listed above.

Thank you again for your prayers and support!

Eric and Katie Harris  and
The Bear Canyon Farm Board

Please follow and share our Facebook page at facebook.com/bearcanyonfarm

Email us with any questions or comments!
We want to hear your thoughts:  bearcanyonfarm@gmail.com

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Donations/Grant update

WOW! Thank you so much to everyone for your generosity! We have received $7,190 in donations and $49,600 in conditional pledges for matching funds toward the GTA grant! Thank you all for your support! It is extremely encouraging to us as we establish Bear Canyon Farm.

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Grant applications update

We are excited to share that we have completed and submitted the GTA grant application! The date for when we give our final oral presentation before finding out whether or not we get funding has been postponed from December to February 8th or 9th.

Also, another grant application was completed and submitted that is through the Annie’s food company. It gives a number of Grants for Gardens, offering $3,000 for new applicants! It funds schools who want to have gardens and incorporate them into their curriculum. We will also find out in February if our application made the cut, so stay tuned! We will keep you all posted on what we learn in February!

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Tax exempt status approved

On October 24th our application was approved by the IRS for tax exempt status! Bear Canyon Farm is now an IRS-designated 501(c)3 organization. We are so thankful for how quickly our application was processed. All donations can now be made out directly to Bear Canyon Farm and will be tax deductible. At this time, please continue to send donations to the Mount Ellis Academy address until March, after the farm manager has moved there.

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Greenhouse frame donation

We are approaching the season of thankfulness and we are so grateful! Two greenhouse frames were recently donated to Bear Canyon Farm. We just finished dismantling them and will be putting them up on the farm this next spring. Many thanks to those who volunteered their time, tools, and/or equipment to help disassemble these greenhouses, we most definitely could not have done it without you:
– Wes and Joan Myhre
– Scott and Mandy Mcnair
– Randy McCann
– Keith and Gayle Harris
– Lowell, Casen, and Holden Harris
– Norm Susens
– Ryan Thompson
– Amber and Jason Anderson
– Mel Anderson
– Brian Nystrom
– Mount Ellis Academy Students: Kaleb, Ryan, Cayden, and Kendle
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Tax exempt status

Bear Canyon Farm was formed on May 25, 2017, as a nonprofit organization in the state of Montana. The organization’s application for tax exempt status under Section 501(c)3 is pending before the Internal Revenue Service. During this interim period, the organization can treat itself as exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3). However, contributors to the organization do not have advance assurance of deductibility because the organization’s exemption is pending.  If the organization ultimately qualifies for exemption for the period in which the contribution is made, the contribution will be tax-deductible by the donor.  Alternatively, if the organization ultimately does not qualify for exemption, then the contribution will not be tax deductible. We recommend consultation with a qualified tax professional if you have questions about tax deductible contributions.

Since it can take as long as a year for our IRS tax exempt status to be approved, we have arranged with Mount Ellis Academy to take donations so that it can be assured to be tax deductible while our application is pending. This is called a fiscal sponsor arrangement and it allows all donations that go through MEA to be tax deductible to the donor, regardless of Bear Canyon Farm’s status. We are considered a project under their tax-exempt status until we receive our own, as long as all of our activities remain in compliance with our fiscal sponsor contract. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding this arrangement.

NOTE: If you would like to learn more about fiscal sponsor agreements, please read the following link for more information:https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/fiscal-sponsorship-nonprofits

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Growth Through Agriculture Grant

We are applying for a 1-1 matching grant of up to $50,000 called the Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) Grant, and are hoping for support to get this project up and going! We have been informed that if we have pledges of financial support on the condition of receiving the GTA grant, in the form of letters of commitment/intent, it can increase our chances of receiving grant money. The deadline is November 15th for the application and we hope to know in December after an oral presentation if and how much we receive!

If you are able to pledge or donate, please send your pledge letter or check to Mount Ellis Academy and note on the check that this donation is for the Bear Canyon Farm Project. All donations given through Mount Ellis Academy are tax deductible. If you have questions or would like to know more about this project, call Eric Harris at (406) 750-1367 or email bearcanyonfarm@gmail.com

bearcanyonfarm@gmail.com

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Sample letter of intent

Use this sample to write a letter of intent to donate. Thank you for your pledge!

Download a sample letter of intent >

Please send letters of intent to donate to:

Mount Ellis Academy
3641 Bozeman Trail Road
Bozeman, MT  59715

OR
email to:

BearCanyonFarm@gmail.com

 

Note: Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Tax receipts will be issued upon receipt of payment. Questions regarding tax contributions should be referred to your tax advisor. Please make checks payable to “Mount Ellis Academy” and noted for “Bear Canyon Farm.”