Philanthropy

Are you a community group or not for profit or charity? Apply to the GRAS philanthropic committee to use one of the many great spaces on site. Are you looking for an event in the 6-acre in-field? Or perhaps need the parking lot… Do you want to host a gala at The GrandWay? Or perhaps have a market in the barn?

This form is to receive GIFT-IN-KIND support from GRAS only. For Gift-In-Kind and financial support, please fill out the Philanthropic Funding Application.

The GRAS Philanthropic Committee provides funding to non-profit community groups and initiatives that support agriculture, environmental conservation, and activities that promote improvements in the quality of rural life.

This application form is to receive FINANCIAL support and may also include any additional Gift In-Kind support requests from GRAS. For only GIFT IN-KIND support, please fill out the Gift In-Kind Application Form.

Applications are considered twice a year; accordingly, submission deadlines are March 31st and September 30th.

We accept applications from April 1, 2025, to March 1, 2026, or until all funds are allocated.

The Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS) launched the Rapid Response to Business Development (RRBD) Initiative to support their commitment to impact investing by creating long-term sustainability and fueling innovation in the Agriculture and Environmental sectors. The GRAS RRBD Initiative will provide up to $10,000 to support Ontario-based, agriculture, agri-food and agri-products businesses, as they work with established business connections to advance market opportunities and secure sales for their innovative products, processes or technologies.

Pitch your company at the next GRAS SPARK V4 Symposium!

Apply to be a pitch company at our next SPARK symposium, hosted at The GrandWay on April 15, 2025.

After 3 years of successful pitch presentations at the Grand River Agricultural Society’s Innovation Symposium, we are looking for companies that would like to participate. The goal of this event is to network with investors, highlight the extensive opportunities in agriculture and environmental business here in Canada, to create a space for industry collaboration, and provide a platform to showcase a select number of businesses in this space. In addition to the networking and connections, there will also be a “People’s Choice Award” with the winning recipient receiving $5,000. More details to come regarding this event…

Do you have a project that will benefit our local community? Need financial support for it? Since 2017, GRAS has awarded over $42,000 to over 47 recipients to help bring their projects to life.

Applications will open on March 1, 2025 and close on March 31, 2025.

The Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS) established this scholarship program to provide financial assistance to students within our community who are entering or enrolled in a college diploma or university degree, in agriculture and/or environment-related programs.

Applications open April 1, 2025 and close July 3, 2025.

The conference is November 23-25, 2025

This is a scholarship provided by the Grand River Agricultural Society to support students in the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) program at the University of Guelph. The Applicant MUST be an Ontario resident entering year 3 or 4 of the OVC program, in either the Rural Community Practice or Large Animal Practice stream.