where to get grants?

[Beorn]

We purchased a farm a year and a half ago. My wife and I are having a pretty good go at it and learn stuff every day. OUr problem is the barn roof blew off in the winter and estimates range from 6 to 10K to fix. The barn is very old and we were wondering if there are any grants specific to saving old barns. Or does anyone have any good resources where I could research such a beast.

Michael

[ozarkcat]

The Farm Service Agency (branch of the USDA) may be able to help, especially if it was during a storm that made the area be declared a disaster area (like the Missouri ice storm last winter).

[Common Tator]

I only know where to find one Grant. Grant's tomb!

You need a farm/ranch insurance policy. Not a standard homeowners policy.

[Beeman]

Nothing like working toward self sufficiency.

[Chixarecute]

You could perhaps, check with a State Historical Society, but buildings they want to preserve end up having all sorts of strings attached.

[texican]

Is it over two hundred years old? Did Washington sleep there? Something famous happen nearby?

Like chixarecute said, if you did get a grant of some sort, they probably wouldn't let you use it as a barn.

Afraid your best recourse is to talk to a bank... or get second, third, or fourth jobs.

Have you tried our friend, Google? If you ask just right, if there's an answer, it'll usually tell you...

[rambler]

I would love to have my buildings fixed up too on my farm.

Alas, they are my buildings, & I'm the one who has to foot the bill to do it.

I'm not sure if you would like the results of a poll taken here: Should the govt spend my money to fix up your barn? You might want to think about it in that light....


Neighbor's old old barn got a 90mph blast of wind a couple years ago (so did my plave, I lost many trees in the grove but the saved the buildings, I didn't lose any!). It would have taken $20,000 to save, the wind lifted the roof up, moved it back 4 feet, and dropped it back on the barn. No one could figure out a way to get the roof back to where it belonged. Crane operators said they would try, but at great expense, and couldn't promise what wwould happen when the roof was lifted up to the rest of the barn. There was other 'minor' damage as well, but the roof deal was the killer.

He's selling it off by the board, think he is down to the big beams now. He was pretty disappointed, he is restoring the buildings one at a time, and these 2 large dairy barns were next on his list. I shoulda said, the largest oldest poorest dairy barn was leveled, this other better shape slightly smaller dairy barn had the major roof damage.

Anyhow, you likely could find some engineering help and ideas from the usual govt sources, but as for materials and labor, I think that should be your insurance or bank account to be fair?

--->Paul

[Terri]

Do you have any kind of insurance? I know that our homeowners insurance includes "outbuildings".

[blufford]

As Texican suggested I asked google (grant money to fix barns) and there is quite a bit of information. I would have researched it futher if you had put the location of the barn in your query.

[Common Tator]

Most homeowners policies will not cover farms or ranches of any kind. The proper type of insurance to get is a farm/ranch policy.

We own a ranch and we also have a house in town. Our farm ranch policy actually costs less than the homeowners policy. It covers the house/contents and outbuildings, liability for our livestock, coverage for our tractor and implements. If you had a farm/ranch policy, insurance would be buying you a new roof for your barn.

[WisJim]

We have an old barn that desperately needs a roof, and is going to cost $10k to $11k to get a good metal roof installed. The money is coming from a personal "grant" called our "savings account". I would love to have the money come from some other source, but it is our barn, our farm, and our responsibility to either fix it so it is good for another 100 years, or let it go to wrack and ruin.

[Old_Grey_Mare]

We put a new steel roof on an old log barn this year for under $2000. Turned it into a place where we can actually store hay instead of an open roof. Was cheaper than building a new hay barn.

Mary

[tomstractormag]

My thoughts on grants,
Unless you are given money from a private Individual or Business it is just another from of Welfare.
My tax dollars do not need to be spent fixing, building or in any way providing for someone else.
I also cannot imagine with government involvment there would not be strings attached and probably most of the money goes to running the program anyhow.
People of this country need to stand on their own two feet and not expect someone else to bail them out at every turn.
That being said there is nothing wrong with neighbors helping neighbors.
Tom

[rambler]

Now, if you are looking for help with design, or where to find folks to help, I'd start at the local extension office. They could probably give you the right places to ask.

Outright grants for doing the work - that probably only happens if you are donating the building to some historical orginization, or if you are converting the building into a business that will draw tax dollars into the community.

I suspect you have an old barn, and rather than see it fall all to pieces you'd like to fix it up but have no particular need for it - be handy for storage & all.

Those types of things don't probably qualify for a grant to put money in your pocket. But you can find ideas & thinking help from the various govt agencies.

Welcome to this place, looks like you are new here, & I know my first message & many of the others might be a little negative sounding, not real friendly. We tend to be an honest bunch, that comes out a little bold sometimes, but we enjoy the conversation & hope you stick around.

--->Paul