Use this scholarship fund to attend workshops such as (but by no means limited to):
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project's Business of Farming Conference

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Sustainable Agriculture Conference

Sustainable Agriculture Summit

National Conference on Next Generation Sustainable Technologies for Small Scale Producers

​Organic Growers' School Spring Conference

About the Scholarship

The Betsy Lawson Willis Education Scholarship was launched in 2023 to continue the legacy of BRWIA’s founding mothers, who believed in the abilities of women to build a stronger, more resilient local food system and achieve meaningful careers in agriculture. Thanks to a generous donation from a local nonprofit, Numina, BRWIA was able to establish an endowment fund that will establish this scholarship as a lasting resource in our community for years to come. Supporting women in agriculture and fostering an environment where women can access resources to make them stronger, more capable business owners is a central pillar to BRWIA’s work. ​
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Each year, this scholarship will be awarded to eligible women farmers, to help them pursue education that supports their careers. Applicants must be actively pursuing careers in agriculture, if not farming or working in agriculture at the time of application.

The application is currently closed for 2023. Applications will reopen on January 1st, 2024.

​Application Guidelines
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Application Scoring Rubric

​View a sample application

Apply Here

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Past Educational Scholarship Awardees

2023
With funding from the Betsy Lawson Willis Female Farmer Education Scholarship, BRWIA was able to supplement registration costs for five female farmers to pursue education opportunities to further their careers:

• Nora Rodli (owner of Laughing Spring Farm) and Monica Gowan (Against the Grain Farm employee) attended the Valle Crucis Wild Herb Weekend
• Brooke Kornegay (Springhouse Farm manager) attended Twisted Tree Farm's Abundant Propagation (Level 2) course
• Cory Wellborn (owner of Covered Creek Flower Farm) attended Flower Farming School Online: Bulbs, Perennials, Woodies, and More!
  
• Gail Rutledge (Against the Grain Farm employee) is attending the 2023 Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Sustainable Agriculture Conference

​2016
With funding from Women's Fund of the Blue Ridge and Heifer USA, BRWIA was able to supplement some registration costs for seven female farmers to go to various conferences and trainings that helped them refine and develop their skill sets. These farmers are:

• Caroline Hampton (Octopus Gardens), Lisa Redman (Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm), and Melinda Brown (The Never Ending Farm) went to NC Choices Women Working in the Meat Business Conference
• Susan Owen (The Lily Patch Farm) went to the International PawPaw Conference in Kentucky
• Kara Dodson (Full Moon Farm) will be able to attend the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) Conference in November happening in Durham, NC
• Susan Wright (Shady Grove Gardens) will be able to attend the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers National Conference in November happening in Michigan
• Holly Whitesides (Against the Grain Farm) will be able to take a 5-month Biodynamic Webinar Series titled "Digging Deeper, Cosmic and Earthly Evolution to Farmers"

In 2011 and 2012, we were able to partner with agricultural organizations and offer farmer scholarships to regional sustainable agriculture conferences.   

2012
With the support of the Organic Growers School and AgraQuest, we were able to help Meredith Duke of Ripshin Goat Dairy attend the 2012 Organic Growers School Conference in Asheville. 

2011
Ann Rose and Holly Whiteshides received free registration and lodging for Southern SAWG’s 2011 Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference in Chattanooga, TN. Diane Baker and Dorene Jankowski received scholarships to attend the 2011 Organic Growers School Conference in Asheville, NC.