The Bertha M. Rankin Trust was managed by trustees until 2024. The Attorney General of California assigned Kern Community Foundation the estate’s remaining assets to distribute to Kern County nonprofit organizations. Ms. Rankin’s wishes were that the assets support employed and unemployed farmworkers in Kern County. The funds must be fully distributed by 2027. The grant’s primary focus is to support unemployed and employed farmworkers.
General Information
Who Can Apply
- 501(c)3 public charity, or an organization fiscally sponsored by a 501c(c)3. If an organization is using a fiscal sponsor, they must provide partnership history.
- Registered with Kern Community Foundation
- Current with GuideStar Transparency rating
- All organizations applying for a grant must be current on reporting obligations for past KCF grants.
What are the focus areas?
The KCF Farmworker Grant supports unemployed and employed farm workers in Kern County.
Support can include:
- Family Support: Help for spouses, children, or dependents
- Education: Scholarships, tutoring, or job training programs
- Healthcare: Medical, dental, or mental health services
- Housing: Affordable housing or temporary shelter
- Food Assistance: Meal programs or food distribution
- Childcare: Affordable or subsidized childcare
- Legal Aid: Help with immigration or workers’ rights
- Emergency Relief: Support during disasters or emergencies
- Job Support: Job placement or skills training programs
- Transportation: Help with transportation for work or healthcare
When to apply:
| 2025 Request for Letter of Intent available | February 3, 2025 |
| Letter of Intent Due | April 1, 2025 |
| Invitations to apply for full proposals | April 11, 2025 |
| Grant applications due | May 11, 2025 |
| Grant decisions announced | approx. May 30, 2025 |
| Grant funding period | June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026 |
| Interim Reports due | approx. December 2025 |
| Final Reports due | approx. May 30, 2026 |
How do we apply?
- Applicants are required to submit an application through KCF’s online grant portal.
- Search for the Kern Community Foundation Farmworker LOI application.
- Log in or create an account for new users.
- Click the “apply” button to begin.
Grant Guidelines
- Maximum Award: $50,000 per organization
- Grant Period: 2025 – 2027, each year will grant no less than $100,000
- Project Budget: Overhead costs are limited to a maximum of 5% of the total requested funds.
Grantee Reporting
Grant recipients must submit an interim and final report through the grant portal.
Questions?
Contact us at info@kernfoundation.org or 661-325-5346.