On February 26 WWIF submitted a pre-proposal grant application to the Washington State Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to update Vinewise™ and Winerywise™ and two cost-of-production calculators (one for grapes, one for wine). If we’re successful, the WSDA will invite us to submit a full grant proposal for the project in April.
The project would first utilize industry stakeholders to identify and address considerations needed for updates to each component. A scan of sustainable wine growing and other agricultural initiatives and performance metrics will be provided and recommendations identified, informing content development for updates or retooling. Upon completion, leveraged outreach, through partnerships with specific industry media and the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers (WAWGG) will raise awareness of the tools and lead to greater adoption of best practices. Outreach includes the viticulture and enology spectrum through events, newsletters, and on demand access (including social media). The partnerships with trusted industry publications and WAWGG will feature a series of articles and presentations designed to share information as well as raise awareness of the tools and where to find them.
Amount Sought: $126,000
Date of Submittal: February 26, 2016
Project Timeline: September 30, 2016 – July 31, 2018