SyRAP is directed by the organization Refugee & Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension. We build partnerships with a number of organizations in Central New York to make SyRAP possible.
Partner Organizations
SyRAP’s agriculture educators are contracted through Cornell Cooperative Extension – Onondaga County. CCE-OC offers research-based education programs in gardening, agriculture, nutrition, community development, and natural resources, and provides additional support for the program through access to experts within the Agriculture College and School of Human Dynamics.
SyRAP’s urban community gardens are made possible with support from the Greater Syracuse Land Bank. The Land Bank transforms vacant properties into meaningful community spaces that improve the quality of life and economic conditions of those involved. RISE’s three community gardens are located on properties acquired with the assistance of the Land Bank.
SyRAP is engaged in an 18-month feasibility study with the food system consulting company Food Works Group. The project is examining the viability of and providing strategic direction for the development of a food hub and farm incubator program at SyRAP’s new farm property in Lacona.
Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA) is advocate for equitable community food systems in Central New York. SOFSA supports SyRAP through networking, facilitating community-wide planning, and program evaluation.
Syracuse Grows is a coalition of urban community gardens in Syracuse. Syracuse Grows publicly advocates for and provides general support for community gardens across the City of Syracuse, including SyRAP’s gardens on the Northside.
Grant partners
The USDA’s Agriculture and Marketing Service funds the Local Food Promotion Program to expand and strengthen local food systems. SyRAP is conducting an 18-month feasibility study on our newly acquired farm property in Lacona, NY through funding from this program.
The USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture funds the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. SyRAP’s farm and garden education programs have received funding from this program.
NIFA also funds the Community Food Projects Grant Program. SyRAP’s goat farm received funding through this program and has allowed for both training of New Americans in goat production, sales, and slaughter, and increases the accessibility of culturally appropriate, geographically accessible, and affordable goat meat for the greater Syracuse community.
The Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, funds the Refugee Agriculture Partnership Program. SyRAP received a grant from RAPP in 2022 to continue to pursue expansion of its agriculture program on our new farmland in Lacona.
Community partners
SyRAP is supported with additional funding from a variety of community partners:
Onondaga Small Business Development Center | TNT Northside | Bank of America | Excellus | Oswego County Community Foundation
The Syracuse Refugee Agricultural Program (SyRAP) is a program of Refugee & Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE)
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