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CONTACT: Rebecca Robinson
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas
512-327-7555 or 512-350-4621
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALL FOR ENTRIES
The Wine & Food Foundation announces applications available for 2008 grant program
Austin, Texas (December 1, 2007) – The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is now accepting applications for the 2008 Grants Awards Program in which up to $25,000 will be awarded to any Texan for innovative programs or projects in the culinary and viticulture arts.
Applications will be available at the Wine & Food Foundation website www.winefoodfoundation.org through February 15, 2008. Any Texas business, resident, or organization group involved with an educational project or program in wine or food is eligible to apply. The winners of the grants will be announced no later than May 1st.
The Grant Awards Program is one of the many ways in which The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas carries out its mission of education and excellence in the culinary and viticulture arts. The program was created in 2005 with the intention of providing an annual source of funds for educational and innovative projects in wine and food.
“The program was designed to be flexible in order to inspire applicants to think creatively and make a positive contribution to Texas’ culinary and viticulture heritage,” stated Buckner Hightower, Foundation President. “The diversity and imagination of the many applicants is encouraging and lets us know that there is a demonstrated need for this type of funding.”
This year the Wine & Food Foundation awarded $27,500 to three different recipients through the grant program. The Mexic-Arte museum received $2,500 for design, development and production of a new digital educational program for children entitled, Gift of the Gods. The program was created to educate children about the history and ancestry of Mexican American cuisine. Jane Nickles was awarded $5,000 for her new book entitled, When Wine Met Food, which will educate consumers on food and wine pairings.
The largest grant this year went to Ed Hellman, a Viticulture Extension Specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension. Dr. Hellman is a long-time researcher and national leader in viticulture holding a joint appointment with Texas Tech University. The Texas Cooperative Extension was awarded $20,000.00 for renovations for a state-of-the-science viticulture and enology research facility at the Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Lubbock.
Past Foundation award program grants include the Sustainable Food Center, which helped in part to fund the Austin Farmers’ Market; a children’s bilingual nutrition pilot, Papi’s Kitchen, and the development of a national web-based system used by grape growers and researchers for diagnosis of grapevine diseases. The Foundation also awarded $25,000.00 to KLRU-TV for the production of a film documentary produced by award-winning producer and director Tom Spencer, The Wine Roads of Texas, based upon Wes Marshall’s definitive guide on the Texas wine industry.
About The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is a statewide organization dedicated to recognizing and developing creativity, professionalism and state of the science research in all areas of the culinary and viticulture arts. The Foundation provides grants, scholarships and fellowships to outstanding individuals and other entities who achieve excellence in these areas. www.winefoodfoundation.org
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