2026-120-E-County Mgr-Red Hawk Farm-Renewable Energy Infrastructure for the Future of Farms

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Please explain how your project can still be successful if you don't receive the full requested amount. (200 word limit) Red Hawk Farm has a unique window to maximize current funding opportunities: commercial tax credits for solar installation are only available for projects that begin construction by July 4, 2026, and are in operation by December 31, 2027. At the same time, our USDA REAP application to help with solar and geothermal installations has passed the technical review phase; earlier this year there was a pause in environmental reviews (the final step before fund distribution), but those environmental reviews have restarted as of July 2025. W hile both tax credits and a USDA REAP grant will make solar and geothermal energy possible on the farm, both are reimbursement based and require significant upfront investment. Additionally, both solar and geothermal require three-phase energy installation on the farm before any additional work can happen. And both funding sources do NOT cover installation of this critical three-phase energy infrastructure. Red Hawk Farm will consider loans or other payment options in order to move forward with the exciting solar and geothermal opportunities on the horizon, even if the full requested funding is not provided. But this will prove a significant hurdle and additional financial burden for this sustainably- oriented, labor-oriented local agricultural operation. Section D. Scored Criteria Criterion 1 - Social Justice and Racial Equity This criterion has a maximum score of 6 points (out of a total of 26 points). D1. W ho will directly or indirectly benefit from your project? Please be as specific as possible on the characteristics of those who will benefit including, gender, race, age, income level and geographic location. (200 word limit) RHF employees will benefit most directly through wage growth by reducing annual operating expenses directly through this project. Our employees can be characterized as 64% women, 64% from immigrant communities, and 25% living within OC. As agricultural employees in a low-margin, low-wage industry, many employees are classified as members of low-income households. We currently pay 60% of our employees a living wage, and an additional 10% a minimum of $16/hour. W e are passionate about achieving and exceeding a baseline living wage as soon as possible. RHF has been awarded a multi-year contract as a key produce supplier of Durham Public Schools, which has more than 32,000 attendees, of which 46% are considered to be of low-income or marginalized communities. Our marketing plan places emphasis on entry into additional public school systems, including Orange County Schools, and public institutions to enable our food to be as accessible as possible as we continue operational expansion. W e recently hired a k12 school food expert as part of our team to facilitate this work. D2. W hat are the demographics of the area where your project takes place? (150 word limit) Red Hawk Farm is located in Hurdle Mills in Orange County. When comparing the specific Hurdle Mills census tract to Orange County as a whole, Hurdle Mills residents' median income is 14% lower, and they are 51% less likely than Orange County residents as a whole to have a Bachelors degree or higher. The farm is located in a rural area, as determined by the USDA (https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/rural-designation). D3. Does your project help to address any racial disparities in the location it is proposed for? (200 word limit) According to the US Department of Labor, 70% of farm workers are foreign-born, with the majority of those identifying as Hispanic. Farm worker wages are a racial justice issue; by reducing RHF’s reliance on costly fossil fuels, we will be able to redirect funds to thriving wages for our majority- Hispanic farm team. D4. Please list any data sources used in reference to D1, D2, and D3 and show the steps of any calculations. (300 word limit) Data pulled from existing employee information. Demographic calculations (gender, foreign-born, OC resident) were based on number of employees in that category out of a total of 28 staff including farm staff, office staff, and owners. Census Track Data Comparison (Orange County NC vs. 27541) https://data.census.gov/all?q=ZIP+27541+(Hurdle+Mills,+NC)&g=860XX00US27541 Farm W orker Demographics https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/research/publications/findings-national-agricultural-workers- survey-naws-2019- 2020#:~:text=In%202019%2D2020%2C%2063%20percent,had%20health%20insurance%20(48%25) D4a. Optional file upload to show the steps of any calculations. Docusign Envelope ID: 1EDD1EF6-0E3A-40E1-B431-94002662BCDF