2026 Pasa Sustainable Conference
Scholarship & Workshare Application

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Eligibility



Overview
Thank you for your interest in attending Pasa's 35th annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference! We're looking forward to having you!

You received this link for financial support through a special invitation. Please do not share this link with anyone else.

If someone is interested in Pasa's Scholarship or Workshare program, they can visit pasafarming.org/conference to find out more about our financial assistance available to the general public.
Overview
Thank you for your interest in attending Pasa's 35th annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference! We're looking forward to having you!

Workshare
  • Anyone 16+ is eligible to participate in Workshare
  • Exchange 4+ hours for one day of registration ---or---
  • Exchange 8+ hours for two days of registration
  • New in 2026! Lunch is included in registration!
  • Most Workshare hours take place during the conference, with a few options before the conference. It is expected that you will miss some of the conference to complete your required hours.
  • There's no limit on how many years you can request Workshare support.
Scholarship
  • Must be an aspiring, beginning, or established farmer interested in learning about and incorporating new sustainable practices into your operation.
  • Must be 16+. While we are unable to provide full scholarships to the kid's program, we can offer a discounted rate to the kid's program, upon request.
  • Scholarship support covers registration (which includes lunch and a continental breakfast break daily).
  • Unless otherwise specified below, scholarship funds do not cover transportation to/from the conference, lodging, or dinners, or meals while traveling. We recommend joining the Ride & Room Share forum to offer or request support.
Farmers may request a combination of Workshare and Scholarship.
Non-farmers may only request Workshare.

Applications are due no later than December 20, 2025 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
 
We anticipate running out of scholarship funds this year, so if you can participate in the Workshare program, it will help extend our dollars further and allow Pasa to support even more folks to attend the conference!
Contact Information








Email will be our primary means of contacting you leading up to the conference. A mobile phone is very helpful if you participate in the Workshare program.






Additional Information
We do not use demographic information to decide who receives scholarships from Pasa. Instead, we use the demographic information as a whole to make sure our systems and processes are equitable and accessible across a broad range of individuals. 





Support
Check all of the following that you would like to request or apply for:
I would like to request...
Homesteaders, gardeners, and students who are not actively pursuing a career in farming are ineligible for scholarship funding and should only select Workshare.
Workshare Specific Information
Pasa couldn't complete all of the conference work without Workshare and Volunteers! The Workshare program is open to any adult. Hours worked are exchanged for registration for the conference. Please be cautious with your commitments and only sign up for what you can be present for.

Our needs include:
  • Setup/Breakdown (packing/unpacking boxes, moving equipment, etc.)
  • Moderating Sessions
  • Checking in attendees
  • Assisting at meals
  • Answering attendee questions
  • Restocking the book nook area
  • ...and more!
A 4-hour commitment equal 1 day of conference registration fees AND can be combined with scholarship funding (if eligible).

An 8-hour commitment equals 2 days of conference registration fees.

After your request has been approved, you will receive an email with more information and a link to sign up for specific volunteer shifts.
Scholarship Specific Information
To be eligible for Scholarship funds you must meet the following criteria:
  1. Be an aspiring or beginning farmer OR an established farmer interested in learning about and incorporating new sustainable practices into your operation.
  2. Show a need for continuing education.
  3. Demonstrate a financial need. (We assume that anyone requesting scholarships has a financial need.)
Homesteaders, gardeners, and students who are not actively pursuing a career in farming are ineligible for scholarship funding. Non-farmers may participate in the Workshare program.



Please describe your farming experience.
  • What kind of farm do you work on?
  • Do you own the land, rent from someone, or work for someone else?
  • How does sustainability factor into your farming currently?
  • If you're planning to start a farm, what's your timeline? Where are you in the process?
Response should be less than 150 words.



Total Days Requested

day(s) of financial support.
Oops!
You have selected more than two days of financial support. Please go back and adjust your requests to no more than two days TOTAL (between both Workshare and Scholarships).

Travel support
You may request either a mileage reimbursement (based on the 2025 Federal Mileage Reimbursement rate) or the cost of public transportation (bus or train).

If you are carpooling with others to the conference (woohoo! 👏) only one person (the driver of the carpool) may submit a request for mileage reimbursement.

The specific funds that can cover mileage require documentation support.

For mileage, an image of a map showing your starting and ending location can act as documentation. For example, enter your starting address and 25 S Queen St, Lancaster, PA as the ending address. It's important that the image shows 
  • visual map containing the entire route
  • number of miles for the ONE WAY trip
Tip: Print to PDF a (Google) Map direction with the map and route detail.

For other transportation (e.g. bus, train), an image of the ticket(s) must be uploaded. It's important that the image shows
  • the full cost (including taxes)
  • the starting and ending destination
  • the dates of travel

Mileage reimbursement

(We limit miles to 360 one way)
Mileage reimbursement is calculated as:
one-way miles
x 2 (to account for your return trip)
x $0.70 (the 2025 Federal Mileage reimbursement rate)

$

Public transportation reimbursement
Note that Pasa only reimburses tolls at the EZ Pass rate.

Include all legs of the round-trip


Other travel


Include all legs of the round-trip

Lodging support
You may request lodging support for up to two nights, unless otherwise specified. The nightly maximum is $179/night + taxes and fees = $199. This is based on the lodging block at Marriott Lancaster.

Find all lodging information here.

If you are sharing lodging with others to the conference (woohoo! 👏) only one person may submit a request for lodging reimbursement.

The specific funds that can cover lodging require documentation support.

For lodging, an image showing the nights reserved and the total price (including tax) is required.





Meals support
New for 2026! Continental breakfast and lunch is included in registration costs!

Meal reimbursement is capped at $50 per person to cover dinner(s) and any meals while traveling.
  • Meals include food, drinks, taxes, and tips. 
  • We will not reimburse for alcohol.
  • Meal costs must be reasonable and customary. 
    • Example: One $50 dinner is not reasonable.
    • Example: $15 lunch while traveling + $25 dinner is reasonable.

The specific funds that can cover meals requires documentation support.

We will email you a link to upload a copy of your itemized meal receipts. We will not be able to reimburse you until those receipts are provided.



Stipend support
The specific funds that can cover stipends require an invoice as support documentation.
The invoice must include
  • Your name
  • The amount requested
  • The event/reason e.g. "2026 Pasa Conference"



Discounted Kid's Registration
We know that lack of childcare can be a barrier to participate in our conference.

There is a robust children's program that happens on-site during Pasa's Sustainable Agriculture Conference. Children Kindergarten through 8th grade have a great time learning and building friendships.

$65 for one day | $120 for two days

For those younger than Kindergarten, we do not offer programming or childcare. However, these is a toddler room stocked with toys and soft furniture. The door closes and there's an attached bathroom. Children must be attended at all times.

If requested, we can offer a $65 credit toward registration for each child K-8.


Reimbursement Information
If approved, you may choose to be reimbursed by
  • ACH (Direct deposit into your checking or savings account) (estimated 5 days after conference, if all documentation is provided and accurate)
  • Check mailed to you (estimated 14 days after conference, if all documentation is provided and accurate)

Payment will not be available for on-site pick up at the conference!

All documentation must be provided and accurate before reimbursement can be sent.



ACH Information
Example check





Oops!
You have not selected any financial support for registration. Please go back and adjust your requests to at least 1 day, but no more than 2 days total (between both Workshare and Scholarships).

Next steps- Approval
After submitting your application, our aim is to respond to requests within 2 weeks.

Our response email will contain important information like how to register and any other details we may require from you.

Please do not submit additional scholarship requests since this will further slow down the review process.
Next steps- Sign up for shifts
After submitting your application, you will be redirected to the WorkShare sign up form.

Please be cautious with your commitments and only sign up for what you can be present for.

Our needs include:
  • Setup/Breakdown (packing/unpacking boxes, moving equipment, etc.)
  • Moderating Sessions
  • Checking in attendees
  • Assisting at meals
  • Answering attendee questions
  • Restocking the book nook area
  • ...and more!
Unless otherwise noted, all volunteer shifts take place on-site at the Lancaster County Convention Center 25 S Queen St, Lancaster, PA.

The link to sign up for shifts will also be emailed to you. Please sign up for your required hours within one week.

After you sign up for your required workshare hours, you will receive an email with details on how to register for the conference. That email and link will be specific to you. The registration link is a manual process and may take up to 7 days from the time you add required volunteer shifts until you receive your registration link. 
Pasa's Conference is data-driven. We use the information provided in the evaluations to guide programming for the following years. Please help us collect the necessary information by completing an evaluation at the end of the conference.

Contact Information