Alabama State Association of Cooperative provides outreach and assistance to farmers in retaining and expanding their landholdings, accessing and fully utilizing USDA programs and supporting cooperative development in the state..
Federation of Southern Cooperatives is a catalyst for the development of self-supporting communities through cooperative economic development, land retention, and advocacy.
Mississippi Association of Cooperatives serves farming families and communities by providing technical assistance and advocating for the needs of cooperatives, including networking, sustainable production, marketing, and community food security.
National Black Food and Justice Alliance is a coalition of Black-led organizations aimed at developing Black leadership, supporting Black communities, organizing for Black self-determination, and building institutions for Black food sovereignty & liberation.
Southeastern African American Farmers Organic Network is a network of Black farmers committed to advancing ecologically sustainable practices in the Southeastern U.S. and U.S. Virgin Islands, and cultivating liberatory approaches to land stewardship and agriculture by promoting the links between Black farming, Black history, and Black culture.
Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Social and Economic Justice, is a collective of women leaders across Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia dedicated to lifting up Black women and families in rural, impoverished areas.
Mississippi Center for Cultural Production, supports community development from the ground up through cultural production focused on self-determination and agency designed by and for us in the belief that history, culture, and food affirm our individual and collective humanity.
Gainesville Health & Wellness Center Service Cooperative of West Alabama: Rural Youth Alliance – An innovative youth after-school life skills initiative serving ten middle school students with a curriculum focused on financial literacy, communication, and critical thinking; civic engagement through volunteerism and community projects; basic automotive maintenance and repair; agricultural education in gardening and sustainability; and survival skills training in first aid, preparedness, and outdoor techniques.
Panola Land Buyers Association $125,000
Wilcox County Community Garden Project – Cultivation of a community-led garden and youth container gardening program in Wilcox County, Alabama, alongside nutrition classes, cooking workshops, and a Women in Ag initiative. Plans also include developing a shared-use commercial kitchen for food processing, storage, and community meal preparation.
SRBWI / Bama Kids, Inc. $100,000
Federation of Southern Cooperatives: Gainesville Telehealth Implementation – Expanding rural healthcare access in Gainesville, Alabama, through the acquisition of an OnMed CareStation Telehealth kiosk at the Gainesville Health & Wellness Center. The kiosk will provide remote diagnostic and clinical consultations, reduce emergency room reliance, and increase preventative care for low-income residents.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF $200,000
Fox Fire Ranch: Intergenerational Land Transfer Work – Completing and implementing a comprehensive Operations & Sustainability Plan to guide the intergenerational transition of Foxfire Ranch, a family-owned cultural and agricultural site in northern Mississippi.
Mississippi Presenters Network $25,000
Utica Food Club – A resident-led initiative to address food insecurity in Utica through fresh produce access, community workshops, and the development of a consumer cooperative.
The Mississippi Center for Cultural Production (AKA Sipp Culture) $35,000
Main Street Cultural Center – For the renovation and opening of a cultural hub in downtown Utica, featuring a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, performance venue, and arts programming space.
The Mississippi Center for Cultural Production (AKA Sipp Culture) $100,000
Fountain Heights Cooperative, LLC: Fountain Heights Farms Coop – Expanding urban farming in Birmingham’s Fountain Heights neighborhood through water infrastructure on 10 new plots, farmer training, and USDA grant management support.
OurSpace World, Inc. $135,000
Mystic Roots Medicinal Herb Farm & Wellness Space – For the renovation of a historic 1920s store into the Hogg Hummock Artisan Market and Herbal Apothecary, the development of a wellness retreat space, and the expansion of food and herb production; to ensure the protection and continuation of Gullah Geechee traditions on Sapelo Island.
Mystic Roots Foundation, Inc. $45,000
Mileston Cooperative Association: Expanding Infrastructure for Vegetable Production and Distribution – For upgrading processing facilities, expanding storage, and adding 50 acres of farmland to increase vegetable production and distribution capacity in Holmes County, Mississippi.
Come As You Are Community Church $100,000
Southern Rural Black Women in Agriculture Cooperative – Strengthening a women-led agricultural cooperative that aggregates production, provides GAP certification, and connects farmers to markets through the Crossroads Commercial Kitchen and Food Hub.
SRBWI $100,000
Alabama State Association of Cooperatives: Labor Force Development – Training for 4–5 young people in agricultural business operations by pairing them with experienced professionals in Alabama’s Black Belt.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF $135,000
Mississippi Association of Cooperatives: Improving Agriculture through Drone Technology – For introducing and training on drone technology to support cooperative farmers in Mississippi with crop monitoring, precision mapping, and pest management.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF $30,000
Hoop House Face Lift – For retrofitting a hoop house with a solar-powered irrigation and temperature regulation system to enable year-round production in Tuskegee, Alabama. The project will provide hands-on training for local land stewards, reduce crop losses from extreme temperatures, and increase productivity of high-value plants.
Nature’s Garden for Victory and Peace, Inc. $25,000
Alabama State Association of Cooperatives / Federation of Southern Cooperatives: Memorial Legacy Project – The development of a master plan for the Federation’s Memorial Legacy Project at the Rural Training and Research Center in Alabama, to honor grassroots leaders through remembrance spaces, orchards, trails, and archival storytelling.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/LAF $35,000
Southern Agrarian Youth Network – To organize quarterly political education calls, an annual gathering, and skill shares for young Black agrarians across the South; including the hosting of a gathering with sponsored attendance and connecting youth amongst the SBFCLF network.
SAAFON $125,000
Afroecology Process: Watermelon Convergence – To stimulate, grow, and sustain the culture and legacy of Black agrarians through: a three-day retreat focused on farmer organizing, marketing, distribution and cultural practice; and a learning exchange at Indian Springs Cooperative where farmers converge to participate in collective work, seed exchange, market analysis, cultural & political exchange and storytelling.
SAAFON $20,000
Southern Black Agrarian Organizing Institute: Strategic Development Retreat – For convening partners from across the South to design a Southern Black Agrarian Organizing Institute; focused on building alignment around Black agrarian traditions, climate justice, and food sovereignty while creating pathways for youth leadership and intergenerational skill sharing.
SAAFON $10,000
Holtzclaw Farmers Conference & Ag Expo – Funds will be used for the annual agricultural forum honoring the legacy of William H. Holtzclaw and the Utica Normal and Industrial School; providing farmers and students with educational workshops, keynote speakers, and demonstrations on sustainable agriculture and emerging technologies.
The Mississippi Center for Cultural Production (AKA Sipp Culture) $7,000
The fund now welcomes funding from a broad array of donors to continue to support rural Black community self determination throughout the Black Belt region.