Agroecology Fund
The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled philanthropic fund, founded in 2011, that awards grants to grassroots organizations advancing agroecology in 102 countries through a participatory governance model led by movement-embedded advisors and long-term partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Agroecology Fund does
The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled philanthropic fund founded in 2011 and fiscally sponsored by Global Greengrants Fund, supporting grassroots agroecology movements worldwide. It distributes grants through a participatory model in which Advisors and Funders embedded in agroecology networks nominate grantees, review proposals, and recommend a final docket reconciled by a multi-stakeholder Executive Committee that includes four long-term partners (Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa; La Via Campesina–GRAIN–ETC Group; Groundswell International West Africa; International Indian Treaty Council). Since 2012 it has awarded $41 million+ across 756 grants in 102 countries, with 55+ active funders and over 80% of incoming resources directed to the grant program.
Core products are organized around the Global Grantmaking Program (main grants of US$50,000 for 12-18 months and US$150,000 for 18-24 months), four Regional Funds (Fondo Agroecológico para la Península de Yucatán established 2020; Bharat Agroecology Fund established 2022; Eastern and West Africa funds in incubation), and Special Initiatives including the Grassroots Evidence for Agroecology e-course (developed with Statistics for Sustainable Development) and Participatory Research in Agroecology (IPA Global). Revenue is derived entirely from philanthropic contributions, with no endowment, and the fund operates with a slim, globally distributed staff of roughly 1-10 people plus a broader advisor and partner network. The organization co-convenes the Agroecology Coalition and co-developed the Agroecology Investment Tracking Tool in 2023, positioning it as both a grantmaker and a standards-setter within agroecology philanthropy.
Agroecology Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Agroecology Fund
- Legal name
- The Agroecology Fund
- Website
- https://agroecologyfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled philanthropic fund, founded in 2011, that awards grants to grassroots organizations advancing agroecology in 102 countries through a participatory governance model led by movement-embedded advisors and long-term partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Agroecology Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropic Grantmaking Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)
Keywords
Where Agroecology Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Agroecology Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grant Funding: The Agroecology Fund receives contributions from a diverse community of donors including foundations, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, and individual philanthropists. Donor community includes over 55 active funders. The fund does not have an endowment and depends on annual fundraising success.
- Pooled Fund Grantmaking: The fund pools resources from multiple donors and makes grants to agroecology movements worldwide through a participatory grantmaking process.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Agroecology Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled philanthropic fund that channels resources to grassroots organizations advancing agroecology across Practice, Science, and Movement-Building dimensions. It allocates grants ranging from US$50,000 to US$150,000 through a participatory grantmaking process overseen by an Advisory Board of movement-embedded advisors, and complements grantmaking with regional funds, evidence-building programs, and learning exchanges.
Product overview
Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled grantmaking fund that supports agroecological solutions around the globe. The organization operates through its core Global Grantmaking Program, which awards grants between US$50,000-$150,000 to collaborating organizations advancing agroecology across Practice, Science, and Movement-Building dimensions. It supplements this with four Regional Funds (Mexico/FAPY, India/BAF, Eastern Africa, West Africa) that provide territorially-based financing and learning tools for grassroots organizations. Special Initiatives include Grassroots Evidence for Agroecology (a free multi-lingual e-course developed with Statistics for Sustainable Development), Participatory Research in Agroecology (IPA Global) for multi-country research, and Learning and Exchange Platforms including global and regional learning exchanges. The fund leverages over 55 active funders and has awarded $41 million through 756 grants in 102 countries since 2012.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fondo Agroecológico para la Península de Yucatán (FAPY): Regional agroecology fund for the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, operated by Túumben K'óoben Cooperative
- Bharat Agroecology Fund (BAF)
- Grassroots Evidence for Agroecology (GEA)
- Participatory Research in Agroecology (IPA Global)
Products and services
- Global Grantmaking Program
- Regional Agroecology Funds (FAPY, BAF, Eastern Africa, West Africa)
- Grassroots Evidence for Agroecology (GEA)
- Participatory Research in Agroecology (IPA Global)
- Learning and Exchange Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- $41 million+ granted between 2012-2025 through 756 grants in 102 countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Agroecology Fund
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Agroecology Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Agroecology Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Agroecology CoalitioncoreA multilateral partnership with which the Agroecology Fund co-launched the Agroecology Investment Tracking Tool in 2023 to assess investments against the 13 Principles of Agroecology. The fund has co-convened donors for seven years to align investments behind agroecology.
- Statistics for Sustainable DevelopmentcoreProvides technical support for the Grassroots Evidence for Agroecology (GEA) program, helping develop the multi-lingual e-course for grantees to build evidence-based cases for agroecology.
- Fondo Agroecológico para la Península de Yucatán (FAPY)coreFirst regional agroecology fund established by AEF in 2020 with financial support from Kellogg Foundation. Operated by local partner Túumben K'óoben Cooperative serving Mayan communities in Yucatán Peninsula.
- Bharat Agroecology Fund (BAF)coreRegional Agroecology Fund in India established in 2022, hosted by Bharathiya Vikas Trust (BVT). Aims to shift 20% of small/marginal farmers toward agroecology-based ecosystems by 2030.
- Eastern and West Africa Regional FundscoreRegional financing and learning tools supporting agroecology networks across Eastern and West Africa. In incubation stage, designed to offer donors a way to fund grassroots organizations critical to scaling agroecology.
- Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA)coreLong-term partner representing 30 members across 50 African countries including smallholder farmers, pastoralists, Indigenous peoples, and environmentalists. Serves on AEF Executive Committee.
- La Via Campesina – GRAIN – ETC GroupcoreLong-term partner collaborative that defends and amplifies peasant-led agroecology and seeds agendas globally and in farmers' fields. Serves on AEF Executive Committee.
- Groundswell International West AfricacoreLong-term partner that coalesces agroecological work of grassroots community groups and organizations in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal. Serves on AEF Executive Committee.
- International Indian Treaty CouncilcoreLong-term partner network of Indigenous Peoples from the Americas and Pacific working for sovereignty, self-determination, and recognition of Indigenous Food Systems. Serves on AEF Executive Committee.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Agroecology Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Christensen Fund: The Christensen Fund invests in Indigenous-driven food systems, biodiversity, and cultural diversity, with a strong emphasis on grassroots grantees - highly analogous to AEF's Indigenous food systems work.
- Grassroots International: Grassroots International is a pooled, multi-donor fund providing grants to social movements for food sovereignty, climate, and justice - closely aligned with AEF's mission of supporting grassroots agroecology movements.
- FRIDA - The Young Feminist Fund: FRIDA is a pooled, participatory, multi-donor fund supporting young feminist-led grassroots groups globally; comparable as a pooled grantmaking intermediary using participatory decision-making with advisors.
- Navdanya: Navdanya is a movement organization promoting agroecology, seed sovereignty, and farmers' rights; it both operates programs and serves as a movement advocate closely aligned with AEF grantees like La Via Campesina-GRAIN-ETC.
- Global Greengrants Fund: Global Greengrants Fund operates as a pooled, participatory, multi-donor grantmaker supporting grassroots environmental and social justice work worldwide - directly comparable model to AEF and also serves as AEF's fiscal sponsor.
- Thousand Currents: Thousand Currents (formerly IF) is a pooled, participatory grantmaking intermediary that funds grassroots-led solutions globally; its model of intermediary-style pooled giving mirrors AEF's structure.
- New Field Foundation: New Field Foundation builds rural women's leadership through grantmaking in West Africa and globally on gender-just climate/agriculture; the Africa regional dimension overlaps with AEF's Eastern/West Africa funds.
- Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA): CLUA is a pooled funder alliance that channels philanthropic capital to land use and climate solutions including sustainable agriculture - highly comparable as a pooled, donor-coordinated grantmaking intermediary.
Broad incumbents
- Wallace Global Fund: Wallace Global Fund is a private foundation that funds movements in food sovereignty, climate, and corporate accountability - broader than AEF in scope but operating in overlapping thematic territory.
- IKEA Foundation: IKEA Foundation is a major grantmaker funding climate, food security, and sustainable agriculture programs globally; substantially larger and broader than AEF but active in the same agroecology/food systems funding space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Agroecology Fund social profiles
Digital presenceAgroecology Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Agroecology Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Agroecology Fund subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Agroecology Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Agroecology Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Agroecology Fund
What does Agroecology Fund do?
The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor pooled philanthropic fund that channels resources to grassroots organizations advancing agroecology across Practice, Science, and Movement-Building dimensions. It allocates grants ranging from US$50,000 to US$150,000 through a participatory grantmaking process overseen by an Advisory Board of movement-embedded advisors, and complements grantmaking with regional funds, evidence-building programs, and learning exchanges.
Is Agroecology Fund a public or private company?
Agroecology Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Agroecology Fund founded?
Agroecology Fund was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Agroecology Fund based?
Agroecology Fund is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Agroecology Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are pooled Fund Grantmaking.
Who are Agroecology Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Christensen Fund, Grassroots International, FRIDA - The Young Feminist Fund, Navdanya, Global Greengrants Fund, Thousand Currents, New Field Foundation and Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA). Broad incumbents are Wallace Global Fund and IKEA Foundation.
Does Agroecology Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Agroecology Fund.
What industry is Agroecology Fund in?
Agroecology Fund's product category is Philanthropic Grantmaking Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAH, International Grantmaking & Development Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.