Agroecology Fund

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.

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

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

• Philanthropic grantmaking services
• Agroecology funding
• Food sovereignty grants
• Participatory grantmaking
• Sustainable agriculture grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Agroecology CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 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 DevelopmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional 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 FundscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-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 GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-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 AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-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 CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdYdwyZX1r3J8siN5Pig0ew
• Facebookfacebook.com/AgroecologyFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agroecologyfund
• Instagraminstagram.com/agroecology_fund
• Xx.com/fundagroecology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Agroecology Fund