Grow Appalachia

What Grow Appalachia does

Grow Appalachia is a nonprofit organization and Strategic Initiative of Berea College, founded in 2009 through philanthropic funding from John Paul Dejoria to address food insecurity in central Appalachia. The organization operates five core programs: Garden Grants (grantmaking to 60+ nonprofit partners across 6 states for backyard and community gardening); Farmer Development (EKY-DIGS production planning, beginning farmer education, on-farm conservation, and high tunnel services); Berea Kids Eat (free summer meals and nutrition programming for Berea, KY youth); the Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship (annual $5,000 awards honoring foodways tradition bearers); and a Social Enterprise selling organic growing supplies and high tunnel components. Its proprietary technology centers on Gothic High Tunnel and Modular Movable High Tunnel designs that meet NRCS standards for federal cost-share eligibility, with 180+ high tunnels installed across the region since 2015.

Grow Appalachia generates revenue through a hybrid nonprofit model combining federal grants (notably a $5,080,000 USDA RCPP award in October 2024 bringing $3.8M in conservation funding to Kentucky), philanthropic donations (including from the Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation), program service fees from Social Enterprise sales, and partner contributions. Distribution operates through a channel-partner model: Garden Grant funds flow to local nonprofits who administer programming via hired site coordinators, while Social Enterprise sells supplies directly to growers through an e-commerce catalog with pickup at the Berea headquarters. Direct-to-farmer technical assistance is delivered through the EKY-DIGS program in partnership with Kentucky's Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy, and high tunnel consultation, installation, and rainwater catchment services are sold directly.

The organization claims impact metrics of 13,000+ households served, 7.8 million pounds of organic produce grown since 2010, 1.6 million meals distributed through Berea Kids Eat, and operations across 70+ counties in Kentucky, southern Ohio, east Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. In late 2025 the Social Enterprise was restructured to cease manufacturing high tunnels in-house and refocus on technical services and supplies distribution, signaling a strategic shift away from capital-intensive hardware production. Leadership transitioned in 2020-2021 from founding director David Cooke to current Executive Director Candace Mullins, with Cooke retained as Founder & Advisor.

Name

Grow Appalachia

Legal name

Grow Appalachia

Website

https://growappalachia.berea.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grow Appalachia is a Berea College nonprofit initiative founded in 2009 that addresses food insecurity in central Appalachia through grantmaking to 60+ nonprofit partners, farmer development services, nutrition programming, and a fellowship program across 6 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Security Programs

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD), Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

Keywords

• Community garden grants
• Food security programs
• Farmer development services
• Organic growing supplies
• Nutrition education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Foundation Grants: Grow Appalachia operates primarily as a donation-funded non-profit organization. The organization receives support from individual donors, corporate foundations (including John Paul Dejoria's Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation), and government grants. A 2025 fundraising campaign aims to raise $25K to support 2026 programs.
2. Social Enterprise Product Sales: Revenue-generating program selling high-quality organic growing supplies including fertilizers, pest control products, irrigation materials, trellising, and season extension supplies. Also sells high tunnel kits, components, and installation/maintenance services.
3. Garden Grants Program: Competitive grantmaking program where Grow Appalachia awards funds to non-profit organizations for garden programming. Partners must be 501c3 or have fiscal sponsorship. Program income is generated through the social enterprise to support gardening infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Grow Appalachia is a nonprofit Strategic Initiative of Berea College that delivers food security programming across central Appalachia through competitive garden grants to non-profit partners, farmer development technical assistance and EKY-DIGS production planning, the Berea Kids Eat summer feeding program, and the Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship. It also operates a Social Enterprise that sells organic growing supplies and manufactures/installs Gothic and Modular Movable high tunnels, generating program income to sustain its mission-driven work.

Product overview

Grow Appalachia operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization focused on food security in central Appalachia. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including Garden Grants (grantmaking to nonprofits for backyard gardening), Farmer Development (technical assistance, EKY-DIGS, high tunnel services, beginning farmer education), Berea Kids Eat (summer meals and nutrition programming), Appalachian Foodways Fellowship, and a Social Enterprise selling growing supplies and providing high tunnel installation services. These programs work together to strengthen community food systems through resource distribution, education, infrastructure, and direct food access initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garden Grants Program A grantmaking program that distributes funds and provides technical assistance to non-profit organizations (501c3 or fiscally-sponsored) across central Appalachia to administer backyard and community garden programming at the local level, delivering organic production resources and training to families.
• Farmer Development Program Multifaceted support program for new, beginning, and established farmers across Kentucky, including EKY-DIGS production planning, high tunnel services, on-farm conservation, beginning farmer education, and access to growing supplies.
• Berea Kids Eat Nutrition education programming, food security efforts, and free summer meals program serving Berea, Kentucky youth ages 18 and under, providing nutritious meals and enrichment opportunities during summer months at multiple distribution sites.
• Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship Annual fellowship program awarding $5,000 to honor, celebrate, and support foodways tradition bearers and practitioners in the Appalachian region, including home cooks, seed savers, farmers, community elders, hunters, and foragers. Recipients are recognized at the Appalachian Studies Association Conference.
• Growing Supplies Catalog Online catalog offering high-quality organic growing supplies including fertilizers (e.g., Mountain Pride 3-4-3 at $30/50lb), pest control, irrigation systems, trellising, season extension materials, and high tunnel components for gardeners and farmers, with pickup at the Berea, KY office and wholesale tiers available.
• High Tunnel Services Field services related to high tunnel systems including repairs, plastic replacement, end wall upgrades, water catchment installation, drip irrigation systems, consultation, and education for Gothic and Modular Movable high tunnels across central Appalachia.
• High Tunnel Products (Gothic and Modular Movable) Manufactured high tunnel structures including Gothic High Tunnels (15ft wide, peaked roof, available in 4ft increments from 12ft to 100ft length, starting at $1,173) and Modular Movable High Tunnels (14ft x 16ft, approximately $1,950), along with end wall options and accessories meeting NRCS standards.
• Beginning Farmer Educational Series An 8-month educational series covering production planning, business development, marketing, and farm resourcing with in-person classes, mentor farm opportunities, field days, crop mobs, and regional conference scholarships.
• On-Farm Conservation (RCPP SHURE) Partnership with USDA NRCS providing over $3.8 million in funding for Kentucky farmers to implement conservation practices, including cover crops, riparian forest buffers, pollinator habitat, and technical assistance for soil health and weather-resilient practices.
• EKY-DIGS Production Planning Eastern KY Direct Integrated Grower Support Program providing free soil tests, on-farm consultation, individualized production plans, agency connections, farmer networking, and ongoing technical support for farmers in Appalachian Proud counties plus Fayette and Jefferson counties.
• Community Kitchens Commercial kitchen infrastructure program partnering with USDA to install commercial kitchens at partner organizations throughout Kentucky's Promise Zone, enabling families to produce value-added, shelf-stable products for marketplace competition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13,000+ households impacted by food security programming
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Berea CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrow Appalachia is a Strategic Initiative of Berea College. The organization is headquartered at Berea College which provides institutional support, infrastructure (offices at 210 Center St.), and administrative functions. The partnership enables access to college resources and credibility within the Appalachian region.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through RCPP SHURE bringing over $3.8 million in conservation funding to Kentucky farmers. NRCS staff work with Grow Appalachia to support soil health, conservation, and weather resilient practices. Grow Appalachia staff serve as Technical Service Providers to support farmers with NRCS applications and cost-share payments.
• Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the RCPP SHURE project delivering conservation programs to Kentucky farmers. OAK and Grow Appalachia staff provide one-on-one technical assistance to support conservation planning, financial assistance applications, and installation of conservation practices.
• OnePageCRMminorOthersProvides email management support for Grow Appalachia's farmer development programs, enabling effective communication with program participants.
• Appalachian Studies AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship program. Fellows are honored and present their work at the annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference. The 2026 conference will be held at Marshall University in Huntington, WV.
• Mid Atlantic Arts - Central Appalachia Living TraditionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship program. Provides $5,000 fellowships annually to foodways practitioners. Also provides $2,000 travel reimbursement for fellows and conducts photo documentation through contracted fieldworkers.
• 60+ Non-profit Garden Grant PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of non-profit organizations including community-based nonprofits, shelters, churches, universities, schools, medical clinics, and extension offices that administer garden programs locally. Current 2026 partners include Appalachian Sustainable Development, Build It Up East TN, Casa de la Cultura Kentucky, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and many others.
• Kentucky Horticulture CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in flood recovery resources, providing agricultural recovery support to Eastern Kentucky farmers affected by flooding.
• Community Farm AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in compiling flood recovery resources for food and agriculture in Eastern Kentucky.
• Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in providing agricultural resources and flood recovery support for Kentucky farmers.
• University of KentuckyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in flood recovery resources and agricultural education through extension services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Heifer International: Large international nonprofit focused on ending hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and food security programming; broader geographic scope but directly comparable food security and smallholder farmer development mission.
• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state economic development partnership serving central Appalachia with overlapping place-based investments in food systems, agriculture, and community capacity building; comparable mission and geography.

Direct peers

• Appalachian Sustainable Development: Direct regional peer operating in central Appalachia with overlapping programming in farmer development, local food aggregation, and farm-to-table initiatives; directly comparable mission and geographic footprint.
• Community Farm Alliance: Kentucky-based nonprofit coalition advancing family agriculture and food systems through policy, farmer support, and local food initiatives; close peer in farmer development and food access programming.
• Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK): Kentucky-based nonprofit supporting organic farmers through education, certification, and advocacy; established partner in RCPP SHURE project with directly comparable organic farmer development focus.

Others

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal agency partner providing RCPP funding, technical assistance infrastructure, and cost-share payments to farmers served by Grow Appalachia; ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
• Appalachian Studies Association: Academic association co-hosting Grow Appalachia's Foodways Fellowship; thematically connected through Appalachian cultural preservation, but operates as a scholarly society rather than direct delivery nonprofit.

Emerging players

• FoodCorps: Nonprofit connecting kids to healthy food through schools and communities; overlaps with Berea Kids Eat summer meals and nutrition education programming for vulnerable youth populations.
• Soul Fire Farm: Nonprofit focused on food sovereignty and ending racism in the food system through training new farmers; comparable small-farm, community-based agriculture development model.

Regional players

• Kentucky Department of Agriculture: State-level government partner/comparable providing KADF funding, agricultural policy, and farmer support across Kentucky; functionally comparable on farmer development but operating as a government body rather than nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGH8aSkDfmGEy72dlbc8M5A
• Facebookfacebook.com/BereaKidsEat
• Xx.com/GrowAppalachia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Grow Appalachia