Island Grown

What Island Grown does

Island Grown Initiative (IGI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that operates an integrated local food system on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The organization runs eleven interlocking programs: a 42-acre regenerative farm with a 30,000 sq ft greenhouse that produces 100,000+ pounds of produce annually; the Island Food Pantry (which relocated to a permanent home in Oak Bluffs in 2024 and serves approximately 1 in 5 year-round residents); a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program with summer and winter shares; a 45-plot community garden; a Mobile Market produce delivery service; a commercial-kitchen-based Prepared Meals program producing approximately 75,000 meals per year; a Community Lunch program distributing around 15,000 meals during school breaks; a Gleaning program that rescued 56,842 pounds of food in 2025 with 300+ volunteers; Island Grown Schools food education across every island school; a Food Waste Transformation program deploying EcoRich composters; and the recently absorbed Serving Hands and Family to Family food distribution programs. The underlying operating technology is light: Pantry Easy provides online ordering for pantry clients, Square handles Mobile Market orders, and the Local Food Marketplace platform processes CSA registration; core agronomic capability centers on regenerative practices codified in the Farming for Biodiversity Toolkit co-developed with Landscape Interactions.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a community nonprofit. The primary inflow is donations (one-time, recurring, corporate, matching gifts, planned giving, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs), supplemented by CSA membership fees (Full Share $750-$1,050, Half Share $375-$525 across Pay-It-Forward, Regular, and Reduced tiers), nominal community garden plot rental fees, a $2 transaction fee on some food-waste bucket drop-offs, and restricted grants from foundations such as the Martha's Vineyard Community Foundation, Slough Farm Foundation, and the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation. The only recorded corporate funding transaction is a $20,000 grant from Campbell Soup Company on April 5, 2023. Customer segmentation spans three primary groups: food-insecure year-round residents (the largest base), island students receiving school-based food education, and CSA-paying community members who fund the farm.

The go-to-market is community-led, relying on newsletter, organic Instagram and Facebook presence, events and farm tours, volunteer mobilization (300+ annually), and a deep referral network of 50+ partner organizations including schools, healthcare providers (MV Hospital, Kinship Heals), Councils on Aging, Wampanoag tribal partners, grocery donors (Cronigs, Stop and Shop), and national collaborators (American Farmland Trust, Greater Boston Food Bank). Governance is by an independent volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Mark Luthringshauser, with Co-Executive Directors Noli Taylor (with IGI since 2006) and Caroline Pam (joined March 2025, prior owner of Kitchen Garden Farm).

Name

Island Grown

Legal name

Island Grown Initiative

Website

https://igimv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Island Grown Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that operates an integrated local food system on Martha's Vineyard, running a 42-acre regenerative farm, food pantry, CSA, prepared meals, gleaning, school education, and food-waste programs serving roughly 1 in 5 year-round island residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Access & Agricultural Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till) (AFAGAMAA), Soil Health & Regenerative Agronomy Consulting (AFACABAA), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Sustainability, Waste Reduction & Composting Programs (EDALADAL)

Keywords

• Food access programs
• Regenerative agriculture
• Community supported agriculture
• Farm-to-school education
• Food pantry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vineyard Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Primary revenue source from individual donations (one-time and recurring), corporate gifts, matching gifts programs, and planned giving/estate donations. Accepts cash, check, credit card, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs.
2. CSA Membership Fees: Community Supported Agriculture program with summer and winter shares. Members pay upfront for weekly/bi-weekly produce pickups. Pricing tiers include Pay It Forward, Regular, and Reduced rate options.
3. Community Garden Plot Rental: 45 community garden plots available for island residents to rent for a small fee. Members grow their own food using organic techniques.
4. Food Waste Services: Free food waste dropoff at most locations; $2 fee for five-gallon buckets at remaining transfer stations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Island Grown Initiative operates an integrated community food system on Martha's Vineyard encompassing regenerative farming on a 42-acre farm with a 30,000 sq ft greenhouse, an Island Food Pantry serving 1 in 5 year-round residents, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program, a Mobile Market delivery service, a Community Garden with 45 rental plots, prepared meals produced in a commercial kitchen, a gleaning program that rescued over 56,000 pounds of local food in 2025, Island Grown Schools farm-to-school education, and food waste reduction initiatives. The organization is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded through donations, grants, and program fees.

Product overview

Island Grown Initiative is a non-profit organization operating a multi-program food system rather than a single product. The core offerings include: The Farm (42-acre regenerative farm with 30,000 sq ft greenhouse), Island Food Pantry (food access program serving 1 in 5 year-round residents), CSA (Community Supported Agriculture subscription program), Community Garden (45 rental plots), Mobile Market (mobile produce delivery), Prepared Meals (75,000 meals/year from commercial kitchen), Community Lunch (15,000 meals during school breaks), Gleaning Program (56,842 lbs rescued in 2025), Island Grown Schools (farm-to-school education), and Transforming Food Waste (composting and food waste reduction). Digital platforms include Pantry Easy (online ordering system) and CSA registration via Local Food Marketplace. These programs work together to build a complete local food system addressing production, distribution, education, and food access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Island Food Pantry A vital food access program providing fresh produce, prepared meals, proteins, dairy, eggs, and pantry staples to 1 in 5 year-round Martha's Vineyard residents. Offers online pre-order with scheduled pickup and in-person shopping for seniors aged 60+.
• Mobile Market A mobile produce delivery service operating June through October that delivers farm-fresh produce and eggs to communities on Martha's Vineyard, with online ordering available 24 hours in advance via Square.
• CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) A produce subscription program offering summer CSA (June-October) with weekly/bi-weekly pickups and winter CSA (November-February). Members receive diverse arrays of produce grown at the IGI farm, with options for full or half shares at three price tiers (Pay It Forward, Regular, Reduced).
• Community Garden Offers 45 plots at the IGI farm for community members to rent and grow their own food using organic techniques. Members share gardening tips, recipes, and encouragement while building gardens regardless of skill level.
• The Farm (42-acre regenerative farm) A 42-acre regenerative community farm producing abundant food year-round. Grows produce in fields and a 30,000 sq ft greenhouse, with the majority of food donated to islanders in need. Hosts over 1,000 visitors annually for harvest help and regenerative farming education.
• Prepared Meals Produces approximately 75,000 nutritious prepared meals annually from a commercial kitchen at the Airport Business Park. Distributes meals through the Island Food Pantry and partner agencies including healthcare providers, Councils on Aging, Hospice, and mental health support programs.
• Community Lunch Provides approximately 15,000 meals and meal kits annually during school vacation periods (summer break, February and April vacation) to bridge the nutrition gap when students lose access to school meals. Serves families directly and partners with summer programs.
• Gleaning Program Rescues surplus crops from farms by harvesting produce that doesn't meet store quality standards, exceeds farm sales capacity, or would otherwise go unharvested. In 2025, gleaned 56,842 pounds of local food (388,200 servings) with over 300 volunteers.
• Island Grown Schools A farm-to-school education program teaching all island children (K-8) how to grow, prepare, and enjoy nourishing foods. Maintains school gardens at every island school and delivers standards-based lessons on food, farming, cooking, and nutrition.
• Transforming Food Waste Works to reduce food waste through food rescue from farms, gardens, and grocery stores for donation, and advances island food waste processing and composting initiatives. Currently seeking funding for EcoRich food waste recyclers at schools and transfer stations.
• Serving Hands & Family to Family Food distribution programs providing monthly groceries (Serving Hands, ~130 clients, 5,000 lbs from Greater Boston Food Bank) and holiday meal kits (Family to Family, distributed in November, December, and April including turkey, ham, stuffing, and produce).
• Pantry Easy An online ordering and client management platform for the Island Food Pantry, enabling pre-registration, online food ordering, and scheduled pickup times for pantry clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ pounds of produce grown annually at the farm
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Vineyard Committee on HungercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024IGI welcomed Serving Hands and Family to Family programs under its umbrella in 2024 after years of dedicated leadership by the Vineyard Committee on Hunger.
• Greater Boston Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership allows IGI to purchase food at steeply discounted rates, maximizing the impact of monetary donations and helping provide more meals to meet community needs. Approximately 5,000 pounds of food received monthly for Serving Hands program.
• Martha's Vineyard Youth (MV Youth)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization partnering on community programs.
• MV Refuse DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on food waste recycling initiatives and transfer station programs.
• Morning Glory FarmmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm partner for gleaning and food donation programs.
• Polly Hill ArboretumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorticultural organization with shared interest in sustainable agriculture.
• Mass DEPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts Department of Environmental Protection collaborating on environmental initiatives.
• MV HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner receiving prepared meals for patients in need of food support.
• MV Agricultural SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Venison Donation Program, agricultural events, and shared agricultural mission.
• MV Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsland-wide school food education, school gardens at every island school, and food distribution programs.
• Cronigs MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal grocery store serving as food donation drop-off location.
• Stop and ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery chain serving as food donation drop-off location.
• Kinship HealsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence and sexual assault advocacy nonprofit receiving gleaned food and prepared meals.
• Wampanoag TribemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous community partner with representation on IGI board. Land acknowledgment recognizes ancestral home.
• Landscape InteractionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign, planning, and science collaboration on Farming for Biodiversity project and pollinator habitat toolkit.
• MV CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning commission providing data and policy support.
• American Farmland TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization partnering on farm viability and climate resilience through regenerative agricultural practice adoption. Hosting joint events.
• Councils on AgingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior services organizations receiving prepared meal distributions.
• EcoRichmajorTechnology or IntegrationFood waste recycler technology being installed at island schools and transfer stations. Machines divert food waste and create soil amendment.
• MV Seafood CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffering fish shares add-on to CSA members with locally caught seafood.
• Fire Cat FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNo-till, pollinator-friendly cut flower farm at IGI farm offering flower CSA add-on.
• Whippoorwill FarmmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner Andrew Woodruff serves as IGI's Regenerative Farming Consultant.
• Island Food Equity Network PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of healthcare providers, Councils on Aging, Hospice, mental health support programs distributing prepared meals.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Food Forward: California-based nonprofit that recovers surplus produce from farms and backyards for food bank distribution via volunteer gleaning. Directly comparable to IGI's gleaning program and food waste work, with similar volunteer-driven produce recovery model.
• Kiss the Ground: California-based regenerative agriculture advocacy and education nonprofit producing media, training, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a regenerative agriculture educator and storyteller, though focused on awareness campaigns rather than direct food distribution.

Direct peers

• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit that partners with farmers markets, CSAs, and food retailers to subsidize produce access for low-income families using federal nutrition benefits. Directly comparable because both operate at the intersection of local agriculture and food access, with CSA/farm-direct distribution channels.
• The Farm Institute: Massachusetts-based nonprofit that operates educational farm programs on Martha's Vineyard, with overlapping staff alumni to IGI. Directly comparable because both operate farms on the same island with educational and food access missions, though The Farm Institute focuses more on education than food pantry operations.
• Boston Area Gleaners: Regional gleaning nonprofit that harvests surplus produce from Massachusetts farms for donation to food pantries. Directly comparable because both run volunteer-driven gleaning operations serving food pantries, though Boston Area Gleaners operates across Eastern Massachusetts rather than a single island.

Broad incumbents

• National Farm to School Network: National nonprofit advancing farm-to-school programming across all 50 states. Directly comparable to IGI's Island Grown Schools program (K-12 food education in every island school), but operates as a national policy/advocacy umbrella rather than a single-district operator.
• Greater Boston Food Bank: Largest hunger-relief organization in New England, providing food to a statewide network of pantries including IGI's Serving Hands program (5,000 lbs monthly). Comparable as a regional food bank infrastructure counterpart, but operates at far greater scale and as a wholesale distributor rather than direct community educator.
• Rodale Institute: Pioneering regenerative agriculture research and education nonprofit based in Pennsylvania. Comparable because both promote regenerative farming practices and produce educational content/toolkits (e.g., IGI's Farming for Biodiversity Toolkit), but Rodale operates a much larger research farm and is the field's established thought leader.

Peers

• Morning Glory Farm: Commercial working farm on Martha's Vineyard that partners with IGI on gleaning and food donation programs. Comparable as a Martha's Vineyard farm operation but operates as a for-profit farm business rather than a nonprofit community food system.

Others

• Slough Farm Foundation: Educational nonprofit farm on Martha's Vineyard's Edgartown Great Pond that provides grant funding to IGI for prepared meals and community lunch programs. Comparable as a fellow island-based educational farm nonprofit and IGI's grant partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/islandgrowninitiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/islandgrowninitiative/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/island-grown-initiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Island Grown