NOFA-VT

What NOFA-VT does

NOFA-VT (Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont) is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Richmond, Vermont. It serves organic and aspiring farmers, Vermont consumers, schools, and institutional buyers through three program pillars: People, Land, and Justice. Core service offerings include farmer technical assistance and peer mentorship programs (Farm Beginnings, Journey Farmer, Organic Transition Mentorship, Soil Stewards, Agroforestry Cohort), business and transfer planning, organic certification through its affiliated Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) subsidiary, community food access programs (Crop Cash SNAP matching, Farm Share, Senior Farm Share, Farm Stand Match), and the Vermont Farm to School (VT FEED) initiative partnering with Shelburne Farms Institute. The organization also pursues policy advocacy, including a role in defending Vermont's Climate Superfund Act.

NOFA-VT operates a multi-channel, community-led go-to-market model combining membership dues, foundation and corporate grants (Farm Aid, Henry P. Kendall Foundation, King Arthur Baking Company, The Alchemist, Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, VT Community Foundation), donations, and event-based revenue. It runs recurring events including the Winter Conference, Farmers Market Conference, On-Farm Summer Events, and Vermont Open Farm Week. Recent initiatives include the On the Rise regional grain supply chain project (connecting Vermont grain growers, bakeries, and school districts like Brattleboro Schools serving 1,600 daily meals within a 14.5M annual school meal market) and the Long-Handled Spoons Dinners micro-grant program. Technology infrastructure consists of standard web platforms, event management systems, and communication tools with no proprietary software products.

The organization is governed under a 2024-2030 strategic plan and is the Vermont chapter of the parent Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) network. Revenue streams are diversified across individual membership, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and program fees. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, including a Farm to Institution Program Director, Farm to School Local Procurement Specialist, and Deputy Director of Development & Engagement.

Name

NOFA-VT

Legal name

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont

Website

https://nofavt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NOFA-VT is a Vermont-based non-profit membership organization, founded in 1971, that provides farmer technical assistance, organic certification, community food access programs, and farm-to-school initiatives to organic farmers, consumers, and institutions statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Agriculture Advocacy and Farmer Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Community Food Services (624210), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE), Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

Keywords

• Organic farming advocacy
• Farmer technical assistance
• Organic certification services
• Farm to school programs
• Community food access

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Nonprofit Grants: NOFA-VT receives significant funding from foundations and nonprofit organizations. In 2025, Farm Aid distributed grants to NOFA VT as part of its End of Year grant program supporting family farmers, with focus areas including racial equity, farmer-led climate solutions, and limiting corporate power in agriculture. The Henry P. Kendall Foundation provided infrastructure-focused grants supporting local bakery equipment purchases.
2. Membership Dues: NOFA-VT operates as a membership organization with paid membership tiers. Members receive access to services, events, and the organization's network of organic farmers and consumers.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: The organization accepts donations from individuals and sponsorships from businesses and organizations. Special funds and planned giving options are available for supporters.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NOFA-VT is a nonprofit membership organization that provides organic farming advocacy, farmer technical assistance and peer mentorship programs, organic certification services through its Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) subsidiary, farm to school programming, and community food access initiatives. It also operates recurring educational events and administers grant and micro-grant funding programs for Vermont farmers and consumers.

Product overview

NOFA-VT (Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont) is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of agricultural services organized around three pillars: People, Land, and Justice. The core offerings include farmer technical assistance programs (cohorts, mentorships, business planning, organic certification support), community food access initiatives (Crop Cash, Farm Share, Senior Farm Share, SNAP support), and the Vermont Farm to School program. The organization runs annual events (Winter Conference, Farmers Market Conference, Vermont Open Farm Week) and administers funding programs (Resilience Grants, Farmer Emergency Fund). Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) handles organic certification. Recent initiatives include the On the Rise regional grain supply chain project connecting Vermont grain growers with school cafeterias, and the Long-Handled Spoons Dinners micro-grant program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vermont Organic Farmers: Organic certification program for Vermont farms operated under the Vermont Organic Farmers brand at vermontorganic.org

Products and services

• Farmer Services & Technical Assistance Comprehensive support for Vermont farmers including farmer cohorts and mentorships (Organic Transition Mentorship, Farm Beginnings, Journey Farmer, Soil Stewards, Agroforestry Cohort, Land Together Learning Network), one-on-one business planning, transfer planning, marketing assistance, and technical assistance across organic dairy, organic practices, and vegetable/berry production.
• Farmer Funding Programs Financial assistance programs for Vermont farmers including Resilience Grants, the Farmer Emergency Fund, and Vermont Family Farmer of the Month recognition.
• Community Food Access Programs Programs increasing food access for low-income Vermonters, including Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus, Farm Share Program, Senior Farm Share, Farm Stand Match, and 3SquaresVT (SNAP) support.
• Vermont Farm to School (VT FEED) Farm to school program connecting Vermont schools with local farms, including curriculum integration, cafeteria sourcing of local foods, and agricultural education for students.
• Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) Certification Organic certification program verifying organic production practices and ensuring integrity and transparency for consumers of Vermont organic farm products.
• NOFA-VT Events Annual and recurring events including the Winter Conference, Farmers Market Conference, On-Farm Summer Events, Vermont Open Farm Week, Share the Harvest, and Member Meetings.
• Long-Handled Spoons Dinners Micro-grant program bringing neighbors together over locally-sourced meals to strengthen communities, with $200 grants awarded to members for hosting community dinners. In its first round, the program received 175 applications and awarded 28 micro-grants across all Vermont counties.
• On the Rise (Regional Grain Supply Chain Initiative) Multi-year collaborative initiative developing school-ready bakery products made with Vermont-grown grains, supporting local bakeries with equipment, recipe development, and connections to school markets such as Brattleboro Schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Long-Handled Spoons Dinners micro-grants awarded across all Vermont counties
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Butter Mountain BakerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Butter Mountain Bakery in Wilmington, VT is a key partner in NOFA-VT's On the Rise collaborative initiative, supplying whole wheat sourdough rolls to Brattleboro Schools as part of the project to develop local grain supply chains for Vermont schools.
• Champlain Valley Grain CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Champlain Valley Grain Center in Ferrisburgh, VT partners with NOFA-VT on the On the Rise project, providing grain processing infrastructure and supporting the development of regional grain supply chains for Vermont schools.
• Vermont SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Vermont school districts including Brattleboro Schools partner with NOFA-VT through the On the Rise project and VT FEED farm to school program to source more local food products, particularly grains and bread.
• Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont Organic Farmers is NOFA-VT's affiliated organic certification program, providing certification services for Vermont organic farmers and serving as the state's primary organic certification body.
• Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelburne Farms Institute is NOFA-VT's collaborative partner in Vermont FEED, a farm to school initiative combining NOFA-VT's agricultural expertise with Shelburne Farms' education programming.
• Conservation Law FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation Law Foundation and NOFA-VT worked together to defend Vermont's landmark climate superfund law in federal court, with NOFA-VT's Policy & Organizing Director contributing to the legal defense of legislation requiring large fossil fuel companies to pay for climate adaptation costs.
• Northeast Climate Disaster Relief NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOFA-VT is a member of the Northeast Climate Disaster Relief Network, a coalition of agricultural service providers, advocates, and farmers working to ensure equitable and effective disaster response for Northeast farmers. NOFA-VT's Policy & Organizing Director contributed to the Network's white paper on climate risk.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nofavt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 NOFA-VT