Spaces of Opportunity

What Spaces of Opportunity does

Spaces of Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a 19-acre urban farm and community green space at 1200 W. Vineyard Rd in South Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 2015 as a five-organization collaborative — Desert Botanical Garden, Tiger Mountain Foundation, Unlimited Potential, Orchard Community Learning Center, and Roosevelt Elementary School District — the organization achieved formal nonprofit status in 2023 and now serves South Phoenix families, emerging urban farmers, community gardeners, and local vendors and artisans in a designated food desert.

The organization runs three core programs on its 19-acre site: Incubator Farms (quarter-acre plots assigned to experienced farmers growing produce for income), Community Gardens (2 acres of 5ft x 50ft plots for personal food production), and a Monthly Farmers Market (second Saturdays, September–December and March–April, 9am–1pm) where vendors sell produce, homemade goods, and crafts directly to the community. The underlying technology is place-based rather than digital — urban agriculture infrastructure including restorative farming plots, healing gardens, and a U-Pick channel ($10 per box) — augmented by an expanding educational and wellness programming surface (Permaculture Yard Design, Tree Planting, Seed Starting workshops, and a Latin fitness dance class). Revenue is generated through a hybrid model spanning donations and grants from institutional funders (Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, USDA Local Food Promotion Program, NEA Our Town, ArtPlace America, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Starbucks, Cigna, HBI USA, Newman's Own Foundation), recurring annual plot rentals for incubator and community gardens, farmers market vendor fees, U-Pick unit sales, and event-based revenue including the annual Fund the Farm celebration hosted at Desert Botanical Garden.

Operations are run by a five-person staff led by Executive Director Maria Valenzuela, governed by a seven-person board with representation from each founding partner, and supported through a multi-channel community engagement model spanning website, newsletter, social media, earned media coverage in local television outlets (FOX10, Telemundo Arizona, Univision, ASU Global Institute of Sustainability), volunteer programs, and on-site community events. Distribution is exclusively place-based and domestic, with no digital channels and no geographic expansion beyond the single South Phoenix site.

Name

Spaces of Opportunity

Legal name

Spaces of Opportunity

Website

https://spacesofopportunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spaces of Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 19-acre urban farm in South Phoenix that runs incubator farms, community garden plots, and a monthly farmers market to expand food access for South Phoenix families, emerging farmers, and local vendors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Spaces of Opportunity relies heavily on donations from individuals and grants from foundations and organizations. The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation is explicitly mentioned as a key supporter that helped build capacity to become a nonprofit.
2. Farm Plot Rentals: Incubator farm plots are rented to farmers who pay for quarter-acre parcels to grow produce. Successful growers may be offered additional parcels.
3. Community Garden Plot Fees: Community members pay for garden plot rentals to grow produce for personal use or to share with others.
4. Farmers Market Vendor Fees: Vendors pay fees to participate in the monthly farmers markets where they sell produce, homemade goods, and crafts.
5. Event-Based Revenue: Events such as Fund the Farm annual celebration, workshops, and U-Pick events generate revenue through ticket sales and donations. Fund the Farm is held at Desert Botanical Garden with gourmet food and drinks sourced locally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Spaces of Opportunity operates a 19-acre urban farm in South Phoenix delivering three core programs: Incubator Farms (quarter-acre plots rented to experienced farmers), Community Gardens (5ft x 50ft plots for residents), and a monthly Farmers Market (second Saturdays, seasonal). The nonprofit also offers agricultural workshops (permaculture, tree planting, seed starting), wellness programs such as a free Latin fitness dance class, and recurring volunteer service days, all aimed at expanding healthy food access in South Phoenix food desert communities.

Product overview

Spaces of Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a 19-acre urban farm in South Phoenix. The organization offers three core programs: Incubator Farms (quarter-acre plots for experienced farmers), Community Gardens (5x50 ft plots for community members), and a Farmers Market (held monthly on second Saturdays). These three programs work together to provide affordable access to healthy food and entrepreneurial opportunities for South Phoenix families. The organization also offers educational workshops including Permaculture Yard Design, Tree Planting, and Seed Starting workshops, plus wellness programs like Latin fitness dance classes and regular volunteer service days. The integrated approach combines food production, community engagement, and education to build a healthier, more connected neighborhood through agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubator Farms Quarter-acre (10,000 sq ft) plots assigned to experienced emerging farmers to grow produce for income and serve as a demonstration project in restorative agriculture. Farmers receive mentorship and may be offered additional parcels upon success.
• Community Gardens Two acres of community garden plots measuring 5 feet by 50 feet available for community members to plant, grow, and harvest produce for personal use or sharing. Gardeners receive unlimited plot access, restroom access, and garden shed keys, with peer support from fellow community farmers.
• Farmers Market Monthly farmers market held on second Saturdays (September-December and March-April), 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, providing local vendors a place to sell fresh produce, homemade goods, and crafts to the South Phoenix community. Combines direct-to-consumer sales with educational opportunities in gardening, cooking, nutrition, and wellness.
• Permaculture Yard Design Workshop Workshop teaching participants to design productive and sustainable yards using permaculture principles, including working with natural systems, thoughtful plant placement, and creating resilient landscapes.
• Tree Planting Workshop Workshop covering the process of selecting and establishing trees, including a hands-on demonstration of proper planting techniques for nursery-potted and bare-root specimens.
• Seed Starting Workshop Hands-on workshop teaching fundamentals of seed starting including soil selection, tray setup, proper watering techniques, light requirements, and transplanting. Participants receive a seed-starting kit.
• Es Viernes y el Cuerpo lo Sabe (Latin Fitness Dance Class) Free Latin fitness dance class held outdoors in the Spaces of Opportunity market area, promoting wellness and community connection through dance and physical activity.
• Volunteer Service Days Regular volunteer opportunities where community members help beautify the 19-acre farm while connecting with community and supporting local food systems. Open to individuals and corporate groups, recommended for ages 12 and older.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed 19 acres of underutilized land into productive community green space
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Desert Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding partner organization collaborating with Spaces of Opportunity. Provides leadership through board representation (Kevina Devereaux leads Social Responsibility & Impact). Hosts the annual Fund the Farm event. Supports urban agriculture and equitable access to healthy food through this partnership.
• Tiger Mountain FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding partner contributing to the Spaces of Opportunity collaborative. Hosts weekday volunteer events and programs at the site. Focused on community empowerment and sustainable future initiatives.
• Orchard Community Learning Center (OCLC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding partner led by John Wann-Ángeles (CEO, ISA Certified Arborist). Represents the organization on Spaces board. Brings expertise in food justice and urban agroforestry. Involved since the beginning of Spaces.
• Roosevelt Elementary School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding partner school district represented on board by Dr. Dani Portillo (Superintendent). Focuses on collaboration to develop programs benefiting South Phoenix families and students, especially in agribusiness, nutrition, and career exploration.
• Unlimited PotentialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding partner with Executive Director Dr. Emma Viera on Spaces board. Organization is dedicated to helping community members understand and address social determinants of health, integrating public health and mental health to primary care services.
• Valley LeadershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization led by Dave Brown (Board Chair of Spaces). Provides leadership programming and connects leaders to community impact opportunities.
• Chispa AZsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental justice organization with Masavi Perea Montes De Oca serving as Deputy Director and Spaces board member. Focused on intersectional environmental work in partnership with Unlimited Potential and other organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Food Project: Massachusetts-based nonprofit that grows food on urban and suburban farms, trains youth, and sells produce through farmers markets and CSA—directly mirroring Spaces' model of combining incubator-scale farms, farmer training, farmers markets, and food access in underserved communities.
• CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture): San Francisco-based nonprofit operating multiple farmers markets and educational programming about sustainable agriculture—directly analogous farmers market operator plus education mission.
• Greening of Detroit: Detroit nonprofit operating urban farms, community gardens, and tree planting programs to address food access and environmental inequities—comparable urban-agriculture community nonprofit with multi-program structure and similar foundation/government funding mix.
• Soul Fire Farm: BIPOC-led food justice farm in upstate New York combining community farm plots, farmer training, and food distribution to address food apartheid—closely aligned with Spaces' mission-driven model of providing affordable produce access to underserved South Phoenix families while supporting emerging farmers.
• DC Greens: Washington DC-based nonprofit advancing food justice through urban agriculture, food access, and nutrition education programs—directly comparable urban food access nonprofit with similar community-garden and education programming focus.

Broad incumbents

• Big Green: National nonprofit that builds Learning Gardens in schools across low-income communities, focusing on food access and garden-based education—similar food-access mission and school-district partnerships (Roosevelt) at much larger national scale.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: New York-area nonprofit operating a regenerative farm with on-site farmer training, education, and visitor programs—comparable on-site farm plus multi-program education model at significantly larger scale and budget.
• Edible Schoolyard Project: National nonprofit founded by Alice Waters promoting edible education and school gardens—shared garden-based education and food access mission with deep school-district partnership model similar to Spaces' Roosevelt School District collaboration.
• GrowNYC: NYC nonprofit operating 50+ farmers markets, school gardens, and environmental programs—comparable urban agriculture/farmers market programming at substantially larger geographic and budget scale.

Emerging players

• Farm School NYC: NYC-based adult education program training residents in urban agriculture and food justice—shares Spaces' emerging-farmer incubator and food-access training orientation but through classroom-style rather than land-lease incubation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SpacesOfOpportunity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spaces-of-opportunity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Spaces of Opportunity