Marion Institute

What Marion Institute does

Marion Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Marion, Massachusetts, that operates as a regional food systems incubator across Southeastern Massachusetts. The organization runs five interconnected programs: Grow Education (a farm-to-school curriculum delivered to 27 elementary schools across 6-7 public school districts), Frogfoot Farm (a six-acre regenerative farm on land donated by A.D. Makepeace Company producing nutrient-dense food for hunger-relief partners), Fields to Families (a volunteer-driven gleaning program that recovers surplus crops from regional farms), the Southcoast Food Policy Council (a coalition of food pantries, farms, foundations, and social service agencies with a 30-member advisory board), and Greenhouse Initiatives (a fiscal sponsorship program providing administrative infrastructure to social-change organizations, historically including Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement and Van Jones's Green For All).

The organization serves food-insecure residents of Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties — a population where approximately 1 in 3 residents faces nutrition insecurity — along with public school students, regional food-system stakeholders, and fiscal-sponsorship clients. Marion Institute does not sell products or services; revenue is generated entirely through individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, event fundraising (Roots & Revelry Gala, Boogie at the Bog), and in-kind contributions. The organization employs approximately 13 staff members including an Executive Director, program managers, and functional directors across finance, HR, marketing, and program operations.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: program reach is built through direct partnerships with school districts, food pantries, and municipalities, supported by a multi-channel engagement strategy spanning the website, email newsletter, social media, community events, podcasts, and earned media. Distribution of impact occurs through school-based curriculum delivery, food-pantry produce handoffs, volunteer farming, and coalition advocacy rather than any commercial sales channel.

Name

Marion Institute

Legal name

Marion Institute

Website

https://marioninstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marion Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Southeastern Massachusetts that strengthens regional food systems through farm-to-school education, regenerative farming for food relief, gleaning, food policy coalition-building, and fiscal sponsorship for social-change organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Systems Nonprofit

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)

Keywords

• Community food systems
• Farm-to-school education
• Food relief programs
• Regenerative agriculture
• Fiscal sponsorship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Marion Institute operates as a 501(c)(3) organization relying primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Donations can be made as general contributions, program-specific support, or through the Legacy Society (planned giving).
2. Grant Funding: Funded by grant providers including City of New Bedford, Clif Family Foundation, MDAR, Point 32 Health, Project Bread, Town of Marion, Arcadia Charitable Trust, Baldwin Foundation, BCBSMA, Carney Family Charitable Foundation, and other regional foundations and organizations.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including Roots & Revelry Gala, Boogie at the Bog, and other community events to raise funds for programs.
4. Program Wishlist Donations: Accepts in-kind donations of garden tools, farm equipment, and other supplies listed on program wishlists.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Marion Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that incubates and operates food system programs in Southeastern Massachusetts. Its work centers on a regenerative farm (Frogfoot Farm) producing produce for food-insecure families, a farm-to-school program (Grow Education) operating in 27 elementary schools, a volunteer-powered gleaning program (Fields to Families), a regional food policy coalition (Southcoast Food Policy Council), and a fiscal sponsorship program (Greenhouse Initiatives) that provides administrative infrastructure to social change organizations.

Product overview

Marion Institute operates as a nonprofit organization with five interconnected core programs focused on strengthening regional food systems in Southeastern Massachusetts. The programs include Grow Education (farm-to-school initiative), Frogfoot Farm (regenerative farming for food relief), Fields to Families (gleaning program), Southcoast Food Policy Council (coalition-building and advocacy), and Greenhouse Initiatives (fiscal sponsorship for social change organizations). These programs work together to address food insecurity through education, direct food production, food rescue, and systemic policy change.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grow Education

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 Southcoast elementary schools reached through Grow Education farm-to-school program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of New BedfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor grant provider supporting Marion Institute's food system programs in the Southcoast region. City partnership demonstrates municipal commitment to food security and local agriculture.
• Clif Family FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant provider supporting food system initiatives and programs. Foundation focuses on creating resilient food systems and healthy communities.
• Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner supporting agricultural programs and food system development in Massachusetts.
• Point 32 HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth-focused foundation supporting Marion Institute programs. Partnership bridges health and food system work.
• Project BreadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts food security organization providing grant support for food access and anti-hunger initiatives.
• Town of MarioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner and grant provider supporting local food programs. Marion is home to Marion Institute headquarters.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurance partner that participated in 2024 Service Day at Frogfoot Farm. Partnership connecting health and nutrition.
• A.D. Makepeace CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated six acres of land for Frogfoot Farm including soil enhancements and irrigation. Critical real estate partner enabling the farm-to-food-relief initiative.
• Southcoast HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system serving Southeastern Massachusetts. CEO David McCready serves on Marion Institute Board of Directors.
• Round the Bend FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner farm and organization. Several Marion Institute staff previously worked at Round the Bend Farm. Collaborative relationship in regional food system work.
• Coastal FoodshedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food system organization working to increase access to local food in the region.
• The Ivory Silo ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural education and community engagement organization supporting local food systems.
• Massachusetts Cultural CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState cultural agency providing support for educational and community programs.
• Sid Wainer & SoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional food distributor. VP of New England Allie Wainer serves on Marion Institute Board of Directors. Company supports local food economy.
• FoodCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization connecting schools to food and farms. Grow Education consultant Joshua Swaye began journey with FoodCorps.
• Green Belt Movement (Kenya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Marion Institute was US representative and partner since 1999. Program supported tree planting and community-building initiatives.
• Green For AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization founded by Van Jones focused on green jobs and environmental equity. Marion Institute helped launch and expand the Green Jobs initiative locally.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Project Bread: Massachusetts anti-hunger organization and current grant provider to Marion Institute — operates the same anti-hunger mission across the state at significantly larger scale, making it both a peer and a funder.

Direct peers

• FoodCorps: National nonprofit connecting kids to healthy food through schools — directly comparable to Marion Institute's Grow Education farm-to-school program. A Grow Education consultant began with FoodCorps, evidencing direct overlap.
• Massachusetts Farm to School: Statewide farm-to-school organization operating in the same geography, serving the same school district customer base as Marion Institute's Grow Education with overlapping curriculum and professional development offerings.
• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit focused on nutrition incentive programs and food access for low-income families — comparable model combining produce distribution, food security advocacy, and farm-to-consumer bridge.
• Round the Bend Farm: Partner farm in Southeastern MA focused on regenerative agriculture, education, and food access — direct peer in mission and several Marion Institute staff previously worked there, evidencing operational and philosophical alignment.
• Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP): Regional food system organization operating in the same Southcoast geography with overlapping farm-to-school and Buy Fresh Buy Local programming (Fields to Families manager launched SEMAP's program).
• Island Grown Initiative: Regional nonprofit running farm-to-school, gleaning, and food access programs on Martha's Vineyard — highly comparable programmatic mix and scale to Marion Institute's five-pillar model.
• Food Forward: Large gleaning organization rescuing surplus produce from farms for food relief distribution — directly comparable to Marion Institute's Fields to Families volunteer gleaning program in model and outcome.

Regional players

• Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Massachusetts regional food bank distributing food to pantries — comparable food-relief distribution function but at considerably larger scale and slightly different geography (Western MA vs. Southcoast).

Others

• Center for Ecoliteracy: National thought-leadership nonprofit advancing nature-based education and school food reform — adjacent peer providing curriculum and frameworks that complement Marion Institute's Grow Education program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MarionInstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MarionInstituteTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/marioninstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-marion-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/marioninstitute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Marion Institute