Jones Valley Teaching Farm

What Jones Valley Teaching Farm does

Jones Valley Teaching Farm (JVTF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 52-2359003), founded in 2002 in Birmingham, Alabama, that operates a Pre-K-12 food-based education platform anchored by its proprietary Good School Food framework. The organization delivers standards-aligned, cross-curricular lessons to Birmingham City School students during school, after school, and at home, through JVTF instructors rather than classroom teachers. Its physical infrastructure comprises seven outdoor Teaching Farms sited on partner school campuses, eight hydroponic classroom systems installed across west-side Birmingham schools in collaboration with NY Sun Works, and the Center for Food Education — a full-block downtown Birmingham facility (701 25th Street North) opened in 2021 that functions as a community hub, instructional space, and event venue.

Core programs include the Good School Food educational framework; Youth Pathways & Experiences, a high school internship/apprenticeship program extended to all Birmingham City high school students in fall 2022; Camp Grow summer camps; Good Community Food (free produce distribution via farm stands, Harvest Share deliveries to seniors, and Pantry Partners bulk distribution to food organizations); the Seedling Share program (25,000+ seedlings annually to 46+ community gardens across 42 Alabama zip codes); and community workshops and field trips. Supporting sub-brands include Good School Food, the Center for Food Education, Youth Pathways & Experiences, and Camp Grow.

JVTF's revenue mechanics blend a traditional nonprofit donor stack (one-time and recurring individual giving, gifts of stock, employer matching, Harvest Circle $5,000/year-for-3-year memberships, and corporate partnerships including event sponsorships and in-kind donations) with smaller earned-income streams (venue rental at the Center for Food Education, low-cost $5 or free community workshops, and an annual plant presale). Funding sources include foundation grants (e.g., Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, 2021) and event-driven fundraising (Twilight Supper, GATHER). Customers/beneficiaries span Pre-K-12 BCS students as the primary education segment, Birmingham-area youth for workforce pathways, families and community members, corporate partners for CSR and engagement, and other schools/homeschool groups for paid field trips. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and remains exclusively focused on the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Name

Jones Valley Teaching Farm

Legal name

Jones Valley Teaching Farm

Website

https://jvtf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jones Valley Teaching Farm is a Birmingham, Alabama 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers Pre-K-12 food-based education to Birmingham City School students through seven on-campus Teaching Farms, eight hydroponic classrooms, and the Center for Food Education community hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food-Based Education Nonprofit

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Agribusiness, Farm Management & Compliance (EDAOAOAN)

Keywords

• Food-based education
• Urban teaching farms
• School garden programs
• Youth workforce development
• Community food access

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 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 Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, including one-time gifts and monthly recurring donations. JVTF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 52-2359003).
2. Gifts of Stock: Appreciated securities including stocks and mutual funds can be donated as charitable contributions.
3. Employer Matching: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match charitable contributions made by employees.
4. Harvest Circle Membership: Annual pledge of $5,000 for 3 years ($15,000 total) from families and individuals invested in the mission. Includes benefits like Twilight Supper tickets, culinary experiences, and produce pickups.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Dynamic corporate partnerships including event sponsorships, camp scholarships, in-kind donations, and volunteer opportunities.
6. Venue Rental: Rental of Center for Food Education spaces including Pavilion (max 235), Culinary Studio (max 100), Classroom (max 85), and Conference Room (max 10).
7. Workshop Fees: Community workshops at reduced cost ($5 fee for most workshops, some free offerings).
8. Plant Sales: Annual plant presale of seedlings including tomato plants, basil varieties, and other vegetables for community gardens.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jones Valley Teaching Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers food-based education to Birmingham City Schools students through its Good School Food framework and teaching farms located on school campuses. It also runs youth apprenticeships, community workshops, camps, farm stands, and distributes free produce and seedlings to local communities.

Product overview

Jones Valley Teaching Farm is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization operating a single, unified offering centered on food-based education. The core programs include Good School Food (a Pre-K-12 educational framework), Youth Pathways & Experiences (high school internship/apprenticeship), eight Teaching Farms on school campuses, and the Center for Food Education (venue). Supporting programs include Farm Stands distributing free produce, Camp Grow summer camps, Field Trips, Community Workshops, Plant Presale, Hydroponic Classrooms, Mommies and Muffins family events, and the Seedling Share program distributing over 25,000 seedlings annually. Together, these programs use food, farming, and culinary arts as a foundation for academic exploration, leadership development, and food access for Birmingham communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Good School Food: A Pre-K-12 food-based education framework rooted in academic standards delivered to Birmingham City School students by JVTF Instructors.
• Center for Food Education
• Youth Pathways & Experiences
• Camp Grow

Products and services

• Good School Food A Pre-K-12 food-based education framework rooted in academic standards, delivered to Birmingham City School students by JVTF instructors through cross-curricular experiential lessons during school, after school, and at home.
• Youth Pathways & Experiences High school internship and apprenticeship program providing work-based learning for youth, teaching farming, food access, and community connection skills; expanded from Woodlawn High School to all Birmingham City high school students.
• Teaching Farms Eight vibrant outdoor learning spaces located on school campuses across Birmingham where students engage in hands-on farming and food education activities.
• Center for Food Education A dynamic community hub on a full city block in downtown Birmingham featuring indoor and outdoor event spaces including the Pavilion (capacity 235), Culinary Studio (capacity 100), Good School Food Classroom (capacity 85), and Conference Room (capacity 10), plus prep kitchen amenities, available for venue rental.
• Field Trips Educational field trips for Pre-K-12th graders connecting food, farming, and culinary arts with standards-based learning, free for Birmingham City Schools students.
• Camp Grow Summer day camps including Plant to Plate, Kitchen Champs, Growing Forward, and Culinary Masters that teach children food education, farming, and cooking skills.
• Community Workshops Free or reduced-cost culinary and agricultural workshops at the Center for Food Education including Cooking in Community, Growing & Preserving Herbs, Kimchi Make & Take, and Canning.
• Farm Stands (Downtown & Woodlawn) Farm stands at the Downtown Campus (701 25th St N) and Woodlawn location (253 54th St N) that distribute fresh produce grown at Teaching Farms to the community.
• Good Community Food Program sharing fresh produce from Teaching Farms at no cost through farm stands, Harvest Share deliveries to senior residents, and Pantry Partners bulk deliveries to food distribution organizations.
• Hydroponic Classrooms Controlled environment agriculture systems installed in eight schools in collaboration with NY Sun Works, enabling year-round produce growth and allowing students to grow, harvest, cook, and eat produce within the same classroom.
• Seedling Share Program Program that annually gives over 25,000 JVTF-grown seedlings to more than 46 community gardens in 42 zip codes across Alabama.
• Plant Presale Annual seedling pre-sale program offering JVTF-grown seedlings including tomato varieties (Tasmanian Chocolate, Super Sweet 100, Brandywine, Cherokee Purple) and Genovese Basil for community gardens.
• Mommies and Muffins Family engagement event program that brings mothers and their children together for cooking activities using seasonal produce grown on Teaching Farms, fostering community connections and food education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25,000 seedlings distributed annually to 46+ community gardens
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NY Sun WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with NY Sun Works to implement hydroponic classroom systems across eight schools on the west side of Birmingham. NY Sun Works provides curriculum while JVTF operates the systems and delivers hands-on educational experiences.
• Birmingham City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary educational partner providing access to school campuses for teaching farms and delivering the Good School Food educational framework to Pre-K-12 students across seven partner schools.
• FoodCorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoodCorps service members collaborate with JVTF instructors on food education programming. FoodCorps educator Jaidyn Calvin co-created the 'Mommies and Muffins' event at Hayes K-8.
• Phillips AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school since 2016; JVTF staff conducted mobile kitchen culinary lessons; Phillips Academy Teaching Farm completed in summer 2022 providing permanent garden space for students.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Food Trust: Philadelphia-based national nonprofit addressing food access and nutrition education with school and community programs. Broader scope than JVTF but overlapping food education and food access mission.

Direct peers

• Green Bronx Machine: NYC-based nonprofit building urban school farms and delivering standards-based food and health education. Comparable school-based urban agriculture and food education model targeting underserved communities.
• Real School Gardens: Nonprofit creating outdoor learning gardens in underserved elementary schools with integrated teacher training. Comparable focus on experiential outdoor learning in K-12 settings and educator enablement.
• Edible Schoolyard Project: Alice Waters-founded nonprofit promoting edible education and school gardens. Highly comparable mission of using food, gardening, and cooking as a foundation for academic learning in K-12 settings.
• FoodCorps: National nonprofit that places service members in schools to teach food education and build school gardens. Directly comparable mission (food-based K-12 education), similar nonprofit revenue model, and an active JVTF partner.
• Big Green: National nonprofit building Learning Gardens in low-income schools with food education programming. Closely comparable Pre-K-12 food-education mission and school-based delivery model with multi-state footprint.
• NY Sun Works: Operates hydroponic classroom programs in NYC public schools providing standards-aligned science and sustainability curricula. Direct collaboration partner with JVTF and the most comparable peer on the controlled-environment agriculture / classroom model.
• Life Lab: California-based nonprofit providing garden-based education programs, curricula, and training for schools. Comparable standards-aligned outdoor learning and food education programs for K-12.

Regional players

• DC Greens: Washington DC-based food education and food access nonprofit. Comparable food-based education and urban agriculture focus but serves a different metro geography than Birmingham.

Others

• Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation: Foundation of Sprouts Farmers Market funding nutrition education and healthy-eating programs. Documented JVTF funder and thus a thematically adjacent ecosystem participant in school-based food education funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCppci8lgGj8wOSKjNONQqhA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/jonesvalleyteachingfarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/jonesvalleyteachingfarm
• Xx.com/jvteachingfarm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jones-valley-teaching-farm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Jones Valley Teaching Farm