Rooted

What Rooted does

Rooted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin that operates a community-led urban agriculture and food access platform across Dane County. The organization's core operations span three urban farms — Troy Farm (26 acres, Madison's Northside, operating since 2001), Badger Rock Urban Farm (2 acres, South Madison), and Madison School Farm (2 acres, East Madison) — alongside over 70 community gardens and the Badger Rock Neighborhood Center. Production infrastructure is MOSA-certified organic and includes two on-site solar arrays (4.35 kW installed 2019, 5.2 kW installed 2023) generating approximately 13,100 kWh annually for net-zero electricity at Troy Farm.

Rooted serves a diversified customer base including CSA members ($810 full-season shares), regional grocery wholesale accounts (Willy Street Co-op, Hy-Vee, Metcalfe's) through the Rooted Sprouts organic sprouts business, ten Madison Metropolitan School District schools via the Gardener-in-Residence program, more than 100 families at the Badger Rock food pantry, and seven community centers receiving produce donations through the Purpose Grown Project. Educational programming includes field trips, Farm to ECE curriculum (Roots in the Ground), the Wisconsin School Garden Network (co-led with UW-Madison), and a youth employment program created in 2018 serving BIPOC teens. The Troy Farm Collaborative (formed 2020) provides land access, infrastructure, and technical support to emerging BIPOC and historically underserved farmers.

The business model blends earned revenue (CSA subscriptions, wholesale sprouts, farm-stand and farmers market sales, sliding-scale community garden plot rentals, Gardener-in-Residence program fees at $3,000 per 10-week cycle, field trip fees at $5 per student, and merchandise) with philanthropic revenue (individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants including W.K. Kellogg Foundation, government grants including specialty crop block grants and energy innovation grants, and event fundraising via the Summer Night's Dream chef-led dinner with sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,500 to $10,000). Rooted is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by State Representative Francesca Hong and led by Co-Executive Directors Ginny Hughes and Hedi Rudd; the organization has disclosed exposure to federal funding cuts and is actively diversifying its funding base.

Name

Rooted

Legal name

Rooted WI, Inc

Website

https://rootedwi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rooted is a Madison, Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating three urban farms, over 70 community gardens, and a neighborhood center to deliver urban agriculture education, food access programming, CSA and wholesale produce, and land access for BIPOC farmers across Dane County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Agriculture & Community Food Systems (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Plants, Seeds & Nursery Retail (Garden Centers) (CRAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Urban agriculture education
• Community supported agriculture
• Community gardening programs
• Food access initiatives
• Youth farm employment

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. CSA Memberships: Community Supported Agriculture program offering certified organic produce shares. Full season shares valued at $810 from June to October. CSA program has been operating since 2001.
2. Individual Donations and Fundraising: Direct donations from individuals, corporate sponsorships, monthly sustaining donations, donor advised funds, stock donations, legacy/bequest giving, and event sponsorships including the Summer Night's Dream fundraiser and Farm to School Aid concert.
3. Program Fees: Fees for Gardener-in-Residence school programs ($3,000/10 weeks standard, $2,000/10 weeks discounted), field trips ($5/student), community garden plot rentals (sliding scale), and AmeriCorps Farm to School services.
4. Wholesale Produce Sales: Rooted Sprouts wholesale business selling certified organic sprouts to regional grocery chains including Willy Street Co-op, Hy-Vee, and Metcalfe's. Farm stand and farmers market produce sales.
5. Grant Funding: Foundation and government grants for specific programs including W.K. Kellogg Foundation for Farm to ECE, specialty crop block grants, and energy innovation grants for solar projects.
6. Merchandise Sales: Rooted branded merchandise sold online through Bonfire platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rooted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that grows and distributes certified organic produce through three urban farms (Troy Farm, Badger Rock Urban Farm, Madison School Farm), operates more than 70 community gardens and a neighborhood center, runs youth and school food-system education programs, sells organic wholesale sprouts to regional grocers, and supports emerging BIPOC farmers with land access via the Troy Farm Collaborative.

Product overview

Rooted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating three urban farms (Troy Farm, Badger Rock Urban Farm, Madison School Farm), over 70 community gardens, a neighborhood center, and youth education programs. The organization's core offerings include certified organic vegetable production through CSA shares and direct sales, food access and donation programs (Purpose Grown Project), farm-based education for K-12 students (field trips, Gardener-in-Residence, youth employment), wholesale sprouts production, and community gardening support through the Gardens Network. Educational resources include the Wisconsin School Garden Network, Farm to ECE curriculum (Roots in the Ground), and Celebrating Seasonality recipe guides. The organization operates on a 26-acre property at Troy Drive and maintains MOSA organic certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wisconsin School Garden Network: A statewide network supporting the youth garden movement, operated as a partnership between Rooted and the UW Madison Environmental Design Lab.

Products and services

• Troy Farm CSA Community Supported Agriculture subscription offering weekly certified-organic produce boxes to individual members from June through October; full-season share valued at $810, with options to pay via worker-share labor.
• Worker Share Program Volunteer labor trade at Troy Farm in exchange for a weekly certified-organic produce share; tracks include Full Season Field Crew, Summer Field Crew, Market Workers (Thursday 80 hours/18 weeks for $600; Sunday 80 hours/20 weeks for $600), U-Pick Garden Crew, Farm Stand Crew, and Event Crew.
• Community Garden Plot Rentals Annual rental of individual garden plots within Rooted's Gardens Network (Badger Rock, Troy, Capitol Urban Vegetable Garden and partner sites), priced on a sliding scale based on income with up to 4 plots per gardener and priority for Madison Northside/Southside residents.
• Gardener-in-Residence Program 10-week hands-on garden-based education program in Madison Metropolitan School District schools, in which Rooted embeds a dedicated Garden Educator for 8 hours per week; current partner schools include Crestwood, Elvehjem, La Follette, Lakeview, Leopold, Mendota, Nuestro Mundo, Schenk, Spring Harbor, and Van Hise Elementary.
• School and Community Field Trips Field-trip programming at Troy Kids' Garden, Troy Farm, Madison School Farm, and Badger Rock Urban Farm (April through October) priced at $5 per student, with scholarship applications and discounted rates for groups making 3+ visits.
• Rooted in Urban Agriculture Youth Employment Program Paid youth employment program for teens ages 14-18 created in 2018 at Badger Rock Neighborhood Center; youth employees learn agriculture, culinary arts, food justice, and community engagement by assisting staff at Badger Rock, Madison School Farm, and Troy Kids' Garden.
• Community Gardens Network Dane County network of more than 70 community gardens co-led with UW-Madison Extension and the City of Madison, providing residents with space, education, and resources to create and sustain community gardens, including Badger Rock, Troy, and Capitol Urban Vegetable Garden sites.
• Badger Rock Neighborhood Center Community hub on Madison's Southside offering seasonal, summer youth, and special-activities programming, free monthly dinners, a seasonal market, workshops, and the Badger Rock food pantry serving 100+ families in partnership with Badger Rock Middle School and Second Harvest Food Bank.
• Rooted Sprouts Certified organic wholesale sprouts line (alfalfa, broccoli/red clover/broccoli rabe, and spicy mix with red clover, arugula, fenugreek, radish) produced at Badger Rock Urban Farm and sold to regional grocery retailers including Willy Street Co-op, Hy-Vee, and Metcalfe's (Hilldale).
• Purpose Grown Project No-cost food-donation program begun in 2020 that distributes Rooted-grown produce to community centers in Madison's Northside and Southside neighborhoods, including Lakeview Community School, Sherman Church, Packers Community Learning Center, Vera Court Neighborhood Center, Kennedy Heights, Northport, and Ho-Chunk Madison Branch Office.
• Badger Rock Farm Stand Farm stand at Badger Rock Urban Farm selling Rooted-grown produce, with proceeds going to support Badger Rock Middle School's garden class.
• Troy Farm Collaborative Land-sharing initiative providing BIPOC and emerging farmers with land access, infrastructure, tools, training, and technical support at Troy Farm; current members include 40 Acre Farms, Brainplate Grows, FarmHer Greens, Occupy Madison, TradeRoots, and Yen's Flowers.
• Wisconsin School Garden Network Statewide partnership between Rooted and the UW Madison Environmental Design Lab supporting the school garden movement in Wisconsin through the Wisconsin School Garden Map, resource library, and newsletter.
• Roots in the Ground Farm to ECE Curriculum Comprehensive Farm to Early Care and Education curriculum designed to help early-childhood educators deliver gardening and cooking activities with young children; aligned with Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS), YoungStar, and GoNAPSACC.
• Celebrating Seasonality Recipe Guide A collection of twelve child-friendly recipes featuring seasonal Wisconsin-grown produce for early childhood settings, with recipes scaled for 8 and 25 servings, CACFP crediting information, seasonality charts, farmer interviews, and English and Spanish editions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 pounds of produce donated and 20,000+ youth served since 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Full Spectrum SolarminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPerformed installation of Troy Farm's second 5.2 kW solar array.
• Beeline ElectricminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPerformed installation of electrical systems for Troy Farm solar array.
• UW Madison Division of ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Gardens Network along with City of Madison, connecting Dane County residents with space, education, and resources for community gardens.
• City of MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Gardens Network along with UW Madison Extension, providing support for community gardens including land access and infrastructure.
• UW Madison Environmental Design LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rooted to co-lead Wisconsin School Garden Network, supporting youth garden movement across Wisconsin through the Wisconsin School Garden Map and resource sharing.
• 40 Acre FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Troy Farm Collaborative - BIPOC farmer (Sei and Melissa Kidau) supported with land access at Troy Farm since 2020.
• TradeRootscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Troy Farm Collaborative - BIPOC farmer (Yusuf Bin Rella) growing food of the African diaspora at Troy Farm. Also collaborative partner for Capitol Vegetable Garden.
• FarmHer GreenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Troy Farm Collaborative - emerging farmer (Kim Fruin) supported with land access at Troy Farm.
• Occupy MadisonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Troy Farm Collaborative - community organization growing at Troy Farm.
• Yen's FlowersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Troy Farm Collaborative - flower grower at Troy Farm.
• Urban TriagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Capitol Vegetable Garden planting and maintenance since 2024. Madison nonprofit fostering Black economic power and family self-sufficiency.
• Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) at UW-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Celebrating Seasonality publication - Wisconsin-grown recipes for early childhood settings. Supported by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Community Nutrition Team.
• Second Harvest Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Badger Rock food pantry serving over 100 families, co-hosted with Badger Rock Middle School.
• Lakeview Community SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - produce donation recipient serving Northside Madison communities.
• Sherman ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - produce donation recipient serving Northside Madison communities.
• Packers Community Learning CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - produce donation recipient serving Northside Madison communities.
• Vera Court Neighborhood CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - produce donation recipient serving Northside Madison communities.
• Kennedy Heights Neighborhood CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - added as Northside community center partner in expanded program.
• Northport Community Learning CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - added as Northside community center partner in expanded program.
• Ho-Chunk Madison Branch OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Grown Project partner - monthly produce donations started in 2024.
• Wisconsin Department of Public InstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Farm to ECE resources and Celebrating Seasonality publication. Provides CACFP crediting information for early childhood programs.
• Dan Cornelius (Oneida Nation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farmer providing heirloom seeds for Capitol Vegetable Garden showcase of native Wisconsin and American vegetables.
• CEOs of TomorrowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Social Entrepreneurship Class at Badger Rock Middle School.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Big Green: Big Green builds learning gardens in schools across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable to Rooted's Wisconsin School Garden Network and Gardener-in-Residence programs as a national-scale school garden nonprofit.
• Soul Fire Farm: Soul Fire Farm is a BIPOC-led community farm in upstate New York focused on food sovereignty, farmer training, and youth programs. Directly comparable to Rooted's Troy Farm Collaborative and youth employment mission around BIPOC food access and land justice.
• The Food Project: The Food Project operates urban farms in the Boston area focused on youth employment, sustainable agriculture, and food access. Highly comparable to Rooted as a nonprofit urban agriculture organization combining production with youth development and food justice programming.
• Windy City Harvest: Windy City Harvest is the Chicago Botanic Garden's urban agriculture program providing training, employment, and food access. Comparable as a Midwestern urban agriculture initiative combining production with workforce development and food access.
• Project GROWS: Project GROWS is a nonprofit farm and food education center in Staunton, Virginia. Comparable as a youth-focused farm-to-school organization combining CSA, farm education, and food access programming.
• Jones Valley Teaching Farm: Jones Valley Teaching Farm operates urban farms and educational programming in Birmingham, Alabama. Comparable as a nonprofit combining food production, K-12 education, and community food access with strong curriculum development.
• Urban Roots: Urban Roots is an Austin, Texas nonprofit using food and farming to transform the lives of young people. Highly comparable to Rooted's youth employment program model combining agriculture education with youth development.
• Massachusetts Avenue Project: Massachusetts Avenue Project operates urban agriculture and youth employment programs on Buffalo's west side. Direct peer in combining urban farming, youth workforce development, and food access in a northern climate urban context.
• Dream of Wild Health: Dream of Wild Health is a Native-led farm and youth program in Minnesota providing Indigenous food sovereignty programming. Comparable to Rooted's BIPOC-focused youth employment and culturally relevant food access work.

Emerging players

• Cultivate KC: Cultivate KC is a Kansas City-based coalition supporting urban agriculture and food systems. Comparable as a regional urban agriculture support organization with similar advocacy and producer support functions to Rooted's Gardens Network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rootedwi
• Instagraminstagram.com/rootedwi
• Xx.com/rootedwi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Rooted