Backyard Growers
Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Gloucester, Massachusetts that builds community gardens, runs school garden programs across all Gloucester Public Schools, and operates the Backyard Growcery farmers market to expand food access for Cape Ann residents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersGloucester, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Backyard Growers does
Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food equity organization founded in 2008 (incorporated independently in 2014) and headquartered at 103R Maplewood Ave in Gloucester, Massachusetts. It operates an integrated portfolio of community gardening programs across Cape Ann, including six community gardens, a Backyard Garden installation program for financially eligible households, a GrowBag container gardening program for residents without yard access, and school garden programs reaching 100% of Gloucester Public Schools. Its award-winning school model, including Salad Days, Fall Harvest Days, and Taste Test programs, engages over 2,000 students annually and serves 10,000+ servings of fresh, locally-grown food in school cafeterias each year; the model has been licensed through a consulting practice to 24 schools across Massachusetts.
The organization runs the Backyard Growcery, a weekly farmers market launched in 2024 at Burnham's Field in partnership with the City of Gloucester, which accepts SNAP/EBT and provides a $5 weekly Market Mint match. It also produces educational resources (raised bed guides, seed-starting curricula, square-foot gardening workshops, recipes) and operates a free seed library. The technology base is conventional nonprofit stack: a Squarespace website, Constant Contact email, DonorPerfect donation processing, and PDF/resource downloads — there is no proprietary software platform or AI/ML component.
Revenue mechanics are dominated by philanthropic inflows. The largest disclosed funding event is a $250,000, 10-year Cummings Foundation grant awarded in 2022 (one of 140 selected from 580 applicants). Earned income is limited: $20 per-person workshop fees (free for program gardeners and discounted for SNAP/EBT/WIC/ConnectorCare cardholders), 15% commission on raised bed purchases via Black Earth Compost, and sponsorships. Vendor fees at the Backyard Growcery are intentionally waived to support small-scale producers. The organization serves approximately 3,000 children, families, and seniors annually through a staff of seven, and is governed by an expanded Board of Directors headed (effective July 2026) by Suzanne Clerkin. Following founder Lara Lepionka's 2022 departure, the organization is currently led by Acting Executive Director Katy Marques (since October 2025).
Backyard Growers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Backyard Growers
- Legal name
- Backyard Growers
- Website
- https://backyardgrowers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Gloucester, Massachusetts that builds community gardens, runs school garden programs across all Gloucester Public Schools, and operates the Backyard Growcery farmers market to expand food access for Cape Ann residents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Backyard Growers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Food Access / Urban Agriculture Services
- NAICS
- Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Raised Garden Beds & Planter Box Installation (HSAIAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services (HSAIAFAG)
Keywords
Where Backyard Growers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gloucester
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Backyard Growers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and organizations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 47-1553021) that receives grants from foundations including Cummings Foundation ($250,000 over 10 years) and operates with Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
- Farmers Market Operations: The Backyard Growcery weekly farmers market operated by Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field. The market does not charge vendor participation fees to reduce risk for small-scale producers.
- Workshop Fees: Ticket sales for gardening workshops. General admission typically $20 per person, free for Backyard Growers Program Gardeners. Discounts available for SNAP EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders through Massachusetts Card to Culture program.
- Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships for programs and events, including the Backyard Growcery farmers market.
- Partnership Revenue (Black Earth Compost): 15% commission on raised garden bed purchases ordered through Backyard Growers partnership with Black Earth Compost. Donors can also purchase beds for themselves or donate beds to families or seniors in the community.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Per occurrence | Workshop Admission - Program Gardeners |
| Unit Pricing | Per occurrence | Workshop Admission - General Public |
| Unit Pricing | Per occurrence | Holiday Workshop - FUNdraiser Event |
| Freemium | Weekly | Market Mint SNAP Match |
| Freemium | Per occurrence | Pop-Up Holiday Market SNAP Match |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Backyard Growers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides Gloucester residents with equitable access to the resources, space, and knowledge to grow their own food. It delivers this through community gardens, free backyard raised bed installations for eligible households, GrowBag container gardens, school garden programs in all Gloucester public schools, and the Backyard Growcery weekly farmers market that supports small-scale local farms and food businesses.
Product overview
Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food equity organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on food access and food sovereignty. The core offerings include: Community Garden Program (six community gardens across Gloucester), Backyard Garden Program (backyard raised bed installations for eligible households), and GrowBag Garden Program (container gardening). School Garden Programs engage 2,000+ students annually through Salad Days, Fall Harvest Days, and Taste Test programs at every Gloucester public school. The Backyard Growcery is a weekly farmers market at Burnham's Field that supports local farmers and food access. Consulting services help other organizations replicate their award-winning program models. Free gardening resources, educational workshops, and recipes round out the offerings. The programs work together to increase equitable access to vegetable gardens and the resources people need to grow their own food.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Backyard Growcery Farmers Market Weekly farmers market at Burnham's Field in downtown Gloucester, Massachusetts, bringing fresh, local food to the community and supporting small-scale farms and food businesses, accepting SNAP/EBT, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Coupons.
- Community Garden Program Provides garden space and resources to community members through six community gardens across Gloucester, including access to raised beds, shared garden plots, and community garden infrastructure, with ongoing support and supplies.
- Backyard Garden Program Offers a limited number of backyard raised garden bed installations each spring for financially eligible Gloucester households, providing the physical space and resources (bed construction, soil, compost, seedlings, seeds) to grow food at home.
- GrowBag Garden Program Modular container vegetable gardening program that increases access to fresh produce through GrowBag containers suitable for front stoops, back porches, and driveways, serving residents without access to a yard.
- School Garden Programs Comprehensive school garden programs including Salad Days, Fall Harvest Days, and Taste Test programs that engage over 2,000 Gloucester Public School students annually in vegetable gardens and cafeteria activities, with gardens at every Gloucester public school and over 10,000 servings of fresh, locally-grown food served in school cafeterias annually.
- School Garden Model Consulting Program Consulting engagement that enables schools, districts, housing developments, and communities outside Gloucester to adapt Backyard Growers' award-winning garden program model, with the model already replicated across 24 schools in Massachusetts.
- Gardening Workshops & Events Calendar of fee-based and free gardening workshops including Square-Foot Gardening Workshops, Container Gardening Workshops, seed starting, soil health, and seasonal gardening classes; $20 general admission with 50% discount via Card to Culture for SNAP/EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders; free for Backyard Growers Program Gardeners.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% of community gardeners report their families eat more vegetables as a result of their gardens
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Backyard Growers
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Backyard Growers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Backyard Growers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- The Food ProjectcoreEarly organizational partner that collaborated with founder Lara Lepionka. FoodCorps partnership helped launch and grow programming. Contributed to founding story and initial organizational development.
- The Open DoorcoreMajor food access partner organization. Backyard Growers provides vegetable gardening resources to pantry clients. Open Door Director of People & Culture served 11 years on Backyard Growers Board of Directors.
- Gloucester Public SchoolscorePrimary institutional partner with school garden programs at 100% of Gloucester public schools. Programs include Salad Days, Fall Harvest Days, and Taste Tests engaging 2,000+ students annually.
- City of GloucestercoreCity partnership for Backyard Growcery farmers market at Burnham's Field public park. Mayor Verga administration partnered with Backyard Growers for mayoral initiative to launch farmer's market.
- Gloucester Housing AuthoritycorePartner for community gardens at Willowood Park housing development. Agri-Culture public art project combined with community garden improvements. Provides garden space access to residents.
- Black Earth CompostmajorSoil and raised bed supplier partner. Through partnership, Backyard Growers receives 15% of raised bed purchase price when ordered through the organization. Also Get-a-Garden, Give-a-Garden program with $50 off option.
- Cedar Rock Gardensmajor13.5 acre local farm providing seedlings for Backyard Growers annual Community Seedling Sale. Vendor at Backyard Growcery farmers market. Supports school programs with locally-grown vegetable seedlings.
- Cornerstone CreativecoreNonprofit youth mentorship organization that builds gardens throughout Gloucester. Partners with Backyard Growers to construct garden infrastructure. Sells youth-crafted wood creations at the Growcery.
- Action Inc.corePartner nonprofit providing garden installations at their Emergency Shelter location. Part of network connecting low-to-moderate income residents to growing resources.
- Seacoast Nursing & Rehabilitationminor142-bed rehab and nursing center partnership offering vegetable gardening program to residents. Includes Salad Harvest events and sensory garden establishment with Cape Ann Garden Club.
- Cape Ann YMCAminorCommunity partner for expanding reach of food access and gardening programs on Cape Ann.
- Pathways for ChildrenminorPartner organization in network of providers bringing fresh vegetables to service populations.
- UMass Amherst Soil TestingminorRecommended soil testing resource for gardeners planting in ground. UMass Extension provides additional gardening resources.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Backyard Growers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Green City Growers: Somerville, MA-based urban farming company that installs and maintains raised bed gardens for schools, businesses, and homeowners. Closely comparable in delivering backyard/school garden installations, raised bed construction, and consulting services across Massachusetts.
- The Food Project: Massachusetts-based urban agriculture nonprofit that grows food, trains youth, and operates farmers markets across Greater Boston and the North Shore. Directly comparable as a regional food access and youth development peer, and was an early partner of Backyard Growers.
- Big Green: Denver-based national nonprofit that builds learning gardens in schools and partners with school districts to scale food education. Highly comparable through its school garden installation model, district partnerships, and consulting-driven replication playbook.
- Growing Places: Leominster, MA nonprofit operating community gardens, a mobile farmers market, and SNAP/EBT food access programs for North Central Massachusetts. Overlaps strongly with Backyard Growers' community garden + farmers market + food access stack.
- Mill City Grows: Lowell, MA nonprofit that builds community gardens, runs a mobile farmers market, and delivers food access programming to underserved residents. Comparable community garden + farmers market + food access model within the same Massachusetts geography.
- Groundwork Lawrence: Lawrence, MA-based environmental justice nonprofit with urban agriculture, community gardens, and food access programming. Comparable mission, Massachusetts geography, and combination of gardening infrastructure with food equity outcomes.
Regional players
- Southside Community Land Trust: Providence, RI nonprofit that operates urban farms, community gardens, and youth gardening programs. Comparable community gardening and food access model in a neighboring New England region, serving a different geography.
- Groundwork Somerville: Somerville, MA environmental justice nonprofit with community gardens and food access programming. Comparable mission and program mix within the broader Massachusetts ecosystem, though operating in a different sub-region than Gloucester.
Emerging players
- Keep Growing Detroit: Detroit-based urban agriculture nonprofit running the Garden Resource Program that distributes seeds and supports hundreds of community gardens citywide. Comparable seed library and community garden support model with a more production-oriented focus.
Broad incumbents
- GrowNYC: NYC-based environmental nonprofit operating Greenmarkets farmers markets, school gardens, and community gardens at city scale. Comparable farmers market and school garden programming, but at significantly larger scope and broader urban mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Backyard Growers social profiles
Digital presenceBackyard Growers compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Backyard Growers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Backyard Growers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Backyard Growers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Backyard Growers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Backyard Growers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Backyard Growers
What does Backyard Growers do?
Backyard Growers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides Gloucester residents with equitable access to the resources, space, and knowledge to grow their own food. It delivers this through community gardens, free backyard raised bed installations for eligible households, GrowBag container gardens, school garden programs in all Gloucester public schools, and the Backyard Growcery weekly farmers market that supports small-scale local farms and food businesses.
Is Backyard Growers a public or private company?
Backyard Growers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Backyard Growers founded?
Backyard Growers was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Backyard Growers based?
Backyard Growers is headquartered in Gloucester, United States, in the North America region.
How does Backyard Growers make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are farmers Market Operations, workshop Fees, sponsorships and partnership Revenue (Black Earth Compost).
Who are Backyard Growers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Green City Growers, The Food Project, Big Green, Growing Places, Mill City Grows and Groundwork Lawrence. Regional players are Southside Community Land Trust and Groundwork Somerville. Keep Growing Detroit is listed as an emerging player. GrowNYC is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Backyard Growers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Backyard Growers.
What industry is Backyard Growers in?
Backyard Growers's product category is Community Food Access / Urban Agriculture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAIAFAK, Raised Garden Beds & Planter Box Installation, with a secondary code of HSAIAFAG, Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services. Its NAICS code is 11142 and its SIC code is 700.