Project Potluck

What Project Potluck does

Project Potluck is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (legally Potluck CPG Inc., founded 2020, headquartered in San Francisco) that operates the largest professional community for People of Color in the U.S. Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. It serves two interrelated constituents: (1) a community segment of POC founders, entrepreneurs, and professionals in CPG who receive free access to programming, and (2) a donor segment of CPG corporates and individuals who fund that programming. Its core offerings are three integrated programs — a structured Mentorship Program (mentor-mentee pairing, directory, roundtables, training), a Business Grants program awarding catalytic, no-equity grants of $5,000–$10,000 (including the Madeline Haydon Award, Once Upon a Farm Brand Builder Grant, and Baked Goods Innovation Award), and in-person Events (at least two large gatherings annually on the East and West Coasts, plus smaller Retail Real Talk sessions and networking luncheons). The 2026 Ibraheem Basir Legacy Initiative extends this programming in memory of the founder.

Name

Project Potluck

Legal name

Potluck CPG Inc.

Website

https://potluckcpg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Potluck is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the largest professional community for People of Color in U.S. CPG, providing free mentorship, no-equity grants of $5,000–$10,000, and bi-coastal in-person events to POC founders, professionals, and allies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Professional Community Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI)

Keywords

• Mentorship programs
• Business grants
• Networking events
• Diversity inclusion
• Nonprofit community

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grant Sponsorship: Project Potluck is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through individual and corporate donations. Corporate partners and donors (e.g., Once Upon a Farm, Madeline Haydon, New Hope Network, ForceBrands) sponsor named grants and fund programming. The organization also accepts check donations to its fiscal sponsor, Potluck CPG Inc.
2. Grant Sponsorship (Donor-Funded Grants): Companies and individuals sponsor named grants (e.g., Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship, Once Upon a Farm Brand Builder Grant, Baked Goods Innovation Award). Grant amounts range from $5,000 to $10,000 per award, funded by donor partners. This is a program-related revenue stream where donors provide capital that is then redistributed as catalytic, no-equity grants to POC founders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Potluck is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional community for People of Color in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. Its core offerings are a structured Mentorship Program (pairing POC entrepreneurs and professionals with experienced CPG leaders), catalytic no-equity Business Grants (including the Madeline Haydon Award, Once Upon a Farm Brand Builder Grant, and Baked Goods Innovation Award), and curated in-person networking Events held at least twice a year on the East and West Coasts. All programming is delivered free of charge to POC in CPG and funded through individual donations and corporate grant sponsorships.

Product overview

Project Potluck is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a suite of programs to support People of Color in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. The core offerings include a Mentorship Program (featuring a directory, mentor-led roundtables, and training resources), Business Grants (catalytic no-equity capital awards including the Madeline Haydon Award, Once Upon a Farm Brand Builder Grant, and Baked Goods Innovation Award), and in-person networking Events. The organization also runs the Ibraheem Basir Legacy Initiative to honor its founder and sustain community-building efforts. Members access programs through a community portal platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentorship Program A structured mentorship program pairing POC entrepreneurs and professionals in CPG with experienced industry leaders, featuring a mentorship directory, mentor-led roundtables, and training resources to support career and business growth. Delivered free of charge.
• Business Grants Program Suite of catalytic, no-equity grants awarded to promising CPG founders from underrepresented backgrounds, providing capital infusions of $5,000 to $10,000 per award to accelerate business growth without requiring equity dilution. Includes the Madeline Haydon Award for Entrepreneurship, Once Upon a Farm Brand Builder Grant, and Baked Goods Innovation Award.
• Networking Events In-person networking events held at least twice annually on the East and West Coasts, designed to connect POC professionals and founders in CPG with industry peers, mentors, and decision-makers in a supportive community environment. Includes Retail Real Talk sessions, Potluck Parties, and curated Networking Luncheons.
• Ibraheem Basir Legacy Initiative Initiative honoring the legacy of founder Ibraheem Basir, providing in-person gatherings, direct grants to founders, and ongoing community-building efforts to sustain inclusive opportunities in CPG. Guided by an advisory group of his family, close colleagues, and mentors.
• Community Portal Member portal built on Salesforce Community Cloud (potluckcpginc.my.site.com) providing self-serve access to mentorship directory, training registration, grant applications, event RSVP, and access codes for mentorship events. Free for all eligible POC in CPG.

Quantifiable outcome

• Businesses with mentors are 70% more likely to survive beyond five years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Startr Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStartr Co. is listed as a Leaders & Ally partner of Project Potluck, supporting the organization's efforts to advance representation in CPG.
• Bags (Financial Readiness Tool)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBags offers free financial review tools and one-on-one support to the Project Potluck community, helping founders understand their financial position and plan ahead. Project Potluck recommends Bags' free financial review tool to strengthen grant applications. Bags is also offering dedicated one-on-one support sessions to Project Potluck members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Backstage Capital: VC firm and accelerator dedicated to funding underrepresented founders (women, people of color, LGBTQ+) — overlaps with Project Potluck's mission and founder-support programming, though operates primarily as an investor rather than a nonprofit community.
• Good Food Foundation: Nonprofit recognizing and connecting craft food and beverage makers through an annual awards program and Good Food Mercantile — overlapping with Project Potluck's food/CPG focus and grant-style recognition, though broader in scope and not POC-specific.
• Female Founders Fund: Early-stage venture fund and community for women (including women of color) building businesses — comparable in supporting underrepresented founders with capital, mentorship, and community, though venture-focused rather than nonprofit/grant-focused.
• SoGal Foundation: Global community and venture platform for diverse women and non-binary founders — comparable in providing community, capital access, and events to underrepresented founders, with overlapping corporate-sponsor and DEI-driven funding model.
• All Raise: Nonprofit accelerating the success of women and non-binary leaders in tech — overlapping community, mentorship, and advocacy programming for underrepresented professionals, though tech-focused rather than CPG-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Tory Burch Foundation: Established foundation supporting women entrepreneurs through capital, education, and community programming — comparable in bundling grants, mentorship, and events for an underserved founder demographic, with significantly larger scale and a brand-driven funding model.

Direct peers

• New Voices Foundation: Nonprofit supporting women of color food and beverage entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship, and community — directly overlapping with Project Potluck's POC-in-CPG mission, programming format (grants + mentorship), and corporate-sponsor funding model.
• Naturally Network: Nonprofit advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the natural products industry through networking events, mentorship, and educational programming — a direct CPG-industry peer with similar community, events, and DEI focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-potluck

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Project Potluck