What Zero Foodprint does

Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that mobilizes the food and beverage industry to fund regenerative agriculture. The organization pools small contributions from member businesses — typically 1% of sales — and distributes them as Restore Grants (up to $25,000 per project, $75,000 lifetime cap per farm) to farmers and ranchers implementing carbon-sequestering practices such as compost application, cover cropping, managed grazing, hedgerow planting, and alley cropping. It also runs a network of periodic and annualized programs including Compost Connector (California-only compost rebates), the Healthy Soils Program partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and three collective-action campaigns — Dirty Drinks (August), Holiday Gift Guide (November–December), and Bespoke Contributions — that raise funds through transaction-fee mechanics.

The technology foundation is an online grant and rebate platform rather than a software product in the conventional sense. Restore Grant applications are scored competitively on cost per ton of CO2 sequestered using the COMET Planner carbon-quantification tool from USDA/NRCS; applications are matched with Technical Assistance Providers including NRCS offices, Conservation Districts, and partners like Point Blue Conservation. Compost Connector runs through a dedicated portal using Formstack for applications, DocuSign for agreements, and Airtable to maintain approved-facility lists. A member portal gives business members access to marketing assets and contribution tracking. In 2025 the organization launched the Supply Chain Regeneration Grants program, which allows brands (e.g., Tillamook, Bob's Red Mill) to reinvest in their own supply chains and participate directly in grantee selection.

The commercial model is multi-stream and structurally aligned with nonprofit fundraising rather than a SaaS or transactional SaaS motion. Annual revenue is not disclosed but is approximated via membership contributions (1% of sales from many SMB restaurants, wineries, distilleries, breweries, and CPG brands), transaction-fee campaign income ($1 per dirty drink, $1 per featured Holiday Gift Guide product), and contracted/grant income from government partnerships — including California SB1383 procurement work with the California State Coastal Conservancy — plus corporate sponsorship revenue from the new Regeneration Sponsors tier. Since inception, Zero Foodprint has funded 825+ farm projects across California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, awarded $9.5M+ in cumulative grants, and reports 240k+ tons CO2e sequestered, with 113,000 tons projected from 2025 alone.

Name

Zero Foodprint

Legal name

Zero Foodprint

Website

https://zerofoodprint.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zero Foodprint is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels contributions from food and beverage businesses into Restore Grants (up to $25,000) for farmers implementing regenerative practices, primarily across California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Agriculture Funding

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL), Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture grants
• Carbon farming funding
• Food industry sustainability
• Agricultural grant administration
• Climate action programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Business Membership Contributions: Food and beverage businesses join as members, contributing a portion of their sales (typically 1% of sales) to fund Restore Grants for regenerative farming practices. Members receive access to a portal, marketing assets, and can participate in collective action campaigns.
2. Dirty Drinks Campaign: Annual week-long campaign (August 24-30) where bars and beverage businesses serve dirty drinks and contribute $1 for each drink sold during the campaign week. 100% of contributions go directly to farmers.
3. Holiday Gift Guide: Annual campaign (Nov 17 - Dec 31) where brands feature a product and contribute $1 for each product sold during the holiday season. Funds go to Restore Grants.
4. Government Partnerships: Partnerships with California jurisdictions and state agencies (State Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Food and Agriculture) to fund compost and soil health programs through SB1383 compliance and Healthy Soils Program.
5. Supply Chain Regeneration Grants: New program launched in 2025 allowing brands like Tillamook and Bob's Red Mill to reinvest in their own supply chains, advance climate goals, and engage customers in climate action. Sponsors get direct role in grantee selection process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zero Foodprint is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds regenerative agriculture by collecting small, pooled contributions from food and beverage businesses (typically 1% of sales) and channeling 100% of proceeds directly to farmers and ranchers as Restore Grants for carbon-sequestering practices. It complements its grantmaking with collective action campaigns (Dirty Drinks, Holiday Gift Guide), a California compost rebate program (Compost Connector), and partnerships with state agencies and corporate supply chain sponsors.

Product overview

Zero Foodprint is a nonprofit organization operating as a collective action platform connecting the food and beverage industry with regenerative agriculture. The core offering consists of grant programs (Restore Grants up to $25K and Supply Chain Regeneration Grants) that fund farmers implementing carbon-sequestering practices. Complementary programs include Compost Connector for California-based compost rebates and the Healthy Soils Program partnership with CDFA. The platform drives engagement through three annual collective action campaigns: Dirty Drinks (beverage industry), Holiday Gift Guide (CPG brands), and Bespoke Contributions (custom business campaigns). Business Membership provides the ongoing funding mechanism with typical 1% of sales contributions. A member portal enables business participants to access resources and track impact. The organization does not offer a public API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restore Grants Grants of up to $25,000 for farmers and ranchers to implement regenerative practices that sequester carbon, competitively selected based on cost per ton of carbon sequestered using COMET Planner modeling.
• Compost Connector A first-come, first-served rebate program for California farmers and ranchers purchasing compost from Zero Foodprint-approved facilities, providing fixed dollar amount per ton with a $20,000 yearly funding maximum.
• Business Membership Ongoing contribution program where food and beverage businesses (typically 1% of sales) pool funds for regenerative agriculture grants, including member portal access, marketing assets, and participation in collective action campaigns.
• Dirty Drinks Annual week-long campaign (August 24-30) where bars and beverage businesses serve 'dirty drinks' and contribute $1 for each drink sold, with 100% of contributions going directly to farmers.
• Holiday Gift Guide Annual campaign (November 17 - December 31) where CPGs, kitchenware brands, and DTC food brands select one product to feature and contribute $1 for each product sold during the holiday season.
• Supply Chain Regeneration Grants Program allowing brands like Tillamook and Bob's Red Mill to reinvest in their own supply chains, advance climate goals, and engage customers in climate action, with Regeneration Sponsors receiving direct involvement in the grantee selection process.
• Bespoke Contributions Custom fundraising options for businesses to create unique campaigns such as round-ups, special dinners, limited products, or Earth Week initiatives that raise funds for farm projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 240k+ tons CO2e sequestered through funded farm projects
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boulder CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025Zero Foodprint contributed $100,000 through partnerships with local restaurants and food businesses to support Boulder County's grant programs including Soil Health Initiative (up to $660,000), Grey to Green Fund ($100,000), and Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund ($50,000). Programs aim to improve soil health and strengthen the local food system.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide Healthy Soil Program Grants to California farmers and ranchers. ZFP administers grants alongside CDFA for soil conservation management practices.
• James Beard FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarding body that recognized ZFP with Humanitarian of the Year Award (2020). ZFP participates in JBF events in Los Angeles and Denver to address climate change impacts on the restaurant industry.
• CareitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for food donation technology. Careit connects businesses with surplus food to local charities, complementing ZFP's climate-focused programs.
• COMET Planner (USDA/NRCS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCarbon quantification tool used by ZFP and applicants to estimate carbon sequestration from regenerative practices. Applicants input practices to determine CO2 equivalent for grant applications.
• NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical assistance coordination through NRCS offices and Conservation Districts. Technical Assistance Providers include NRCS offices, Conservation Districts, and Agricultural Extension Offices.
• New Seasons MarketcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPacific Northwest grocery chain that suggested A to Z Wineworks apply for ZFP Restore grant. As a ZFP member, they contribute to funding and help select grantees in their supply chain.
• Montezuma Orchard Restoration ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agricultural group in Colorado that helped EsoTerra Ciderworks learn about the historical significance of heritage apples in the region.
• Point Blue ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEligible Technical Assistance Provider for ZFP grant projects, offering technical assistance to farms and ranches for conservation practices.
• Maker's MarkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpirits brand sponsoring events including San Diego Post-Holiday Party and Unfork the Planet afterparty with free cocktails for participants.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kiss the Ground: 501(c)(3) regenerative agriculture education and advocacy nonprofit that mobilizes consumer and industry support for soil health; directly comparable mission and engagement model to Zero Foodprint's industry-mobilization approach.
• Soil Health Institute: Nonprofit research and policy organization advancing soil health science and adoption; comparable in mission alignment on regenerative agriculture and in partnering with USDA/NRCS on quantification and farmer adoption.
• Regeneration International: Global nonprofit network promoting regenerative agriculture and food systems; overlaps with ZFP's mission on regenerative practice adoption and policy advocacy for soil health.
• 1% for the Planet: Member-based environmental giving platform where brands pledge 1% of sales to vetted environmental partners; ZFP is itself a member and uses an overlapping '1% of sales' contribution model with food and beverage brands.
• The Carbon Underground: Nonprofit initiative promoting regenerative agriculture as a climate solution under the 'Soil Is Sexy' / 'Soil Heroes' framing; comparable mission, education focus, and corporate partnership model.

Emerging players

• Carbon180: Nonprofit focused on natural and technological carbon removal solutions including soil carbon; comparable in mobilizing donors and corporates around durable carbon removal, though broader across removal pathways.
• Soil Capital: Soil-carbon program that certifies and pays farmers for regenerative practices; more commercial/transactional than ZFP but competes for the same farmer pool and corporate Scope 3 demand.
• Ecosystem Services Market Consortium: Nonprofit developing standardized soil-carbon and ecosystem-services protocols and piloting ecosystem-services markets for agriculture; adjacent to ZFP because both work at the farmer-carbon quantification and incentive layer.

Broad incumbents

• Project Drawdown: Climate solutions research nonprofit that ranks and advances high-impact climate interventions including regenerative agriculture; broader in scope but converges with ZFP on quantification and corporate adoption narratives.
• Sustainable Brands: Sustainability-focused B2B media and events network serving brand sustainability and ESG leaders; overlaps with ZFP in mobilising brand-side climate commitments and convening the same F&B and CPG audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/zerofoodprint
• Xx.com/zerofoodprint
• Facebookfacebook.com/zerofoodprint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zerofoodprint

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Zero Foodprint