Aquidneck Community Table

What Aquidneck Community Table does

Aquidneck Community Table (ACT) is a community-based nonprofit organization founded in 2016 and headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, operating on Aquidneck Island (encompassing Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth). The organization's mission is to build a new local food system that addresses food insecurity, supports local agriculture, and educates the community. It runs a multi-component program portfolio: (1) weekly farmers' markets, with over 50 markets annually attracting 30,000+ visits and supporting 50+ local farm and food businesses; (2) a community garden program offering 80+ garden plots across 5 locations for residents and new farmers; (3) school- and community-based garden education programs reaching 800+ children and their families; and (4) fresh food access initiatives that include SNAP partnership benefits at markets. The organization employs 6 staff and is funded primarily through individual donations, The Table Campaign, grants, and market vendor participation fees.

The underlying operating model is community-led and physically distributed rather than technology-driven. There is no proprietary software platform, no API, no AI/ML components, and no disclosed digital infrastructure beyond a website (actlocalri.org) and presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Distribution channels are regional, limited to Aquidneck Island, and centered on physical touchpoints (markets and garden locations). The business model is grant- and donation-dependent, with the organization filing a publicly disclosed Form 990 and rejecting any commercial revenue model in favor of mission-driven food justice outcomes.

Key customer segments include local community members seeking fresh food access (including SNAP recipients), local farmers/fishers/food makers using markets as a sales channel, home gardeners, and school children receiving garden-based education. The organization positions itself as a food justice advocate, with explicit attention to food access for low-income residents and policy change. Strategic emphasis is on community ecosystem buildout — integrating production (gardens), distribution (markets), education (schools), and advocacy (food justice) into a single island-wide platform. Constraints include a small staff (6 employees), narrow geographic scope, and absence of a technology platform that could enable scaling beyond the current island footprint.

Name

Aquidneck Community Table

Legal name

Aquidneck Community Table

Website

https://aquidneckcommunitytable.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquidneck Community Table is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that operates 50+ annual farmers' markets, 80+ community garden plots, and school-based garden education programs serving 800+ children on Aquidneck Island. It supports local farmers and provides fresh food access through SNAP partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Systems Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Community food systems
• Farmers market operations
• Community garden programs
• Food justice advocacy
• School garden education

Headquarters

HQ city

Aquidneck Island

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual and organizational donations fund operations and programs. The organization runs a donation campaign called 'The Table Campaign' and accepts general contributions through its website.
2. Market Transaction Fees: Revenue generated through vendor participation fees at farmers' markets and potentially transaction-based revenue from SNAP benefit processing.
3. Grant Funding: Implied grant funding to support food justice programs, youth leadership development, and community growing initiatives based on program descriptions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aquidneck Community Table runs weekly farmers' markets that aggregate more than 50 markets per year, a network of more than 80 community garden plots distributed across 5 sites, school- and community-based garden education reaching more than 800 children, and SNAP-accepted fresh food access initiatives. The organization also supports local farmers, fishers, and food makers with customer access, land, and food production resources. Funding comes primarily from donations, grants, sponsorships, and vendor participation fees rather than consumer product sales.

Product overview

Aquidneck Community Table operates a multi-component community food system platform focused on Aquidneck Island. The core offerings include Farmers Markets (hosting over 50 markets annually with 30,000+ visits), Community Garden Program (80+ plots across 5 locations), School and Youth Education Programs (serving 800+ children), Fresh Food Access Initiatives including SNAP partnerships, and Food Production Support for local farmers and food makers. These programs work together to build food security and food justice on the island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farmers Markets Weekly farmers' markets connecting local Aquidneck Island consumers with local farmers, fishers, and makers. The organization hosts 50+ markets annually attracting 30,000+ visits and supporting 50+ local businesses. SNAP benefits are accepted.
• Community Garden Program Provides 80+ garden plots across 5 locations to community members and new farming businesses for growing their own food. Gardeners share seeds, recipes, harvests, and stories.
• School and Youth Education Programs School- and community-based garden programs educating 800+ children and their families on growing and harvesting fresh foods, including youth leadership development initiatives delivered directly in schools.
• Fresh Food Access Initiatives Programs providing fresh food access through weekly markets, SNAP partnerships, and affordability initiatives that make local food accessible to all community members regardless of income.
• Food Production Support Resources and land support helping island farmers and food makers build sustainable businesses while connecting them with customers who value local food. Includes access to community garden plots for new farming entrepreneurs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ farmers' markets annually with 30,000+ visits supporting 50+ local businesses
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSNAP benefits are accepted at weekly farmers' markets, enabling low-income community members to purchase fresh, locally grown produce. This partnership is fundamental to the organization's food access mission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Farm Fresh Rhode Island: Rhode Island-based nonprofit operating farmers' markets, a food hub, and farm-to-school programs statewide. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, mission (local food access), and overlapping program mix (markets, education, food justice).
• The Food Project: Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating urban farms, farmers' markets, and youth leadership programs around food systems. Comparable to ACT on the integrated markets + gardens + youth education model.
• Southside Community Land Trust: Providence, RI nonprofit operating community gardens, urban farms, and food justice programs. Directly comparable to ACT's community garden and food-access programs, with a similar land-access-for-growers model.

Broad incumbents

• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit focused on doubling SNAP benefits at farmers' markets to improve healthy food access. Comparable to ACT's SNAP-at-market integration, but operating at a national policy and funding scale.
• Fair Food Network: National food systems nonprofit running the Double Up Food Bucks program and other healthy food access initiatives. Comparable in mission (food access via markets) but with broader geographic and programmatic scope.

Regional players

• Coastal Enterprises Inc. Maine-based community development financial institution supporting food systems, small farms, and rural economies. Comparable to ACT's producer-support role but operates as a CDFI serving a different geography.
• Local Food Hub: Virginia-based nonprofit aggregating and distributing local farm produce to schools and communities. Comparable to ACT's market channel and farm-support activities but operating a distribution hub model in a different region.

Others

• Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA): Regional organic farming association offering education, certification, and advocacy for farmers in the Northeast. Comparable to ACT's educational and farmer-support functions but as an enabling/advocacy organization rather than direct market operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aquidneckcommunitytable
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquidneck-community-table
• Instagraminstagram.com/actlocalri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Aquidneck Community Table