Common Roots Farm
Common Roots Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 that operates a 4.5-acre inclusive urban farm in Santa Cruz, California, providing agricultural programs, skills training, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities alongside community volunteers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSanta Cruz, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Common Roots Farm does
Common Roots Farm is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN #47-1590387) founded in 2016 that operates a 4.5-acre inclusive urban farm at 301 Golf Club Drive in Santa Cruz, California. The organization grows vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers while providing farm-based skills training, paid internships, environmental and gardening education, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities, who work alongside volunteers in a community-led model. The farm reports 4,000+ pounds of produce grown annually, 1,925+ volunteer hours contributed each year, and 80+ people with disabilities engaged on a weekly basis, with 15+ accessibility features integrated into the physical site.
The organization's revenue model is diversified across four streams: tax-deductible donations and memberships; Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions; planned farm-stand and retail sales; and farm-skills training and paid internships. Donor mechanisms include annual memberships, one-time gifts, matching gifts, stock grants, donor-advised funds, and legacy giving, with fundraising processed through Bloomerang CRM. Marketing is community-driven via an email newsletter, Facebook and Instagram pages, on-farm events, and a dedicated barn campaign microsite.
The most significant strategic action underway is construction of a 44' by 84' accessible timber-frame barn that began in Fall 2025 and is targeted for Fall 2026 completion, with a $3,000,000 capital campaign of which $1,000,000 has been raised. The barn is intended to eliminate the farm's current four-month seasonal closure by adding year-round workspace, an indoor farm stand and retail shop, a commercial value-added kitchen, and gathering space for inclusive programs. The organization operates with a small team of 8 employees and is governed independently with no parent company or institutional investors.
Common Roots Farm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Common Roots Farm
- Legal name
- Common Roots Farm
- Website
- https://commonrootsfarm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Common Roots Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 that operates a 4.5-acre inclusive urban farm in Santa Cruz, California, providing agricultural programs, skills training, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities alongside community volunteers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Common Roots Farm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Inclusive Urban Farming and Disability Services
- NAICS
- Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Other Crop Farming (1119)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Organic Fruit & Tree Nut Farming (Orchards) (AFAGAKAB)
Keywords
Where Common Roots Farm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Cruz
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Common Roots Farm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Memberships: Tax-deductible contributions through annual memberships, one-time donations, and matching gift programs. EIN #47-1590387 confirms 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
- CSA (Community Supported Agriculture): Community members purchase seasonal subscriptions to receive fresh produce from the farm, creating direct consumer relationships.
- Farm Stand and Retail Sales: The planned barn will include a retail shop and indoor farm stand where produce, flowers, and goods are sold directly to the public. Value-added products like jams, salts, sauces, and spice mixes planned for kitchen.
- Farm Skills Training and Internships: On-the-job training programs and paid internships provide workforce development, with support from stock grants, DAFs, and legacy giving.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Common Roots Farm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Common Roots Farm operates a 4.5-acre inclusive urban farm in Santa Cruz, California, growing vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers. The farm provides farm skills training, paid internships, environmental and gardening education, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities, who work side-by-side with volunteers. A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program and an annual donation/membership program supplement the core farm operations.
Product overview
Common Roots Farm operates as a single unified non-profit program centered on inclusive urban farming. The core offering is a 4.5-acre working farm in Santa Cruz, CA that provides vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers while serving people with disabilities through farm skills training, internships, and micro-enterprise opportunities. The farm's programs are supplemented by a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription, volunteer opportunities, and donation/membership programs. A major expansion project is underway: The Barn at Common Roots Farm, a 44'×84' accessible timber-frame barn (targeting Fall 2026 completion) that will enable year-round operations with a retail shop, commercial kitchen, and gathering spaces — overcoming the current four-month seasonal closure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Farm Skills Training and Internships Provides farm skills training, paid internships, environmental and gardening education, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities who participate in inclusive farming activities.
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Subscription
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,000+ pounds of fresh produce grown annually for local community
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Common Roots Farm
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Common Roots Farm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Common Roots Farm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Common Roots Farm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pie Ranch: Pie Ranch is a Bay Area regenerative farm nonprofit focused on farmer training, food justice education, and community engagement. Comparable to Common Roots as a mission-driven farm using CSA, workshops, and inclusive programming to deliver social impact in California.
- Project GROWS: Project GROWS is a Virginia-based nonprofit farm that engages youth and the community in food access and agricultural education. Comparable to Common Roots in combining urban farm production, CSA, volunteer programs, and education-driven nonprofit operations.
- Green Chimneys: Green Chimneys is a nonprofit operating a farm-based educational and therapeutic program for children with special needs in New York. Directly comparable to Common Roots as both combine agricultural operations with disability services and inclusive community programming.
- Gaining Ground: Gaining Ground is a Massachusetts nonprofit farm that grows produce for hunger relief using volunteer labor. Directly comparable to Common Roots in combining organic farming, volunteer-driven operations, CSA subscriptions, and a mission-focused nonprofit structure.
- The Food Project: The Food Project is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that operates urban farms to engage youth and communities in sustainable agriculture. Closely matches Common Roots' model of combining urban farming with education, CSA distribution, and volunteer-driven operations.
Broad incumbents
- Heifer International: Heifer International is a large established nonprofit working globally on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Broader in scope than Common Roots but operates in a similar social enterprise / sustainable agriculture / food access category.
- Feeding America: Feeding America is the largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit, addressing food access at massive scale. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but both operate in the food access / community food systems mission space relevant to Common Roots' CSA and produce distribution model.
Others
- Fair Food Network: Fair Food Network is a national nonprofit focused on food systems change, fair supply chains, and healthy food access. Thematically related to Common Roots' work in local food systems and inclusive community agriculture, though primarily an advocacy and grantmaking organization.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Common Roots Farm social profiles
Digital presenceCommon Roots Farm compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Common Roots Farm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Common Roots Farm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Common Roots Farm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Common Roots Farm 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 Common Roots Farm
What does Common Roots Farm do?
Common Roots Farm operates a 4.5-acre inclusive urban farm in Santa Cruz, California, growing vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers. The farm provides farm skills training, paid internships, environmental and gardening education, and micro-enterprise opportunities for people with disabilities, who work side-by-side with volunteers. A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program and an annual donation/membership program supplement the core farm operations.
Is Common Roots Farm a public or private company?
Common Roots Farm is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Common Roots Farm founded?
Common Roots Farm was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Common Roots Farm based?
Common Roots Farm is headquartered in Santa Cruz, United States, in the North America region.
How does Common Roots Farm make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Memberships are the primary driver. The others are CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), farm Stand and Retail Sales and farm Skills Training and Internships.
Who are Common Roots Farm's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pie Ranch, Project GROWS, Green Chimneys, Gaining Ground and The Food Project. Broad incumbents are Heifer International and Feeding America. Fair Food Network is listed as an others.
Does Common Roots Farm have an API?
No public API is recorded for Common Roots Farm.
What industry is Common Roots Farm in?
Common Roots Farm's product category is Inclusive Urban Farming and Disability Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAD, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative), with a secondary code of AFAIANAC, Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery. Its NAICS code is 1113 and its SIC code is 100.