Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology

What Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology does

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 and headquartered in Bellaire, Michigan, that builds rural place-based cultures and economies at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, arts, craft, and ecology. The organization operates three program pillars — Arts + Culture (The Ship Yard emerging-musician program, Antrim Writers Series, Long Memory Project, artist residencies), Agriculture + Land Use (zero-interest Food & Farm Microloans of $500-$10,000, Farmer-to-Farmer Learning, Carbon Farming Cohorts, Guilds, and the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference), and Community + Connection (skill swaps, Land-Based Projects, The Whole Field bi-weekly newsletter) — across an 8- to 10-county region of Northwest Lower Michigan. Its technology footprint is modest: a Squarespace website, email newsletter, and third-party SaaS tools (Slideroom, QGiv, Eventbrite, Patronicity) for applications, ticketing, and crowdfunding.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: individual donations and charitable contributions, competitive institutional grants from entities such as USDA NIFA, MCACA, NEA, Michigan Humanities Council, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, Rotary Charities, Impact 100, Michigan DLE&D, and MEDC, zero-interest microloans funded in partnership with Oryana Community Co-op, event contributions (free or suggested-donation), and a newly launched retail and coffee/tea stream from the Crosshatch Meeting Place + Mercantile in downtown Bellaire. Pricing across programs is overwhelmingly free or low-cost, with microloans offered at 0% interest. Crosshatch reaches participants through community-led and event-driven go-to-market motions, with ~6 employees and a board-governed leadership structure under co-founder Brad Kik.

The organization is mid-transition from a 19-year "no fixed center" operating model into a physical-infrastructure phase, anchored by the 2025 purchase of the Bellaire Meeting Place + Mercantile (enabled by a Community Center Grant) and the ongoing development of a 52-acre XH Campus adjacent to Glacial Hills Natural Area. Distribution is regional across Northwest Lower Michigan, delivered through partner venues (Bos Winery, Bee Well Cider, Grass River Natural Area, conservation districts), The Alluvion performance venue at Commongrounds Cooperative in Traverse City, and now a permanent downtown Bellaire hub, with a long tail of small farms, artists, and community members as program participants.

Name

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology

Legal name

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology

Website

https://crosshatch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 in Bellaire, Michigan, that builds rural place-based cultures and economies through arts, regenerative agriculture, and ecology programs — including zero-interest farm microloans, artist residencies, and peer learning networks — serving farmers, artists, and residents across Northwest Lower Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Nonprofit Programs

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Farming & AgriTech Shows Organizers (THAHABAM), Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Regenerative agriculture education
• Rural arts programming
• Farmer peer learning
• Nonprofit microfinance

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellaire

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a 501c3 nonprofit that relies heavily on donations from individuals and community members to fund operations and programs.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Receives grants from organizations including USDA, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Humanities Council, Rotary Charities, and others.
3. Community Center Grant: Received Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Development Community Center Grant for building purchase.
4. Retail Operations: Crosshatch Meeting Place + Mercantile will sell retail items, coffee, and tea to support operations.
5. Event Revenue: Some events may have ticket sales or suggested donations (e.g., $20 for panel and performance at Alluvion).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a portfolio of community programs spanning arts + culture, agriculture + land use, and community + connection across Northwest Lower Michigan. It runs peer learning networks (guilds), farmer-to-farmer cohorts, artist residencies, literary and music programming, an annual small farm conference, and a zero-interest food and farm microloan program ($500–$10,000) operated in partnership with Oryana Community Co-op.

Product overview

Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology is a 501c3 nonprofit organization operating as a platform of interconnected community programs centered around regenerative agriculture, arts, craft, and rural community building. The organization functions through three main program pillars: Arts + Culture (supporting artists through residencies, performances, and literary programming), Agriculture + Land Use (providing farmer education, peer networks, microloans, and conferences), and Community + Connection (facilitating storytelling, land-based projects, and neighborhood gatherings). Key named programs include The Ship Yard (emerging musician support), Antrim Writers Series (literary programming), Long Memory Project (community storytelling), Guilds (peer learning networks), Farmer-to-Farmer Learning, Food & Farm Microloans, Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference, and The Whole Field newsletter. The organization is also establishing a physical presence with the Crosshatch Meeting Place + Mercantile, a retail and community space in downtown Bellaire that will serve as a hub for workshops, events, and local goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crosshatch Meeting Place + Mercantile: A community hub in downtown Bellaire featuring retail, workshops, community events, and an artist residency program.
• Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference
• Antrim Writers Series
• The Ship Yard
• Long Memory Project
• Food & Farm Microloans
• The Whole Field

Products and services

• Crosshatch Meeting Place + Mercantile A community hub and retail space in downtown Bellaire, Michigan offering workshops, community events, retail goods from local makers, coffee/tea service, and an artist residency apartment upstairs.
• Food & Farm Microloans Zero-interest microloans of $500–$10,000 for food and farm businesses in Northwest Lower Michigan, operating for more than ten years in partnership with Oryana Community Co-op.
• The Ship Yard A community artist program supporting emerging local musicians by providing performance opportunities at The Alluvion venue in Traverse City, professional audio/video recordings, mentorship, and industry connections. Runs monthly October through May.
• Antrim Writers Series A literary program bringing Michigan authors to Antrim County for readings, book signings, and writing workshops, with both featured writers and local author showcases.
• Long Memory Project A community storytelling initiative that cultivates the passing down of regional stories from elders to artists, who then create visual and performing art in response, covering farming history, LGBTQ+ community stories, and environmental activism.
• Guilds Peer-to-peer learning networks for farmers and enthusiasts including Small Farm Guilds, Beekeepers Guilds, and Herb Guild, providing mentorship, demonstrations, skill swapping, and community building.
• Farmer-to-Farmer Learning

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ small farms and food businesses supported through microloans since 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PatronicityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrowdfunding platform used for fundraising campaigns including the Meeting Place + Mercantile campaign.
• Up North PrideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Long Memory Project focusing on LGBTQ+ community stories and elders.
• MiGenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Long Memory Project focusing on LGBTQ+ community stories.
• Cedar NorthminorOthersFarm venue partner for Long Memory Project PRIDE gathering in February 2024.
• Little Traverse Bay Beekeepers GuildminorOthersCrosshatch supports this network of beekeepers including hobbyists to professionals. Guild meets in Petoskey.
• Grand Traverse Beekeeping GuildminorOthersCrosshatch supports this network of beekeepers. Guild meets in Traverse City.
• Benzie Bee GuildminorOthersIndependent guild that meets regularly; supported by Crosshatch but operates independently.
• East Grand Traverse Bay Small Farm GuildminorOthersOrganized by farmers for farmers; anyone interested in farming or growing food is welcome.
• The AlluvioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-of-the-art performance venue at Commongrounds Cooperative in Traverse City. Crosshatch programs The Ship Yard music series there. Readings for Antrim Writers Series are also held at nearby venue.
• Commongrounds CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of Commongrounds Building in Traverse City; houses The Alluvion performance venue and hosts Long Memory Project exhibition.
• Bos WineryminorOthersEvent venue host for Antrim Writers Series readings in Elk Rapids.
• Bee Well Cider and MeaderyminorOthersEvent venue host for Antrim Writers Series readings and events in Bellaire.
• Grass River Natural AreaminorOthersConservation area where authors visit and write about for Antrim Writers Series; also hosts workshops.
• Elk Rapids Public LibraryminorOthersProvides free copies of authors' books to first 25 registered participants in Antrim Writers Series.
• Bellaire Public LibraryminorOthersProvides free copies of authors' books to first 25 registered participants in Antrim Writers Series.
• Deep Woods PressminorOthersProvides mini-broadsides of authors' work signed and distributed to audience at readings.
• MSU Broad Art MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Long Memory Project Farmland edition with their Farmland exhibition.
• NWMI Small Business Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in USDA grant programming for regenerative agriculture education.
• Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse and Antrim Conservation DistrictsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in USDA grant providing individual follow-up sessions for farmers to develop business and agroforestry plans.
• Grand Traverse Land ConservancyminorOthersNatural areas (Glacial Hills, Wilcox-Palmer-Shah, Antrim Creek, Six Mile-St. Clair Lake) used for Antrim Writers Series author visits and writing inspiration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities: Traverse City-based nonprofit focused on rural community resilience, local food, and sustainable agriculture in Northern Michigan. Shares Crosshatch's regional focus and overlapping agriculture/rural development themes.
• Grassroots Festival: Annual music and community festival in Ithaca, NY, with a similar ethos of arts, local food, and community connection. Comparable place-based, rural community gathering format, though operating in a different geography.
• SEEDS (Ecology + Education): Nonprofit in Traverse City/Northern Michigan offering ecology education and schoolyard programs. Comparable geographic focus, mission alignment on place-based ecology education, and overlapping community partnerships.

Direct peers

• Oryana Community Co-op: A 10+ year funding partner operating a community-owned food co-op in Traverse City. Oryana co-funds Crosshatch's microloan program, shares the rural Northern Michigan food/agriculture mission, and serves overlapping small farm and food entrepreneur customer segments.
• Rural Action: Ohio-based nonprofit building sustainable rural communities through agriculture, environmental, and economic programs. Comparable integrated rural development model with peer-learning networks, small farm support, and community-based programming.
• The Alluvion: State-of-the-art performance venue at Commongrounds Cooperative where Crosshatch runs The Ship Yard music series. Shares Crosshatch's rural Northern Michigan arts community focus and operates a programming model for emerging musicians.
• Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture: A rural arts-and-agriculture residency center in Sisters, Oregon where Crosshatch founder Brad Kik completed a residency in 2022. Operates a similar place-based, arts-meets-agriculture model with residencies, workshops, and farmer engagement.
• Commongrounds Cooperative: Co-developer with Crosshatch of The Alluvion performance venue in Traverse City. Operates a cooperative, community-focused space with overlapping mission of arts, agriculture, and rural community building in Northern Michigan.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Rural Affairs: Established national nonprofit advocating for rural community vitality through small farm support and rural development. Comparable mission in rural economies, small agriculture, and community building, but operating at significantly broader national scale.

Others

• Michigan State University Broad Art Museum: Strategic partner on Crosshatch's Long Memory Project. A larger arts institution collaborating with Crosshatch, comparable in arts programming and community storytelling but operating as an established university museum rather than a community nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crosshatch
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrosshatchMI
• Instagraminstagram.com/crosshatchbrad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crosshatch-center-for-art-&-ecology

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 Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology