east phillips neighborhood institute

What east phillips neighborhood institute does

East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating with a six-person staff and a broad coalition of 50+ partner organizations. It is a community organizing and environmental justice vehicle for the East Phillips neighborhood — one of Minnesota's most diverse and lowest-income census tracts, with high Indigenous, Latino, and East African populations suffering from industrial pollution-related health conditions. EPNI's core activities center on converting the historic 230,000 square foot Roof Depot warehouse on a 7.5-acre site into a community-owned indoor urban farm, affordable housing, and small business hub, with a planned 2+ megawatt cooperative rooftop solar array, aquaponics systems, rainwater collection, and composting facilities. The organization currently distributes free produce weekly at Cedar Field Park and East Phillips Community Garden, runs an education program led by Indigenous plant scientist Forest Hunt, and employs approximately 70 youth ages 5–17 annually through garden and farm apprenticeships.

EPNI's business model is grant-and-donation funded rather than revenue-generating. Capital inflows include $6.5M from the Minnesota Legislature (2023), $3.7M from community crowdfunding (November 2023), $1M from Little Earth Protectors for co-ownership under a community land trust, $100K DOE/NREL grant with Cooperative Energy Futures, $250K wood waste grant, and a $4M state bonding bill secured in May 2026 to purchase the Roof Depot debt-free. Aggregate grants won since 2023 exceed $1.8M. The go-to-market motion is community-led organizing through monthly coalition meetings, door-to-door outreach, volunteer networks, workshops, and grassroots campaigns; produce and services are provided free of charge to residents. The organization is developing a novel community ownership framework with Nexus Community Partners and Little Earth Protectors featuring one-person-one-vote governance, with the building held by EPNI and the land held by Little Earth Protectors under a community land trust arrangement. EPNI has not disclosed operating revenue or audited financials, and it currently has no AI/ML, software-as-a-service, or proprietary technology products.

Name

east phillips neighborhood institute

Legal name

East Phillips Neighborhood Institute

Website

https://eastphillipsneighborhoodinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East Phillips Neighborhood Institute is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that converts the historic Roof Depot warehouse into a community-owned indoor urban farm and hub, distributing free produce and youth employment to East Phillips residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: EPNI receives grant funding from government agencies and foundations. They have secured $6.5M from MN legislature, $3.7M community crowdfunding, $100K DOE/NREL grant, $250K wood waste grant, and $900K total in outdoor farm infrastructure grants.
2. Individual Donations & Capital Campaign: Tax-deductible donations accepted via Action Network fundraising platform and mail. Capital campaign to fund Roof Depot purchase and development.
3. Youth Employment Program Revenue (Cost Recovery): Youth employment funded through grants ($319K legislative allocation, with $30K to Little Earth farm). Youth ages 5-17 hired to work gardens, earning $300-500 each for school clothes and family activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EPNI operates community gardens, an outdoor urban farm, and educational programs in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, providing free produce, food sovereignty training, and youth employment to local residents. The organization is leading the planned Redevelopment of the Roof Depot warehouse into a 230,000 sq ft indoor urban farm and community hub, including affordable housing, communal spaces, cooperative solar energy, and a small business incubator. All programs are provided at no cost to East Phillips residents and funded through grants, donations, and community crowdfunding.

Product overview

East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) operates a portfolio of community programs centered on its flagship initiative: transforming the former Roof Depot warehouse into an indoor urban farm and community hub. The core offerings include the East Phillips Urban Farm (indoor growing operations), Outdoor Farm Program (community gardens and food distribution), Education Program (workshops on growing techniques), and Youth Apprenticeship Program. Supporting modules include the planned Community Solar Array (cooperatively-owned renewable energy with CEF) and Community Hub/Small Business Center (commercial spaces). All programs work in concert toward environmental justice, food sovereignty, and economic empowerment for the East Phillips community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• East Phillips Urban Farm Indoor urban farm initiative at the former Roof Depot site in Minneapolis, converting a 230,000 sq ft warehouse into a solar-powered, year-round fresh produce farm, affordable housing, communal spaces, and 500+ jobs as part of an environmental justice initiative.
• Outdoor Farm Program Community-based outdoor growing operations at the East Phillips Community Garden (2428 17th Ave S) offering food distribution, educational workshops, and youth employment opportunities, with plans for a 30,000 sq ft outdoor farm at the Roof Depot site.
• Education Program Community education workshops including seed starting, soil science, composting, Three Sisters planting, herbalism, pollinator gardens, and medicine wheel teachings, led by Indigenous plant scientist Forest Hunt.
• Youth Apprenticeship Program Youth employment initiative providing jobs for 5-17 year olds at community gardens, with youth receiving pay ($500 each), school clothes stipends ($300), family night funds ($100), and job experience growing food and learning cultural traditions.
• Cooperative Community Solar Array A planned 2-megawatt cooperatively-owned rooftop solar array developed with Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF) to power the urban farm facility and provide 20-50% electric bill savings to subscribing neighborhood households through Minnesota's community solar program.
• Community Hub & Small Business Center Mixed-use communal spaces within the Roof Depot development offering affordable commercial space for local businesses, organizations, and community gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 youth employed annually, each earning $500 for school clothes and family activities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop 2+ MW cooperative rooftop solar array for Roof Depot. CEF will own the array and provide 20-50% energy cost savings to subscribing households through Minnesota's community solar program. Jointly awarded $100K DOE/NREL Community Energy Innovation prize.
• Nexus Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Shared Ownership Center at Nexus to develop the community ownership model for Roof Depot project. Nexus leads public surveys and governance structure development (one person = one vote).
• Little Earth ProtectorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommitted $1M to become co-owner of Roof Depot project. Will own the land (community land trust model) while EPNI owns the building. Represents 'Land Back' movement for Indigenous community.
• Little Earth of United TribescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous housing organization with youth farm employing 70 children. Deep partnership on cultural programming, community food sovereignty, and governance input.
• University of Minnesota School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research support, health impact assessment data, and expertise on environmental justice and public health in the Phillips community.
• DJR ArchitecturecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed by Dean Dovolis (EPNI Board Chair), DJR Architecture provides architectural design for Roof Depot conversion vision including solar-powered indoor farm, affordable housing, and communal spaces.
• Mississippi Watershed Management OrganizationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides grant funding and technical support for outdoor farm infrastructure including rain gardens and water management at Roof Depot site.
• Minnesota Landscape ArboretumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding raised beds, connecting EPNI to fruit tree growers, providing technical support, advice, signage and community education for outdoor farm.
• Midwest Farmers of Color CollectivesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecting site to larger BIPOC agriculture organizing network, providing heirloom seeds through Ujamaa Seed Network for culturally-relevant food production.
• Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicuesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization led by Susana De Leon providing cultural programming, community organizing support, and youth mentorship in East Phillips.
• Red Lake NationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowing culturally relevant and medicinal crops for community members, bringing ceremony and cultural programming to the Roof Depot site.
• Sierra Club North Star ChaptersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental advocacy partner providing campaign support, media outreach, and coalition building for environmental justice campaigns.
• 300+ Healthcare Professionals & OrganizationssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOpen letter signed by 300+ health professionals supporting EPNI's 'No New Diesel' campaign and environmental justice demands for East Phillips.
• 300+ Artists, Musicians & Cultural GroupssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOpen letter from 300+ artists and cultural groups supporting East Phillips Urban Farm vision and environmental justice.
• Tamales y BicicletassupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaborating on outdoor farm development and cultural programming at Roof Depot site.
• Minnesota Doctors for Health EquitysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider coalition providing medical expertise and advocacy for pollution reduction and health outcomes in East Phillips.
• Seward Vaccine Equity ProjectsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth organization partner providing health impact data, open letters, and advocacy for East Phillips community.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Soul Fire Farm: New York-based BIPOC-centered farm running training, food sovereignty, and youth programs. Comparable in mission, cultural framing, and educational farm model, though without an equivalent large urban real-estate redevelopment component.
• Keep Growing Detroit: Detroit-based urban agriculture nonprofit operating a farm network, education programs, and a seed bank for city growers. Comparable in urban agriculture focus, food justice framing, and education-for-youth model, though serving a different city.
• Dream of Wild Health: Indigenous-led nonprofit operating a farm and food sovereignty programs serving Native communities in Minnesota. Highly comparable in cultural framing, Indigenous leadership, youth employment model, and farm-based programming.
• Appetite for Change: Minneapolis-based nonprofit using food as a tool for social enterprise, youth development, and community health. Directly comparable to EPNI in mission, geography, and food-justice approach, though it lacks an equivalent real-estate development program.
• Hmong American Farmers Association: Minnesota-based organization supporting Hmong American farmers with land, training, and market access. Comparable Twin Cities footprint, focus on small-acreage food production, and culturally-rooted farmer support, with a more commercial market orientation than EPNI.
• The Food Group: Minnesota hunger-relief organization running food distribution, farm training, and nutrition programs. Overlaps with EPNI on community food access, agricultural training, and Twin-Cities service area; operates at substantially larger scale.
• Big River Farms: Minnesota-based farm incubator that trains immigrant, refugee, and emerging farmers with land access and education. Comparable training and growing-program model serving BIPOC growers, though focused on farm launch rather than in-neighborhood food distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that creates parks, protects land, and advances community-led conservation. Comparable in land-acquisition-for-community-purpose mission, though operating at much larger geographic scale and with broader park/conservation focus rather than food production.

Others

• Grounded Solutions Network: National network supporting community land trusts and shared-equity homeownership models. Directly relevant to EPNI's community land trust approach with Little Earth Protectors, functioning as an enabling/advisory peer rather than a direct service competitor.

Regional players

• Green Youth Farm (Chicago Botanic Garden): Chicago-area youth farm program employing teens in food production and selling produce locally. Comparable in urban youth farm employment and produce-distribution model, though smaller in scale and a program of a larger institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eastphillipsneighborhood
• Instagraminstagram.com/eastphillipsurbanfarm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-phillips-neighborhood-institute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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