Urban Community Agrinomics (ucan)

What Urban Community Agrinomics (ucan) does

Urban Community Agrinomics (UCAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded on April 29, 2016 in Durham, North Carolina by sisters Delphine Godley Sellars (Executive Director) and Lucille Godley Patterson (Assistant Director). The organization operates the 176-acre Catawba Trail Farm under a User License Agreement with the Triangle Land Conservancy — one of the largest transfers of land trust property to an African American-led nonprofit in the region. UCAN addresses food insecurity, diet-related health disparities, youth disengagement, and post-incarceration unemployment through a portfolio of community programs: food distributions (over 100,000 lbs of produce donated through gleaning events sponsored by the Society of St. Andrews), a community garden with 47 raised beds rented at $125/year, the YouthCan program serving youth aged 12-18, the Land & Legacy Returning Citizens Program, and the Snapshot USA wildlife monitoring initiative in partnership with the Smithsonian and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

UCAN's technology and operating model are land-, labor-, and community-based rather than software-based. Core activities include regenerative organic agriculture (raised beds, in-ground plots, apiary, chickens, urban orchard), in-person workshops (e.g., 'Gardeners as Teachers'), volunteer-driven Saturday farm days, and structured youth and reentry cohorts. Supporting commercial revenue is generated through produce sales (eggs from $3/dozen, honey from $3.40/2oz to $20.88/16oz, seasonal vegetables), cookbook sales ($25 physical / $15 e-cookbook), and raised bed rentals. Digital infrastructure is limited to a Squarespace website, online storefront, Zeffy event ticketing, GiveButter/CashApp/Zelle donation processing, and SignUpGenius volunteer coordination.

UCAN's business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding mix: donations (the largest functional revenue source), competitive grants (one disclosed 2024 grant of $200,000 from the Connecticut Department of Public Health for gun violence intervention programming), modest product and service sales, and volunteer labor amplification. The organization serves four primary beneficiary segments — food-insecure families in Northern Durham, at-risk youth, previously incarcerated individuals, and community garden renters — and is sustained by partnerships with Triangle Land Conservancy, Society of St. Andrews, Smithsonian Institution, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Eno River Association, and corporate/community volunteer groups including IBM and Duke Men's Basketball.

Name

Urban Community Agrinomics (ucan)

Legal name

Urban Community AgriNomics

Website

https://ucan.today

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urban Community Agrinomics (UCAN) is a Durham, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the 176-acre Catawba Trail Farm to address food insecurity, youth development, and reentry support through community gardening, food distributions, the YouthCan program, and the Land & Legacy Reentry Program for returning citizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Agriculture and Food Access Services

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory (AFACAJAF)

Keywords

• Community agriculture programs
• Food access services
• Youth agricultural education
• Workforce reentry programs
• Community garden rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: UCAN accepts monetary donations through GiveButter (one-time and recurring), CashApp ($2080Catawba), and Zelle (919-599-1533). They also run specific fundraising campaigns such as a Welcome Center Campaign.
2. Community Garden Rental: 47 raised garden beds are rented to community members for $125 per year, including soil, fertilizer, and pest control. This is a recurring annual revenue stream.
3. Produce and Product Sales: UCAN sells farm produce (eggs, okra, cucumbers, garlic, collards, peppers, herbs, chard, onions, cookbooks) directly through its farm stand and an online storefront.
4. Cookbook Sales: UCAN sells both physical cookbooks ($25) and e-cookbooks ($15, online access only) titled 'Recipes from Catawba Trail Farm', a 91-page collection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UCAN operates Catawba Trail Farm, a 176-acre working farm in Durham, NC, delivering community agriculture, food access, agricultural education, and reentry workforce programs. Its core offerings include Food Distributions (over 100,000 lbs of produce donated), a 47-raised-bed Community Garden rental program, the YouthCan youth program, the Land & Legacy Returning Citizens workforce program, and the SnapShot USA wildlife monitoring initiative, supplemented by direct sales of farm produce, honey, and a cookbook.

Product overview

Urban Community AgriNomics (UCAN) operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization rather than a unified software product. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected community programs centered around the Catawba Trail Farm, including Food Distributions, Community Garden (47 raised beds), YouthCan youth program, and the Land & Legacy Returning Citizens Program. Supporting revenue activities include farm produce sales (eggs, vegetables, honey), cookbook sales, and raised bed rentals. The organization does not offer a software platform or digital product with technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catawba Trail Farm A 176-acre working farm in Durham, NC, serving as UCAN's central hub for agricultural education, fresh food production, and community resilience. Features raised bed community garden, in-ground agriculture, apiary, chickens, and urban orchard. Home to all UCAN programs and operations.
• Food Distributions Community food distribution program providing free fresh produce to families in need, including produce from UCAN's farm and gleaning events sponsored by the Society of St. Andrews. Targeted at food-insecure individuals and families in Northern Durham.
• Community Garden Community garden with 47 raised beds available for yearly rental to community members for $125/year, fostering sustainable agriculture and community collaboration. Includes soil, fertilizer, and pest control. Currently no vacant beds; waiting list available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• YouthCan Youth community garden program dedicated to instilling hands-on agricultural experiences and opportunities to learn agriculture, economics, and community compassion for students aged 12-18. Includes partnership with Durham Public Schools (Scholars at Work), Durham Academy (Food Heritage Workshop), and NC School of Science and Mathematics.
• Land & Legacy (Returning Citizens Program) Mentorship program for previously incarcerated individuals toward meaningful employment in agriculture and skilled trades through paid training, skill-building, mentorship, and holistic support.
• SnapShot USA Wildlife monitoring initiative using trail cameras to document mammal populations, contributing data to the nationwide Snapshot USA project with the Smithsonian Institution and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
• Farm Produce Fresh produce from Catawba Trail Farm including eggs, okra, cucumbers, garlic, collards, peppers, herbs, leafy greens, and onions sold at the farm stand and online storefront. Includes free-range UCAN eggs from non-GMO-fed hens.
• UCAN Honey Honey harvested from beehives at Catawba Trail Farm apiary, available in 2oz, 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz jars. Some sizes sold out.
• Recipes from Catawba Trail Farm Cookbook 91-page cookbook collection featuring recipes for cocktails, mocktails, soups, stews, mains, sides, desserts, pickles, jams, and more. Available as physical book ($25) or e-cookbook with online access only ($15). All sales final.
• Raised Bed Rental Yearly rental of one raised garden bed at Catawba Trail Farm for $125/year, including soil, fertilizer, and pest control. Currently no vacant beds; waiting list available on a first come, first served basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 lbs of fresh vegetables and fruits donated to the community
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles10 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriangle Land Conservancy transferred 176 acres of land to UCAN via a User License Agreement, creating the Catawba Trail Farm. This represents one of the region's largest transfers of land trust property to an African American-led nonprofit, establishing UCAN's primary operating site and enabling its agricultural, educational, and community programs.
• Society of St. AndrewscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of local gleaning events through which UCAN harvests and donates surplus produce. This partnership has enabled UCAN to donate over 100,000 lbs of fresh vegetables and fruits to the community.
• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCAN participates in the Snapshot USA national wildlife monitoring project led by the Smithsonian Institution and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. UCAN staff and volunteers deploy trail cameras and review wildlife images, contributing data to a nationwide mammal population study.
• North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Snapshot USA project alongside the Smithsonian. UCAN contributes wildlife monitoring data from its 176-acre farm, reviewing over 7,000 images from eight trail cameras in the 2024 field season.
• Eno River AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership in which 27 volunteer sawyers and swampers cleared 2.2 acres at Catawba Trail Farm to support UCAN's reentry program and sustainable agriculture expansion.
• Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea TrailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership contributing to land clearing at Catawba Trail Farm, expanding growing space for the reentry program and agricultural operations.
• IBM (Volunteer Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIBM employees recently volunteered at Catawba Trail Farm, helping relocate and organize large wooden logs, planting in the community garden and high tunnel, and potting plants. Their volunteer labor contributed to farm operations.
• Duke Men's BasketballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDuke Men's Basketball team and coaches volunteered with UCAN in 2022, building all raised garden beds and compost bins in the YouthCan community garden. Their involvement provided positive impact on youth volunteers and created memorable experiences.
• Country Farm & HomeminorOthersLocal supplier from which UCAN purchases non-GMO chicken feed for their free-range hens that produce UCAN eggs sold at the farm.
• Watts Street Baptist ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch group that joined UCAN for a Saturday Volunteer Day at Catawba Trail Farm, contributing volunteer labor and community engagement.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Soul Fire Farm: Soul Fire Farm is a BIPOC-led farm in Petersburg, NY focused on food sovereignty, farmer training, and ending racial injustice in the food system. It is directly comparable to UCAN in its community-rooted, mission-driven regenerative agriculture model and youth/producer training programs.
• Pie Ranch: Pie Ranch is a working farm in Pescadero, CA that combines sustainable agriculture with youth leadership development and food justice programming. It is comparable to UCAN in pairing regenerative farming with explicit youth training and food-system-change mission framing.
• Bonton Farms: Bonton Farms is an urban farm in a historically underserved South Dallas neighborhood that combines food access, workforce development, and community building on a multi-acre site. It mirrors UCAN's integration of agricultural production with reentry-style workforce pathways and food-desert alleviation.
• Transplanting Tradition Community Farm: Transplanting Tradition is a community farm in North Carolina that provides farmland access, training, and market opportunities to refugee and immigrant farmers. It is comparable to UCAN in combining agricultural production with training/workforce pathways for historically marginalized communities.
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a Triangle-area (Raleigh/Durham) nonprofit that rescues food, distributes it to food-insecure communities, and operates teaching gardens and nutrition programs. It is comparable to UCAN in its combination of produce distribution and farm-based education in the same region.
• Raleigh City Farm: Raleigh City Farm is an urban farm in downtown Raleigh, NC that operates community garden plots, youth education, and food distributions. As a North Carolina Triangle-area urban farm nonprofit, it is a close geographic and operational peer to UCAN.
• Black Farmers' Network: Black Farmers' Network is a North Carolina-based organization that supports Black farmers through resource sharing, advocacy, and community building. It is highly comparable to UCAN's BIPOC-led, community-rooted mission and NC operating geography.

Broad incumbents

• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Stone Barns is a nonprofit farm and education center in Pocantico Hills, NY focused on regenerative agriculture, farmer training, and food-system change. It overlaps with UCAN in regenerative farming and educational mission but operates at substantially larger scale and budget.
• The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: The Food Bank of CENC is the largest hunger-relief organization serving UCAN's region, distributing tens of millions of pounds of food annually. It is comparable to UCAN as a regional food-access organization but operates at far greater scale and through a wholesale/distribution model rather than a farm-based model.

Regional players

• East Durham Children's Initiative: EDCI is a Durham, NC place-based nonprofit serving children and families in the city's public housing communities through cradle-to-career programming. It is comparable to UCAN as a Durham-rooted community nonprofit serving overlapping geographies and demographics but focuses on education rather than agriculture.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DukeMBB

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Urban Community Agrinomics (ucan)