Black Food Fund

What Black Food Fund does

Black Food Fund is an Oregon-based domestic nonprofit, founded in August 2020 by Shantae Johnson, Tiffany Monroe, Jamese Kwele, and Mirabai Collins and fiscally sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation (KAF), a 501(c)(3) organization. Its stated mission is to fuel Black-led food systems transformation across the Pacific Northwest by shifting capital toward wealth, self-determination, and resiliency for Black people in the regional food system. The organization does not sell any product or service and has no technology platform; instead, it operates as a charitable grantmaking vehicle.

Its core "products" are four programmatic lines. The Black Farmer Grants Program is an annual grant cycle that since 2020 has redistributed $204,000 across 52 grants to 49 unique Black farmers and land stewards in Oregon and Washington, with annual disbursements of $59,000 (2021), $75,000 (2023), and $70,000 (2024). The Land Justice Initiative recovers and deploys capital for Black-led land acquisition, supporting a 10-acre purchase in Corbett, Oregon (November 2022, with Black Oregon Land Trust) and a 43-acre purchase in Centralia, Washington (June 2023, with Black Food Sovereignty Coalition and Washington Farmland Trust). The Black Agricultural Ecosystem (BAE) is a coalition of seven Black-led organizations coordinating planning retreats, communications, and shared strategy. The Back to the Root Conference is an annual convening for Black farmers, land stewards, and food-system leaders.

Black Food Fund operates with a 1–10 person team headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Its revenue model consists entirely of donations and grants received from foundations (e.g., Collins Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, Liberated Capital Food and Land Justice Fund), family trusts (e.g., WJ Silverstein Family Trust), corporate partners (e.g., Kwik Lok Corporation), and pass-through funders (e.g., LIFE/Resist, The Partnership Fund, Giving Reparations). It has no equity backers, no venture funding, no disclosed annual budget, and no fee-for-service revenue. Distribution is community-led through its website, an annual grant application cycle (typically opening in winter with disbursement in spring), social channels (Instagram, LinkedIn), a Mailchimp newsletter, and participation in conferences and coalition retreats.

Name

Black Food Fund

Legal name

Black Food Fund

Website

https://blackfoodfund.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Food Fund is an Oregon-based nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation, that redistributes capital to Black farmers and land stewards in Oregon and Washington through annual grants, a Land Justice Initiative supporting Black-led land acquisitions, and the Black Agricultural Ecosystem coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Grantmaking and Capital Redistribution

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Black farmer grants
• Land justice
• Food sovereignty
• Capital redistribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Black Food Fund operates as an Oregon-based domestic nonprofit fiscally sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation (KAF), a 501(c)(3) organization. The organization receives donations and grants from foundations, family trusts, and individual donors to fund its Black farmer grant programs. Capital is redistributed annually to Black farmers and land stewards, typically in the spring.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Black Food Fund is an Oregon-based domestic nonprofit that redistributes capital to Black farmers and land stewards in Oregon and Washington through annual grants, supports Black-led land acquisitions, and convenes a coalition of Black-led agricultural organizations. Operational programs include the Black Farmer Grants Program, the Land Justice Initiative, the Black Agricultural Ecosystem (BAE), and the Back to the Root Conference. The organization is fiscally sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation (KAF), a 501(c)(3).

Product overview

Black Food Fund is a nonprofit organization (Oregon-based, fiscally sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation) that functions as a charitable vehicle for redistributing capital to Black farmers in the Pacific Northwest. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform. Its programs consist of the Black Farmer Grants Program (which has distributed 52 grants totaling $204,000 since 2020), the Land Justice Initiative (supporting Black-led land acquisitions), the Black Agricultural Ecosystem coalition, and the Back to the Root Conference. The organization focuses on capital redistribution, community building, and advocacy rather than technology products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 52 grants redistributed to 49 unique Black farmers and land stewards since 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• Know Agenda FoundationcoreOthersKnow Agenda Foundation (KAF) is the 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor of Black Food Fund, enabling the organization to receive tax-deductible donations and operate as a domestic nonprofit.
• Black Oregon Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within the Black Agricultural Ecosystem (BAE). Black Food Fund supported their 10-acre land acquisition in Corbett, Oregon in November 2022.
• Black Food Sovereignty CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within BAE. Black Food Fund was a partner on the 43-acre farm acquisition in Centralia, WA (June 2023), contributing to the project's capital stack.
• Feed'em Freedom FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within BAE. Their 20-acre farm in Corbett, Oregon hosted the Black Ag Ecosystem ideation session.
• Mudbone GrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within BAE, a Black-owned farm enterprise promoting intergenerational community-based farming.
• Black Futures FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within BAE, working on Black food and land justice in Oregon.
• Come Thru MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner within BAE, contributing to Black food access and markets.
• Washington Farmland TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Black Food Sovereignty Coalition on the 43-acre farm acquisition in Centralia, WA. Operates the Farm Protection & Affordability Investment (Farm PAI) program that provided financing at 1% interest.
• HEAL Food AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-issue strategy organization supporting sustainable food systems; partners with Black Food Fund on grantmaking.
• National Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy coalition that supported the Farmers for Climate Action Rally opportunity for Black Food Fund.
• EcotrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit focused on equitable, climate-smart future. Co-Founder Jamese Kwele serves as VP of Community Resource Mobilization at Ecotrust.
• American Farmland TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAttended the community farm walk at the Centralia property, supporting Black land stewardship efforts.
• Organically Grown CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting the work of Black Food Fund.
• Collective ReparationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Christopher Rachal. Ecommerce store distributing reparations. Partnered with Black Food Fund for the 2023 Black Farmer Grant program.
• Giving ReparationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcommerce store founded by Christopher Rachal. Partnered with Black Food Fund for 2023 and 2024 grant cycles as the nomination platform.
• Andrew X ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesigned and facilitated the Black Ag Ecosystem ideation session.
• Manzanita Capital CollectiveminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided technical assistance on the 43-acre Centralia farm acquisition.
• Northwest Agriculture Business CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAttended community farm walk at Centralia property, supporting Black agricultural ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund: The largest and longest-running cooperative association of Black farmers, landowners, and cooperatives in the U.S. South. A broad incumbent doing comparable land retention and cooperative development work at much larger scale.
• National Black Farmers Association: A national nonprofit advocating for Black farmers on policy, credit access, and land retention. Operates broadly across the U.S. with overlapping mission in Black farmer economic justice.
• Ecotrust: A regional PNW nonprofit working on climate-smart, equitable futures; a Black Food Fund partner where co-founder Jamese Kwele serves as VP. Comparable as a broader regional funder/incumbent intersecting food systems, climate, and equity.

Direct peers

• Black Food Sovereignty Coalition: An Oregon-based Black-led coalition that organizes Black communities, farmers, and eaters toward food sovereignty — a core BAE partner of Black Food Fund and a directly comparable organization advancing Black food justice in the PNW.
• Black Farmer Fund: A nonprofit that invests in and supports Black farmers and food businesses in the Northeast U.S. — the closest direct peer, applying a similar capital-redistribution model to support Black food producers in a defined region.
• Soul Fire Farm: A BIPOC-led farm in New York focused on food sovereignty, farmer training, and land access for Black, Indigenous, and other farmers of color — a directly comparable organization advancing reparative land and food justice work.
• Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust: A BIPOC-led land trust focused on land access, sovereignty, and reparative land justice for farmers of color in the Northeast — a directly comparable peer working at the intersection of capital, land, and racial justice in agriculture.
• Black Oregon Land Trust: An Oregon-based land trust working to secure land for Black-led agriculture and stewardship — a BAE ecosystem partner and directly comparable peer on the land acquisition and stewardship side.

Emerging players

• HEAL Food Alliance: A multi-issue coalition of organizations advancing fair, sustainable food systems with strong racial-justice orientation. A Black Food Fund strategic partner with overlapping food-systems and equity mission.

Regional players

• Viva Farms: A PNW-based farm incubator supporting beginning farmers, including immigrants and farmers of color. A regional peer operating in the same geography on related agricultural access and farmer development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-food-fund
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackfoodfund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Food Fund