SNAC (School Nutrition AgriCulture) Garden Foundation

What SNAC (School Nutrition AgriCulture) Garden Foundation does

SNAC (School Nutrition AgriCulture) Garden Foundation is a Delaware-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 by Dr. Kim Furtado at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts (SDSA). The organization delivers hands-on, garden-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education to K-12 students in Sussex County, Delaware, integrating nature-based mindfulness, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) practices, and nutrition education into a schoolyard-based program. As of the data inputs, SNAC operates direct on-site garden programs at five partner schools (SDSA, Longneck Elementary, North Georgetown Elementary, Howard T. Ennis School, and Georgetown Middle School), supported by dedicated Garden Coordinators and a Program and Farm Manager. The flagship SDSA program has run continuously since 2011, and a recent summer extension (Summers @ Weathered Eye Farm) broadens programming beyond the academic year.

The core delivery model is a turnkey school partnership: SNAC installs and maintains garden infrastructure (vegetable plots, pollinator habitats, greenhouses), supplies a STEAM-aligned curriculum, and embeds a trained garden educator at each partner site, removing the burden of specialist knowledge from school staff. Programs are funded entirely on a philanthropic basis — programs themselves are provided free of charge to partner schools — with revenue sourced from individual donations (via the DeGives platform), corporate and foundation grants (e.g., Carl M. Freeman Foundation FACES grant, USDA), annual fundraising events (e.g., Homeroom Harvest, $80/ticket), seasonal plant sales, and in-kind volunteer labor. The organization also maintains a digital retail presence via the SNAC Store (Squarespace), uses Eventbrite for event RSVP, and processes plant-sale transactions via Square.

Operationally, SNAC is a small team (1-10 employees) led by co-founder Shandra Furtado (Executive Director, certified permaculture designer) alongside Dr. Kim Furtado (Founder/Board Member, naturopathic doctor) and supported by a board that includes a Treasurer with real estate finance ties. The broader ecosystem includes strategic partners such as the Delaware Nature Society, Center for the Inland Bays, DNREC, Teach a Person to Fish Society, and Good Earth Market, alongside corporate sponsors (Delmarva Power, Provident State Bank, Arsht Cannon, Scott and Shuman Law, Nally Ventures, CBTrust) and the 100 Women Who Care giving circle. Geographic scope is intentionally constrained to Sussex County, Delaware, and there is no evidence of for-profit subsidiary activity, public listing, or institutional investment.

Name

SNAC (School Nutrition AgriCulture) Garden Foundation

Legal name

SNAC Garden Foundation

Website

https://snacgardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SNAC Garden Foundation is a Sussex County, Delaware nonprofit that delivers hands-on, STEAM-based school garden programs — including dedicated garden educators, curriculum, and infrastructure — to K-12 partner schools, funded by donations, grants, and community fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden-Based Education Services

NAICS

Landscaping Services (561730), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Raised Garden Beds & Planter Box Installation (HSAIAFAK), Home & Garden Hobbies (Gardening, Floral Design, Home Decor) (EDAAAGAL), Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services (HSAIAFAG)

Keywords

• Garden-based education
• STEAM curriculum
• School garden programs
• Nutrition education
• Outdoor learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Rehoboth Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and community members supporting school garden programming in Sussex County. Donations are processed through the DeGives platform.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including Homeroom Harvest dinner ($80 per ticket), farm-to-table evenings, and shop-for-a-cause campaigns at local retailers. Silent auctions at events also contribute revenue.
3. Plant Sales: Seasonal plant sales at partner schools generate revenue to cover curriculum costs. Sales include vegetables, herbs, flowers, and pepper plants.
4. Grants and Sponsorships: Funding from foundations (e.g., Carl M. Freeman Foundation FACES grant), corporate sponsors, and organizational partners supports programming and garden infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SNAC Garden Foundation provides turnkey, school-based garden education programs to K-12 partner schools in Sussex County, Delaware. Each partner site receives a dedicated SNAC Garden Coordinator who delivers a hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) curriculum integrated with gardening, ecological agriculture, nature-based mindfulness, and Social Emotional Learning. Programs include garden infrastructure (vegetable plots, pollinator habitats, greenhouses), summer programming at Weathered Eye Farm, and community engagement events.

Product overview

SNAC Garden Foundation operates as a nonprofit providing garden-based educational programs primarily in Sussex County, Delaware. The organization offers a suite of interconnected programs including: the core SNAC Garden Program featuring dedicated garden educators and STEAM-based curriculum; seasonal Summers @ Weathered Eye Farm programming; the partner school application program for new garden installations; and the Homeroom Harvest annual fundraiser. Additional offerings include the SNAC Store for merchandise and event tickets, Garden Educator and Program Management staffing services, Recipes & Resources educational content, and a Volunteer Program connecting community members to garden activities. The organization functions as a platform of educational services rather than a traditional product company, with programs designed to work together to provide comprehensive garden-based learning experiences for students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SNAC Garden Program Turnkey, hands-on garden-based education program for K-12 students at partner schools in Sussex County, Delaware. Each partner site receives a dedicated SNAC Garden Coordinator who delivers a STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) curriculum in schoolyard gardens featuring vegetable plots, native pollinator habitats, and greenhouse facilities. The program integrates nature-based mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning. Provided free of charge to partner schools.
• Summers @ Weathered Eye Farm

Quantifiable outcome

• Dedicated garden educator and STEAM-based curriculum provided to partner schools, enabling consistent, equitable garden education without requiring school staff to have specialist knowledge.

Named customers5 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Delaware Nature Society (DelNature)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelaware Nature Society is listed as a partner/sponsor, likely collaborating on environmental education and conservation programming within the school garden context.
• Center for the Inland BaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts native plant workshops with SNAC at partner school sites, providing educational presentations on preserving local wildlife and ecosystems. Participated in DNREC Water Family Fest.
• Teach a Person to Fish Society (TAPTF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner providing cooking demonstrations at community garden days, demonstrating healthy recipes and nutrition education alongside SNAC's garden programming.
• Good Earth MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual Homeroom Harvest fundraising event, providing harvest table catering and garden patio space for the fundraiser.
• DNREC (Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNAC participates in DNREC's annual Water Family Fest and Native Plant Sale at James Farm Ecological Preserve, co-showcasing environmental education with DNREC.
• One Coastal FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the 2022 farm-to-table fundraiser event featuring botanical cocktails and local seasonal hors d'oeuvres.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KidsGardening: National nonprofit providing garden-based learning grants, curriculum, and educator resources to schools; comparable K-12 garden-education audience and content.
• Big Green: National nonprofit building dedicated Learning Gardens in K-12 schools with full-time garden educators and curriculum support; closest direct peer in terms of service model and customer (partner schools).
• Captain Planet Foundation: Funds and supports hands-on environmental projects in K-12 schools, including gardens; comparable funder/operator hybrid supporting school-based environmental education.
• FoodCorps: Service organization placing educators in K-12 schools to deliver garden-based nutrition and food education; closely mirrors SNAC's dedicated-educator-at-school model.
• Green Bronx Machine: Builds urban school gardens in underserved communities and delivers STEAM-from-the-garden curriculum; comparable mission and integrated curriculum approach.
• Whole Kids Foundation: Affiliated with Whole Foods, funds school gardens and salad bars and provides garden curriculum; comparable in funding and supporting K-12 school garden programs.
• Green Our Planet: Operates outdoor school gardens and a school garden teacher-training program across multiple U.S. districts; comparable operating model with school-district scale.
• Life Lab: Nonprofit providing garden-based learning curricula, training, and resources for K-12 educators; comparable content-library approach to garden education.
• The Edible Schoolyard Project: Founded by Alice Waters, focuses on garden and kitchen classrooms in schools with hands-on food and ecology curriculum; directly comparable in school-based garden education mission.

Broad incumbents

• National Farm to School Network: Information and advocacy network advancing farm-to-school programs (gardens, procurement, education) across the U.S.; adjacent broader incumbent in the same school garden/nutrition ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/snacgardens
• Facebookfacebook.com/snacgardens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/89327995

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 SNAC (School Nutrition AgriCulture) Garden Foundation