Thrive Santa Ana

What Thrive Santa Ana does

THRIVE Santa Ana, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Land Trust (CLT) incorporated in October 2016 as the first and only CLT in Santa Ana, California. The organization develops and stewards affordable housing, urban farms, community-serving spaces, and cooperative commercial assets on public and trust-held land for the benefit of low-income and working-class Santa Ana residents. Its flagship project is La Colmena (formerly Walnut & Daisy Micro-Farm), a 16,000-square-foot urban farming and small business hub at 1901 W Walnut St., held under a 99-year lease with the City of Santa Ana approved on March 3, 2020.

THRIVE's product portfolio centers on land-based community assets rather than technology products. Core offerings include the La Colmena micro-farm (with sub-products Walnut & Daisy Micro-Farm and the forthcoming ColmenaKids children's garden), Community Resilience Center (CRC) planning (a 2-year project funded by the California Strategic Growth Council), the California Jobs First Initiative (formerly CERF-OC) participation, and a THRIVE Membership Program. Operational support is provided by an ecosystem of project partners including CRECE Urban Farms (a worker-owned cooperative), Cooperación Santa Ana (CSA), La Milpa Café, City Fabrick (architectural design), and EnComun (a collaborative for CRC planning). No proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or digital platform products are involved; the underlying "technology" is the CLT legal/governance structure and community-led development methodology.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding streams include California state grants (notably a $3,802,367 CERF/California Jobs First pilot award in May 2023 for La Colmena), foundation grants (The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, James Irvine Foundation — jointly committing $10 million to the Community Ownership for Community Power Fund), individual donations, and recurring membership contributions. THRIVE serves three primary segments: low-income/working-class Santa Ana residents facing housing displacement, BIPOC-owned worker cooperatives and micro-enterprises needing affordable commercial space, and the City of Santa Ana seeking community-centered solutions for vacant public land.

Name

Thrive Santa Ana

Legal name

THRIVE Santa Ana, Inc.

Website

https://thrivesantaana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

THRIVE Santa Ana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Land Trust, the first and only CLT in Santa Ana, California, that develops affordable housing, urban farms, and community-serving spaces for low-income residents and worker cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Grants: Major funding from California state programs including the California Economic Resilience Fund (CERF), now known as California Jobs First. The Walnut and Daisy Micro-Farm received $3,802,367 grant as a CERF Pilot Project.
2. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting community-driven development, including GoFundMe campaigns and the THRIVE Acquisition Fund.
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from major foundations including The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and The James Irvine Foundation through the Community Ownership for Community Power Fund (COCP), with a $10 million commitment from these foundations.
4. Membership Contributions: Revenue from member contributions through the THRIVE membership program, providing benefits including community empowerment, educational opportunities, and active participation in THRIVE's initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

THRIVE Santa Ana is Santa Ana's first and only Community Land Trust (CLT). It develops and stewards affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces, and other community assets on behalf of local residents. Its flagship project, La Colmena, is a 16,000-square-foot urban micro-farm on public land under a 99-year lease, providing urban farming, spaces for worker-owned cooperatives, and community gathering areas.

Product overview

THRIVE Santa Ana is a Community Land Trust (CLT) organization offering community-driven development services focused on land stewardship and multi-generational resident leadership. The organization's portfolio centers on La Colmena (formerly Walnut & Daisy Micro-Farm), Santa Ana's first community-driven project on public land - an urban farming and small business hub supporting worker-owned cooperatives. Additional offerings include Community Resilience Center planning services, California Jobs First Initiative participation, and a membership program. The CLT model develops and stewards affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, and commercial spaces on behalf of the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Land Trust (CLT) A nonprofit corporation that develops and stewards projects including affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces, and other community assets on behalf of a community. THRIVE is the first and only CLT in Santa Ana.
• La Colmena (Walnut & Daisy Micro-Farm) Santa Ana's first community-driven project on public land - a 16,000-square-foot urban farming and small business hub at 1901 W Walnut St., providing urban farming opportunities, space for local worker-owned businesses, community events, and healthy food options including farmers markets.
• Community Resilience Center (CRC) Planning A planning initiative to develop a Community Resilience Center in Santa Ana that would provide resources during climate emergencies and year-round community services. Spearheaded by EnComun, a local collaborative including THRIVE, Community Hub de Santa Ana, Cooperacion Santa Ana, and CRECE Urban Farms.
• California Jobs First Initiative Participation THRIVE's participation in the statewide California Jobs First Initiative (formerly California Economic Resilience Fund) that supports regional economic roadmaps for a carbon-neutral future with high-quality jobs and an equitable economy, ensuring disinvested communities' perspectives are centered.
• THRIVE Membership Program Membership program offering benefits including support for THRIVE's mission, community empowerment opportunities, educational resources, networking, and active participation in community-led initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 10 Lacy neighborhood households survive on less than $10,000/year - survey findings from 2015-2018 Lacy Housing Survey
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CRECE Urban FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2023Project partner in the Walnut and Daisy Micro-Farm (La Colmena). CRECE Urban Farms is a worker-owned cooperative that operates urban farming initiatives at the site, providing fresh produce and agricultural programming. Collaborated with THRIVE on grant applications including the $3.8M CERF award.
• Cooperación Santa AnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2023Project partner (CSA) in the Walnut and Daisy Micro-Farm.Works with THRIVE and CRECE on the development of community-owned land for economic development and cooperative business opportunities.
• La Milpa CafécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner operating at the Walnut and Daisy Micro-Farm site. La Milpa Café will operate a cooperative cafe within the micro-farm development, contributing to healthy food options and community gathering space.
• City FabrickminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong Beach-based nonprofit architectural design company that designed the Walnut and Daisy Micro-Farm project. Provided architectural expertise for community-centered development design.
• Magis RealityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with THRIVE in 2018 on an affordable housing project proposal submission to the City of Santa Ana, including potential locations at 1126 & 1146 E Washington Ave and other sites.
• Community Development PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner in the 2018 affordable housing proposal submission with THRIVE and Magis Reality, responding to the Housing Authority's RFP.
• The Kennedy CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member organization of THRIVE Santa Ana. Collaborated with THRIVE, St. Joseph's Health System, and researchers on the Lacy Housing Survey 2015-2018. Worked with Vecindario Lacy en Accion (VeLA) to implement surveys annually.
• St. Joseph's Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member organization involved in the Lacy Housing Survey 2015-2018 through its Community Building Initiative. Collaborated with The Kennedy Commission and researchers Carolina Sarmiento and Revel Simms.
• Latino Health AccesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member organization and THRIVE partner. Volunteers from Latino Health Access participated in door-to-door surveys in the Lacy neighborhood. Also hosts community forums and events for CERF-OC initiative.
• OCCORD (Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member organization of THRIVE. OCCORD authored the 2017 'Growing Together' report proposing a Community Land Trust for Santa Ana. Led advocacy for community land trust model with city officials.
• Centro Cultural de MexicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization whose volunteers participated in door-to-door housing surveys in the Lacy neighborhood starting in 2015 as part of THRIVE founding member initiatives.
• California ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partner for the California Jobs First (CERF) initiative, supporting regional economic roadmaps for a carbon-neutral future with high-quality jobs and equitable economy.
• Orange County Business CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional convener for the California Jobs First Orange County Regional Investment Initiative (formerly CERF-OC), working with THRIVE and stakeholders throughout Orange County.
• EnComuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal collaborative formed by Community Hub de Santa Ana, THRIVE Santa Ana, Cooperación Santa Ana, and CRECE Urban Farms. Spearheading community-driven planning process for Santa Ana's Community Resilience Center (CRC), funded by the California Strategic Growth Council.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LTSC Community Development Corporation: One of the largest CDCs in Los Angeles operating a community land trust model producing affordable housing and community space in Little Tokyo. Comparable to Thrive in combining affordable housing, community space, and culturally-rooted development, but at significantly larger scale.
• TRUST South LA: Los Angeles-based community land trust that pioneered the CLT model Thrive explicitly researched during its 2016 formation. Operates the same playbook of resident-led, multi-generational land stewardship for affordable housing and community-serving uses on community-owned land.
• East LA Community Corporation (ELACC): Community land trust and pueblo-led development organization in East Los Angeles with a comparable operating model, developing affordable housing and community-serving commercial space through resident-led planning, similar in mission, geography (Southern California), and target population to Thrive Santa Ana.
• Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA): San Francisco Latino-led community development agency providing affordable housing, small business support, and asset-building programs. Comparable to Thrive in centering Latino communities and combining affordable housing with economic development and worker-owned cooperative support.
• Cooperation Jackson: Mississippi-based community land trust and worker cooperative incubator developing affordable housing and cooperative enterprises on community-owned land. Highly comparable national CLT model with explicit linkage to the same anti-displacement and cooperative-economy movements that inform Thrive Santa Ana.
• Chinatown Community Development Center: San Francisco nonprofit combining affordable housing development, community land trust stewardship, and resident organizing with cultural and ethnic community focus. Highly analogous to Thrive's hybrid affordable-housing/urban-agriculture/cooperative-business approach.

Regional players

• Community Development Partners: Affordable housing development partner named in Thrive's 2018 Santa Ana Housing Authority affordable housing RFP submission. Comparable in Southern California geography and affordable housing focus, though operating as a for-profit developer rather than a CLT.
• Northern California Land Trust: Northern California community land trust focused on stewarding land for affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, and ecological uses. Comparable in mission and CLT structure, though operating in a different California region from Thrive Santa Ana.

Broad incumbents

• Grounded Solutions Network: National membership network for the 240+ community land trusts across the US, of which Thrive is one. Provides capacity-building, technical assistance, and policy advocacy for CLTs; Thrive's website directly links to Grounded Solutions educational materials.

Others

• CRECE Urban Farms: Worker-owned cooperative urban farm that is a core operating partner at La Colmena and joint recipient of the $3.8M CERF grant with Thrive. Comparable in cooperative-economy and urban-agriculture focus, but operating as an integrated partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Thrive-Santa-Ana-CLT-144738633060631
• Instagraminstagram.com/thrivesantaana?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thrive-santa-ana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Thrive Santa Ana