community crops

Name

community crops

Legal name

Community Crops (a program of Family Service Lincoln)

Website

https://communitycrops.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Urban Agriculture

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Vegetable & Herb Garden Installation and Maintenance (HSAIAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL), Plant Replacement, Transplanting & Garden Refresh Services (HSAIAFAG), Garden Cleanups & Debris Removal (Bed-focused) (HSAIAFAJ)

Keywords

• Community gardening
• Urban agriculture
• Incubator farm training
• Food access programs
• Sustainable farming education

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Garden Plot Fees: Annual fees collected from gardeners based on plot size and household income using a sliding scale. Fees range from $25-$100 per plot (100 sq. ft.) depending on income level.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The organization receives charitable donations through Family Service Lincoln's giving programs. Signature events like 'Feast on the Farm' support Community Crops.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Assurity, HBE, Nelnet, Open Harvest, Sampson, and UBT provide financial support to the program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Crops operates a community gardening and urban agriculture program that rents affordable garden plots on a sliding-fee scale at 11 neighborhood sites across Lincoln, Nebraska, while also providing incubator farm land access and technical training to beginning, immigrant, and limited-resource farmers at three training farm locations. It complements these services with the Urban Grower Series, a year-round class and workshop program on sustainable gardening, farming, cooking, and living.

Product overview

Community Crops is a community gardening and urban agriculture program that provides education, advocacy, and hands-on experiences to grow local food. The program operates through three interconnected offerings: the Garden Program (providing affordable garden plots at 11 sites across Lincoln on a sliding-fee scale), the Farm Program (offering training, technical assistance, and land access to beginning and limited-resource farmers at three farm locations), and the Urban Grower Series (educational classes and workshops on sustainable growing, farming, cooking, and living). Community Crops joined Family Service Lincoln in 2023 as an integrated program track, serving as the food access and urban agriculture component of the organization's broader family support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garden Program Affordable garden plots offered on a sliding-fee scale ($25-$100 per 100 sq ft plot annually based on household income) at 11 neighborhood sites across Lincoln, with tools and water access included. Serves novice gardeners, seasoned growers, and refugee families cultivating vegetables and culturally diverse heritage crops, with a maximum of 4 plots per applicant.
• Farm Program (Incubator Farm) Provides training, technical assistance, and land access to beginning, immigrant, and limited-resource farmers to help them create sustainable farm businesses that feed families and communities. Operates at three training farm locations in Lincoln.
• Urban Grower Series Class series focusing on sustainable growing skills for gardeners and farmers, offered throughout the year on topics including organic pest management, soil science, season extension, gardening, farming, cooking, and sustainable living. Includes field days, skill sessions, and demonstrations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,841 pounds of produce grown and harvested by 693 gardeners
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Capital Roots: Albany, NY-area nonprofit focused on urban gardening, community gardens, and healthy food access. Comparable in combining community garden plots with farmer training and education.
• Keep Growing Detroit: Detroit-based nonprofit running community gardens and an urban agriculture program serving gardeners and beginning farmers. Comparable in mission around food access, urban gardening, and farmer incubation.
• Big Green: National nonprofit building learning gardens and providing garden-based education. Comparable in operating community gardens and education programs targeting food access in underserved communities.
• P-Patch Community Gardens: Seattle's community garden program operating neighborhood plots with subsidized fees and gardening education. Directly comparable as a municipally-supported community gardening network targeting food access.
• Denver Urban Gardens: Nonprofit operating a network of community gardens across Denver with garden plots, training, and education programs. Highly comparable operating model to Community Crops, serving similar urban gardener and beginning farmer segments.
• Kansas City Community Gardens: Midwest nonprofit operating community gardens and urban agriculture programming. Comparable geographically and operationally as a community gardening network with training programs.

Broad incumbents

• GrowNYC: Large NYC-based nonprofit operating Greenmarkets, community gardens, and education programs. Overlaps with Community Crops on urban agriculture and gardening education at significantly larger scale.
• Cleveland Botanical Garden (Holden Forests & Gardens): Established nonprofit combining horticultural display with community gardening and urban agriculture programming. Overlaps with Community Crops on garden-based education and urban food growing.

Others

• American Community Gardening Association: National trade and advocacy association supporting community gardens across the U.S. Adjacent ecosystem participant that advances the same community gardening sector Community Crops operates in.
• Open Harvest: Lincoln-based grocery cooperative and current Community Crops sponsor. Adjacent local food system partner connecting Community Crops' production to retail and consumer demand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@familyservicewic
• Facebookfacebook.com/communitycrops
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-crops

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 community crops