colorado farm & food alliance

What colorado farm & food alliance does

Colorado Farm & Food Alliance (COFFA) is a Colorado-incorporated nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Paonia, Colorado, that supports small and mid-sized farms, food security, and rural climate resilience across western Colorado. Its programs span the Gunnison River, Dolores River, and Central Colorado River basins and reach Delta, Montrose, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, and Pitkin counties. Core offerings include the Mariposa Ascendente Regenerative Gardens & Classroom at Arbol Farm (a butterfly-shaped outdoor learning space in Paonia), the Just Good Food educational video and workshop series, the Plant-a-Row food-sharing initiative that delivered 8,000+ lbs of produce in 2020, the Local Food Action Maps (interactive Google Maps tools cataloguing regional food operations), and a Citizen Science Ecological Monitoring program with standardized protocols for soil (Haney, PLFA), pasture, riparian, and pollinator health.

The organization operates a donation-based revenue model funded primarily through individual contributions, foundation grants (Just Transition Fund, Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation, Patagonia), and challenge grants such as Colorado Gives Day and SeedMoney.org (over $5,600 raised in 2023, ranked 45th of 635 organizations). Workshops carry a $20 suggested donation with no-pay barriers; ticketed events such as the Regenerative Agriculture Farm Dinner generate modest program revenue. Distribution is achieved through a partner network including Valley Organic Growers Association, The Learning Council, Western Slope Conservation Center, UpRoot Colorado, food pantries (Somerset, Paonia, Delta), and farms across the region. The organization has announced it will sunset at the end of 2025 after a decade of operation, with its Regenerative Demonstration Garden transitioning to fiscal stewardship by Viva la Vida and the Thistle Whistle community solar project continuing under newly formed nonprofit Mirasol Agrivoltaic.

Name

colorado farm & food alliance

Legal name

Colorado Farm & Food Alliance

Website

https://colofarmfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Colorado Farm & Food Alliance is a Paonia, Colorado-based nonprofit that supports small farms, food security, and rural climate action across western Colorado through regenerative agriculture education, the Plant-a-Row food-sharing program, Local Food Action Maps, and community advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Agricultural Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Soil Health & Regenerative Agronomy Consulting (AFACABAA), Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture education
• Food security programs
• Rural community advocacy
• Local food systems
• Nonprofit farm support

Headquarters

HQ city

Paonia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations from community members and supporters, facilitated through the organization's website donation portal. The organization emphasizes that financial contributions are vital to their work in strengthening the local food movement and supporting sustainable rural communities.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: Support from foundations including Just Transition Fund, Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation, and Patagonia grants. The organization has received funding through challenge grants like SeedMoney.org campaigns and Colorado Gives Day.
3. Workshop Fees: Suggested donation of $20 for workshops such as the Spring Plant Propagation Workshop, with all attendees welcome regardless of ability to pay.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from ticketed events such as the Regenerative Agriculture Farm Dinner with the Forage Sisters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colorado Farm & Food Alliance is an independent Colorado nonprofit that supports small farms, food security, and rural community resilience in the North Fork Valley and Gunnison Basin of western Colorado. It delivers hands-on regenerative agriculture education through the Mariposa Ascendente Regenerative Gardens & Classroom, runs the Just Good Food educational program and Citizen Science ecological monitoring on working lands, coordinates the Plant-a-Row food-sharing initiative connecting growers to food pantries, and publishes resources such as Local Food Action Maps, the Gunnison Basin climate report, and a small farm and cottage food grants directory. The organization is sunsetting at the end of 2025 after 10 years of operation.

Product overview

Colorado Farm & Food Alliance is a nonprofit organization offering community programs rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include the Local Food Action Maps (interactive mapping of regional food systems), the Regenerative Gardens & Classroom (outdoor education space at Arbol Farm), the Just Good Food educational program, Citizen Science ecological monitoring, and various advocacy initiatives around climate action, public lands protection, and food security. The organization also maintains the Gunnison Basin Climate Report and connects farmers to grant resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Just Good Food: Educational program teaching about regenerative agriculture, food- and farm-businesses through workshops, hands-on projects, and video content.
• Mariposa Ascendente

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered over 8,000 lbs of fresh local produce to regional food sharing system in 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Viva la VidacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Viva la Vida is providing fiscal stewardship for the Regenerative Demonstration Garden and Classroom as it emerges as its own project. This represents a key transition for the garden space as Colorado Farm & Food Alliance sunsets at the end of 2025.
• Mirasol AgrivoltaiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Newly formed Colorado nonprofit organization making progress in advancing the Thistle Whistle Community Solar project. Colorado Farm & Food Alliance is excited about this organization building on foundations developed through their work together. Mirasol Agrivoltaic is seeking members in the DMEA service area.
• Arbol FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for the Mariposa Ascendente Regenerative Gardens and Community Classroom. The organization shares office space with UpRoot Colorado in the building adjacent to the garden space at Arbol Farm.
• UpRoot ColoradominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColorado Farm & Food Alliance shares office space with UpRoot Colorado in the building adjacent to the garden at Arbol Farm.
• Mountain Roots/Healthy Futures AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthy Futures AmeriCorps places service members across rural Colorado. Since 2024, AmeriCorps member Sarsa Buck has supported the mission at Colorado Farm & Food Alliance to strengthen local farms and food security.
• Sarsa BuckcoreOthersAmeriCorps servicemember supporting the organization's mission since 2024, helping with garden stewardship and community engagement while learning about agricultural practices in the region.
• Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for small farm support and grants resources. VOGA includes current grants for small agricultural producers in its newsletter and collaborates on behavioral wellness and rural well-being initiatives.
• The Learning CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Legacy film screening about rural mental health, co-hosted Riverfest and Community Fair 2025 with Colorado Farm & Food Alliance and Western Slope Conservation Center.
• Western Slope Conservation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Riverfest and Community Fair 2025. Long-standing partnership on public lands advocacy, watershed protection, and community engagement. Partnered on annual DC fly-in advocacy trips.
• Zephyros Farm and GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDon Lareau provided accounting tutorial for small ag businesses video. Sam Kaup led Spring Plant Propagation Workshop at the demonstration garden.
• Somerset Food PantryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReceives produce donations through Plant-a-Row program. Located in Somerset, CO and serves Gunnison County residents.
• Paonia Food PantryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReceives produce donations through Plant-a-Row program. Distributes at Paonia Christian Fellowship Church on first Wednesday of each month.
• Delta Food PantryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReceives produce donations through Plant-a-Row program. Operates out of St Michaels Catholic Church with weekday distribution.
• Thistle Whistle FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSite of the Mirasol Agrivoltaic community-solar project on Hanson Mesa outside Hotchkiss, advancing agrivoltaics and community solar development.
• AgrAbilityminorOthersRegional representatives from AgrAbility participated in Legacy film screening discussion on farmer mental health and behavioral wellness.
• Colorado Agricultural Addiction & Mental Health Program (CAAMHP)minorOthersProgram highlighted during Legacy film screening for farmer behavioral and mental health awareness efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Slope Conservation Center: Long-standing partner nonprofit based in western Colorado focused on public lands, watershed protection, and community engagement. Directly comparable as a rural, regional conservation and food-systems nonprofit co-hosting events and advocacy trips with Colorado Farm & Food Alliance.
• Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA): Core partner organization supporting small farms in the North Fork Valley through grants and behavioral wellness initiatives. Highly comparable as a grassroots farmer-support nonprofit in the same region and value chain.
• UpRoot Colorado: Colorado nonprofit addressing food insecurity by coordinating surplus produce donation; shares office space at Arbol Farm with Colorado Farm & Food Alliance. Comparable mission (food access) and geography.
• The Learning Council: Paonia-based community education nonprofit collaborating on Riverfest, film screenings, and rural mental health programming. Comparable as a small rural Colorado nonprofit focused on community education and resilience.
• Quivira Coalition: New Mexico-based nonprofit advancing regenerative agriculture on western working lands through education, mentorship, and land-health monitoring. Comparable as a regional regenerative agriculture nonprofit with land-health monitoring and farmer support programs.

Emerging players

• Viva la Vida: Newly identified Colorado nonprofit taking fiscal stewardship of the Mariposa Ascendente Regenerative Demonstration Garden after Colorado Farm & Food Alliance's sunset. Directly comparable mission on regenerative agriculture and community education.
• Mirasol Agrivoltaic: Newly formed Colorado nonprofit advancing the Thistle Whistle Community Solar/agrivoltaic project built on foundations from Colorado Farm & Food Alliance's work. Comparable as an emerging rural Colorado nonprofit at the nexus of agriculture and energy.

Broad incumbents

• National Young Farmers Coalition: National nonprofit advocating for and supporting young and beginning farmers through policy, land access, and business resources. Comparable mission to Colorado Farm & Food Alliance's small farm support work but at national scale.
• Rocky Mountain Farmers Union: Colorado-based agricultural advocacy and education nonprofit serving family farmers and ranchers across the region. Comparable as a rural Colorado nonprofit advocating for sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.
• FoodCorps: National nonprofit connecting communities to food education and school gardens through service members. Comparable to Colorado Farm & Food Alliance's AmeriCorps/Healthy Futures service model and food education programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColoFarmFood
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOCEedaaIZk0UWMCn3okhHg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoFarmFood
• Instagraminstagram.com/colofarmfood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-farm-food-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 colorado farm & food alliance