RSF helps fund education and arts projects that are holistic and therapeutic, especially those that foster spiritual awareness or increase access to learning and the arts.
With this focus in mind, the RSF provided a Seed Fund grant to the Women’s Resource Center of the Grand Traverse Area (WRC). WRC requested support for their new art therapy program, Art for Empowerment, led by Art Therapist Dr. Barbara Macintyre and WRC advocate Susan Britton.
Through community collaboration, the WRC provides education, support, counseling, housing and advocacy to end domestic and sexual violence and promote an equitable, safe environment for all. The WRC serves five counties in northwest Lower Michigan.
The Art for Empowerment teaches domestic violence shelter clients sewing skills while working with an art therapist skilled in addressing victimization and anger management through creativity.
The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma or challenges in living, or those who seek personal development. Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others; cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art.”
From January 7th through February 25th 2013, a total of 38 women participated in Art for Empowerment. The goals for clients were to:
Learn sewing skills using sewing machines and hand stitching
Design and sew basic functional art items such as journals, tote bags and small handbags
Learn basic business and entrepreneurship skills to market and sell items
Work with an art therapist to address their life situations
Develop a sense of empowerment and self-sufficiency
Participants spent the first two sessions creating reflection journals with hand-stitched bindings. Every other page of the journal had an empowerment statement followed by space for the participant to write a reflection. Dr. Macintyre worked with each woman, one on one, to discuss their written responses. The reflection journals were re-visited during the last session and many women found their initial answers had evolved significantly due to an improved outlook on life provided by their experience in Arts for Empowerment.
The women spent the rest remainder of the program creating small purses and tote bags. Discussion followed regarding “cutting, weaving and piecing together” a new life for themselves. The last session involved a discussion on the “value” of each bag, both symbolically and on a retail level.
Exit interviews revealed that all participants found the project “extremely worthwhile,” learned a new useful skill, and would repeat a similar program if offered.
To learn more about the important work of Women’s Resource Center for the Grand Traverse Area, visit their website. To read about other RSF Seed Fund grantees, visit our past blog posts and stay tuned for the announcement of our 2013 grantees later this month.
Ellie Lanphier is Program Assistant, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
“Sustainable food is about farmers being good to the land, making sure that the land is useful and rich for future generations,” says Anthony Chang, founder and Executive Director of Kitchen Table Advisors in Mountain View, CA. However, the chances of survival for small, sustainable farms in the U.S. can look pretty bleak. According to USDA research, 50% of small farms fail in the first 5 years and only 25% will survive for 15 years. Kitchen Table Advisors, a 2012 RSF Seed Fund grantee, is working to improve those percentages, helping sustainable farms become sustainable businesses by providing them with in-depth financial management support and the tools needed to stay viable for the long term.
Catching up with Chang on their progress since receiving the Seed Fund grant, he reported that Kitchen Table Advisors officially launched their pilot project last month, featuring a small group of sustainable farmers in Northern California who are working to create a better food system. Chang will sit down at the kitchen table with these farmers, one-on-one, to discuss business planning, record keeping and strategies for using business and financial data to achieve long term goals and objectives on their farms.
Among the pilot group are Caleb Barron and Jonathan [Johnny] Wilson of Fogline Farm, an integrated organic farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Chang says “After going through UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Agroecology and Food Systems program, Johnny started Fogline Farm in his late 20s as a way to make the world a better place through growing good food and taking care of the land with regular crop rotations, animals roaming in the orchards, minimal inputs and waste.” Fogline Farms strives to grow the highest quality fruits, vegetables and meats for their community. Kitchen Table Advisors seeks to empower Johnny and Caleb, and all the farmers in their pilot project, with the business tools, resources and knowledge they need to ensure their long term economic viability.
You can join Kitchen Table Advisors in their effort to build a healthier regional food system by becoming an advocate, volunteering or making a financial contribution. Follow Kitchen Table Advisors on Facebook or LinkedIn for the latest news and opportunities to support the economic viability of sustainable small farms. Email info@kitchentableadvisors.org if you’re interested in volunteer opportunities related to marketing & communications, business development, events or fundraising. Or donate here to Kitchen Table Advisors through their fiscal sponsor, the Trust for Conservation Innovation.
Click here for more information about the Seed Fund and how you can provide support.
Ellie Lanphier is Program Assistant, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
In the photo above, a student of Rose Rock School waters the plants that surround her school in the Norman, Oklahoma sunshine. Her school believes that a child’s development is enhanced by taking part in daily tasks and caring for his or her learning space.
The photo captures the spirit of Rose Rock, a school serving 2-6 year olds that strives to offer innovative education in a nurturing environment. A quick glance at the wonderful photos found on Norman resident Sarah Warmker’s photography page provides a glimpse into the caring, safe and creative setting founder Shanah Admadi and her team has created for their young learning community.
“Our long-term goal is to help lead children toward conscious adulthood, in which they respect diversity, interact harmoniously with all people, nurture and protect the natural world, and give joyfully to the communities in which they live.” – Rose Rock School website
Rose Rock School is a Life Ways North America Representative Site. LifeWays Child Care proposes that childcare programs can closely resemble the warm, relaxed atmosphere of a home, and that children can benefit from forming strong bonds with consistent caregivers. An emphasis on creative play rather than structured lessons is a hallmark of the LifeWays school of thought. Every day at Rose Rock the children care for the garden, play outside, and participate in the preparation and clean-up of home cooked organic meals enjoyed family style around a small table or outside on a picnic blanket.
In May 2012, The Rose Rock School Foundation received a grant from the RSF Seed Fund to establish a biodynamic garden and apiary on the school’s new site, a historic home in central Norman. Shanah provided an update on the progress they had made on this project:
“Since Rose Rock School received the grant last May, we have utilized the money to help in us tending our new 4-acre plot of land (in the center of town) with biodynamic field sprays.We have had many Rose Rock community work days, spent trimming trees, removing trash and brush, and envisioning our future at this site. Until the rezoning and construction is finished, the bees we purchased will continue to live at an off-site location outside of town. We chose to keep them at a quieter location, while they organized themselves and recovered from their journey through the mail. Since their arrival, they have established a healthy hive, foraged on local wildflowers, and endured their first Oklahoma summer. We look forward to bringing them to their new home when it is ready.”
Shanah and team plan to build fencing to surround the apiary, for the protection of the children and the bees, while planting a variety of plants on the school grounds to serve as a nectar source. The school will benefit from the produce grown and honey harvested while also facilitating critical learning about the importance and value of sustainable agriculture. Remaining honey will be sold locally, to provide a revenue stream to help support the school.
For more information about the RSF Seed Fund, please visit our website. To make a donation, please visit our donations page.
Ellie Lanphier is Program Assisstant, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
Modern consumers want and expect sustainable, local seafood. Restaurants need to be able to tell their customers where their food is coming from and how it got to their plate. Fishermen hope for better prices and more realistic expectations in a volatile, unpredictable industry. Recognizing that all of these parties really desired the same dream, Stephanie Mutz, Sarah Rathbone and Kim Selkoe launched the first season of Community Seafood, a community supported fishery (CSF) in Santa Barbara, California which connects residents directly to the local catch.
This past April, RSF made a grant from the Seed Fund to Commercial Fisherman of Santa Barbara, to launch season one of their CSF. Much like a CSA, a CSF share eliminates the intermediaries between the producer and the consumer, ensuring that the subscriber pays a fair price while their money goes directly to the fishermen that caught their dinner.
Mutz, commercial fisherman and co-founder, caught up with us for an update on their first season and beyond:
“We are now in our second season of our CSF. Our customers are having a lot of fun knowing where and how their seafood is caught, who caught it and how to prepare it. We are taking the confusion out of seafood by doing the homework for our customers, and they know they are doing their share in preserving the local marine resource while supporting local fishermen. We really are accomplishing our goal of building community when our customers start talking to each other when they pick up their seafood, and before you know it, they are inviting each other over for dinner!”
Steve Escobar with a trap of spot prawns
Their subscribers benefit from the plentiful waters of the Santa Barbara Channel, and share in the fluctuations inherent to the trade. They buy a share and receive the “catch of the week,” of whatever is fresh and in season. Increased variety for customers equates to healthier ecosystems, allowing time for species recoup.
California-caught seafood is some of the most environmentally friendly available, due to stringent fishing regulations such as setting aside protected areas and seasonal closures. However, currently 90-95% of local seafood landed in Santa Barbara Harbor is exported overseas, leaving local fishermen at the mercy of volatile foreign markets and bound to the unsustainable practice of catching a lot of one kind of fish to sell at low wholesale prices. The frustration is compounded by local consumers who, at the same time, are demanding sustainable healthy seafood right off the boat.
This small group of fisherman and scientists has been able to see the connection between the wants and needs of the community and those of the producers. While they still have adjustments and improvements to address as they make headway into the second season, Santa Barbara fishermen say Community Seafood provides a connection to their community that they wouldn’t have otherwise, and valuable feedback about their work. Some say it has granted a greater sense of purpose in their day-to-day activities. While it’s yet a small portion of their overall business, all parties involved hope to see it grow.
This grant was made possible by the RSF Seed Fund. Every spring, RSF provides small gifts (between $500 and $5,000) to seed new initiatives that offer innovative solutions in the field of social finance, or address issues in one of our three focus areas (Food & Agriculture, Education & the Arts, and Ecological Stewardship). Individual gifts to the RSF Seed Fund can help germinate the next generation of restorative projects. Click here to donate to the RSF Seed Fund today.
Ellie Lanphier is Program Assistant, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
‘Tis the season for charitable giving! With only a few weeks left in 2012, it is time to start thinking about what charitable donations you would like to make this year if you have not done so already. Charitable donations are an excellent way to reduce your tax burden for the year, and what better way to end the year than by making greater good possible. If you intend to make a donation to RSF, start a donor advised fund, or make an addition to an existing fund, plan on getting those gifts in to RSF by no later than Friday, December 28th as our offices will be closed on Monday, December 31st.
Want to make a donation but having trouble deciding to which organization? Let us help you decide! We are always looking for additional support for the RSF Seed Fund, which makes small grants annually to support new initiatives that fall within RSF’s mission statement and focus areas. If interested, please visit our donations page where you can easily make a credit card donation or contact me directly with any questions!
In 2012 Bikes Not Bombs received a Seed Fund grant to support its youth created and run mobile bike shop and mechanics training center.
Another worthwhile organization to consider is the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) located in Santa Cruz, CA. OFRF is not only an RSF grantee but is also a Social Investment Fund investor! OFRF cultivates organic research, education, and federal policy that brings more farmers and acreage into organic production. Since its founding in 1990, OFRF has been a leading champion for American organic family farmers and envisions that one day, organic farming will be the leading form of agriculture in America.
One of OFRF’s four areas of focus is Education. OFRF believes that improving organic education for all ages is critical if America is to transition to an organic farming majority. An area of particular emphasis for OFRF is America’s universities. The organic food industry has experienced more than quadruple growth in the last decade, and OFRF constantly assesses and reports how agricultural universities are helping meet organic consumer demand by training organic farmers, conducting useful research, and organizing effective outreach.
OFRF is currently Raising an Organic Barn to provide stronger structure to increase organic acreage and farmers in our country. Learn more here:
Catherine Covington is Senior Program Associate, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
What does it mean to live sustainably, particularly in regards to stewardship of land? 2012 RSF Seed Fund Grantee stone circles has made this question central to its work. stone circles, located in the small town of Mebane, NC, has a mission to strengthen and sustain people committed to transformation and justice, and its mission comes alive through spiritual practice and principles, a sustainable relationship with the land, radical hospitality, and strategic collaboration.
Photo courtesy: stone circles
stone circles was founded in 1995 and has continually been at the forefront of the national movement to transform social change work by creating strong and explicit links between individual and social transformation. It does so by working at the local, statewide, and national level and provides trainings, workshops and retreats that offer transformative experiences that link commitment to sustainability and practice with frameworks for strategic action.
Since 2008, stone circles has been working to create a more equitable and just food system in central North Carolina. In 2011 the organization began researching ways to directly support local sustainable agriculture. One major discovery was the barriers that young adults of color face when trying to enter the farming profession. In addition to training and mentoring, farmers of color oftentimes lack the access to the resources and the decision-making groups that are fueling the growing movement around local food sustainability. The RSF Seed Fund grant is specifically intended to support a 10-day residential training program for young farmers of color at The Stone House, stone circles’ 70-acre rural retreat and training center. The program will include practical farm skills training in organic agriculture practices, food systems education, and personal practices for self-renewal that focus on the experience of deeply resting and replenishing the body and spirit.
Photo courtesy: stone circles
In preparation for the upcoming training, stone circles has put on a number of food justice workshops. According to evaluation summaries, beyond increasing their knowledge of food justice, participants also reported a deepened ability to relate across lines of difference. One of the highlights for many people was the opportunity to share personal stories of race, ethnicity, and class backgrounds, as it connected them to each other and to the larger framework being presented.
To learn more about the RSF Seed Fund and how you can help support new and inspirational projects like this one, click here.
Catherine Covington is Senior Program Associate, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
Bikes Not Bombs uses the bicycle as a powerful vehicle and tool for social change. Each year, Bikes Not Bombs (BNB) takes in 5-6,000 donated bicycles and gives them new life through one of their many youth programs, international development projects, and retail shop/vocational training center.
A 27 year old community organization in Jamaica Plain, MA, BNB received a RSF Seed Fund grant in spring of this year to support Chain Reaction, its youth-created and run mobile bicycle shop and mechanics training center. BNB sought funding to cover the cost of parts needed to repair and refurbish donated bicycles in order to provide transportation to low-income communities as well as keep those bicycles out of the solid waste stream. Chain Reaction fixes and re-sells bikes priced between $50 and $75 and offers free bike mechanics lessons. Realizing that in low income neighborhoods people had less accessibility to bike supplies and repair shops, a key component of Chain Reaction is the capability to travel where people need them most.
Stephane Alexandre, one of BNB’s Youth Employees explained her participation in the program: “giving back feels good because I am actively making a difference in one person’s life. If I can just help one person see, I mean really understand, the possibilities that a simple bicycle can bring, then I would have done my job that day.”
Through Chain Reaction, BNB seeks to reinforce academic learning, build critical thinking skills, provide unemployment training, and cultivate leadership while solidifying a lifelong commitment to environmental and social justice.
2012 RSF Seed Fund Grantee Adelante Mujeres is dedicated to providing holistic education and empowerment for low-income Latina women and their families. Located in Forest Grove, Oregon, Adelante Mujeres was founded in 2002 out of the resolve of a small group of Latino immigrants and allies who sought to improve the quality of life for themselves and their community.
Adelante Mujeres offers a number of programs in the areas of education, empowerment and enterprise. One program that RSF staff found particularly compelling was Adelante Agricultura, which provides aspiring Latino immigrant farmers with the training and skills necessary to farm using organic methods and market their products locally. Participants engage in a 12-week sustainable farming class which covers topics like organic farming techniques, land rent/purchase, soil maintenance, crop planning and pest management. Also included in the course are practical workshops at local organic farms such as La Esperanza Farm.
The most significant barrier to success for farmers participating in Adelante Agricultura is access to markets, evidenced by the fact that in 2010 participant farmers were unable to sell up to 50% of particular crops because of lack of markets. Seeking to circumvent the language and cultural barriers faced by immigrant farmers when it comes to selling their products, Adelante Mujeres is launching a social venture called the La Esperanza Distributor and applied to RSF for support of this new initiative. The Distributor is a value-based fresh produce distributor that will sell the produce grown by program participants to local food service institutions and grocery stores. Adelante will provide ongoing technical support and professional development to the farmers and has already made arrangements with five local partners to purchase produce from the Distributor in its pilot year. The goal for the project is to establish a thriving local farming community and local food economy that includes Latino farmers and their families with the hopes that a model will emerge that can be replicated regionally and eventually nationally.
To learn more about the RSF Seed Fund and how you can help support new and inspirational projects like this one, click here.
Catherine Covington is Senior Program Associate, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
At RSF, the majority of the grantmaking we engage in is donor-directed through our Donor Advised Fund program. However, we do manage one very special discretionary grantmaking fund called the RSF Seed Fund, which provides small grants (between $500 and $5,000) to seed new initiatives that offer innovative solutions furthering the field of social finance, or address issues in one of our three focus areas: Food & Agriculture, Education & the Arts, or Ecological Stewardship. The Fund provides a great way for RSF staff members to learn about inspiring non-profit organizations and projects that we would not otherwise be exposed to during the course of our daily work.
The continued existence of the RSF Seed Fund is due in large part to unrestricted donations to RSF and to many generous clients who donate the interest generated by their Social Investment Fund accounts to the Seed Fund. These gifts help germinate the next generation of innovative projects. If you would like to contribute to the RSF Seed Fund, please visit the donations section of our website.
The 2012 RSF Seed Fund cycle closed in March with a record 160 applications! A team of staff volunteers joined the Philanthropic Services department to deliberate and make the tough decisions about which projects to fund. Please see below for a summary description of this year’s eight selected Seed Fund grantees.
2012 Seed Fund grantees:
Adelante Mujeres – In Forest Grove, OR, Adelante Mujeres is working to educate and empower low-income Latina women and families by providing the tools to achieve self-determination in the areas of education, empowerment and enterprise. The Seed Fund grant will support the livelihood of low-income Latino farmers by increasing access to markets through La Esperanza Distributor, a mission-based food distribution venture.
stone circles – Based at theat The Stone House in Mebane, NC, stone circles seeks to strengthen the work for justice through strategic action, spiritual practice and a sustainable relationship between land and communities. The Seed Fund grant will support young farmers of color in developing their farming skills and a deepening in knowledge of sustainable food systems, food justice, and economic viability.
Bikes Not Bombs – Bikes Not Bombs, located in Jamaica Plain, MA, uses the bicycle as a vehicle for social change. They reclaim thousands of bicycles each year, create local and global programs that provide skill development, jobs, and sustainable transportation and mobilize youth and adults to be leaders in community transformation. The Seed Fund grant will support Chain Reaction, Bikes Not Bombs’ after-school, youth-run mobile bicycle shop and mechanics training center.
Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB) – CFSB integrates regional efforts of fishing communities with the goal of improving the economic and biological sustainability of fisheries. They strive to create a new model for collaboration between fishermen and fishery scientists that will be based on mutual trust, respect, and transparency. The Seed Fund grant will support the availability of local, sustainable seafood in the community through the creation of a community supported fishery program, the Santa Barbara Community Seafood.
Kitchen Table Advisors – Kitchen Table Advisors, in Mountain View, CA, provides in-depth business advising to a “portfolio” of small-scale, sustainable farms. Focusing on tailored business support that meets the individual needs and matches the specific circumstance of each farmer, Kitchen Table Advisors provides each farm with the business management, planning and financing tools necessary to thrive. The Seed Fund grant will be used to support the start?up costs of Kitchen Table Advisors during its pilot phase and provide assistance to the first group of small family farmers.
Rose Rock School Foundation — Rose Rock School in Norman, OK, aims to provide a healthy, rich environment in which all children can learn and grow. Their goal is to promote and sustain a community that honors a diversity of cultures, genders, economic classes, and lifestyles. They encourage an atmosphere of understanding and empathy, which they hope will translate into a more peaceful world in each child’s future. The Seed Fund grant will help establish a thriving biodynamic garden and apiary on the school’s new site.
Women’s Resource Center for the Grand Traverse Area –The Women’s Resource Center collaborates with the Traverse City, MI community in their role as primary service provider for domestic and sexual violence survivors. Their mission is to end domestic and sexual violence and promote an equitable, safe environment for all. The Seed Fund grant will support a new program that teaches domestic violence shelter clients sewing skills while working with an art therapist skilled in addressing victimization and anger management through creativity.
Center for Biography and Social Art – The Center for Biography and Social Art in Northampton, MA celebrates the threefold human being – body, soul and spirit; encourages reverence for the uniqueness of every life journey; illuminates the mysteries of human life in earthly gesture and spiritual depth; and practices authentic human encounter. The Center fulfills its mission through adult education programs and events, research, professional networking, and community and client support. The Seed Fund grant will help this new organization to grow and thrive.
“When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.” - Minnie Aumonier
Shining Rivers Waldorf School located in St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a RSF Seed Fund grant last spring to support its biodynamic garden program. We receive many applications for school gardens, but we found this project particularly unique in its purpose. This garden is intended to not only educate and engage students, but also to demonstrate that it can be self-sustained through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Shining Rivers had historically maintained a large vegetable garden space at the school, and with the hiring of a Garden’s Keeper with 10 years of urban farming experience at the end of 2010, the school’s goal of kicking off a CSA program became attainable. Not only did the school receive support from the RSF Seed Fund, it also received parent and faculty donations, and support from Slow Food St. Louis and the Webster Groves Women’s Garden Association. I recently corresponded with Ann Wiedemann, the school’s director, and she reported that while they knew the community was excited about the program, they had no idea that the 10 available CSA shares would sell out in less than 2 hours!
While the children are not specifically responsible for aspects of the CSA program, they are exposed to the entire process from planning, planting, caring, harvesting and prepping the CSA shares, and the Garden’s Keeper is responsible for coordinating curriculum with the classroom teachers. The school is currently expanding its garden space and starting the second year of the CSA program, with plans to develop a guide to starting school CSA projects. In June, the garden will be part of the St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour!
Shining Rivers was founded in 1992 and is a developing school member of the Association for Waldorf Schools of North America, currently serving 85 children through grade 6. To find out more about the school, please visit their website.
To learn more about the RSF Seed Fund and how you can help support new and inspirational projects like this one, click here. Also stay tuned in the coming weeks for the announcement of our 2012 Seed Fund Grantees!
Catherine Covington is Senior Program Associate, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
by Ellie Lanphier
Rose Rock School is a Life Ways North America Representative Site. 
purchased will continue to live at an off-site location outside of town. We chose to keep them at a quieter location, while they organized themselves and recovered from their journey through the mail. Since their arrival, they have established a healthy hive, foraged on local wildflowers, and endured their first Oklahoma summer. We look forward to bringing them to their new home when it is ready.”
Modern consumers want and expect sustainable, local seafood. Restaurants need to be able to tell their customers where their food is coming from and how it got to their plate. Fishermen hope for better prices and more realistic expectations in a volatile, unpredictable industry. Recognizing that all of these parties really desired the same dream, Stephanie Mutz, Sarah Rathbone and Kim Selkoe launched the first season of 
Adelante Mujeres offers a number of 
While the children are not specifically responsible for aspects of the CSA program, they are exposed to the entire process from planning, planting, caring, harvesting and prepping the CSA shares, and the Garden’s Keeper is responsible for coordinating curriculum with the classroom teachers. The school is currently expanding its garden space and starting the second year of the CSA program, with plans to develop a guide to starting school CSA projects. In June, the garden will be part of the