Providence Farm Collective Corp

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF PFC'S BFRDP PROJECT IS TO EMPOWER REFUGEE, IMMIGRANT, AND BLACK BEGINNING FARMERS WITH NEEDED RESOURCES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ENTER AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE THEIR SUCCESSES IN FARMING BY REFINING PFC'S BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING INITIATIVES IN COLLABORATION WITH CORNELL PARTNERS. ACCORDING TO FEEDBACK AND A SURVEY, THE MOST COMMON METHODS FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING IDENTIFIED BY REFUGEE, IMMIGRANT, AND BLACK BEGINNING FARMERS ARE PERSONALIZED, HANDS-ON, AND LANGUAGE-ADAPTIVE DEMONSTRATION IN THE FIELD AND TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM, PLUS THE USE OF VISUAL RESOURCES. FARMERS EXPRESSED NEEDING TO LEARN ABOUT LIVESTOCK AND CROP FARMING PLUS FARM BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. THESE FARMERS PRIORITIZE BUILDING INTER- AND INTRA-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS PLUS EARNING INCOME THROUGH FARMING. INCLUDED IN THEIR DEFINITIONS OF SUCCESS FOR THEIR FARMS ARE BEING ABLE TO FEED THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CONNECT WITH THEIR CULTURE. THUS, OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE TO A) INCREASE PFC STAFF KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY SO STAFF CAN BETTER MEET THE EXPRESSED LEARNING NEEDS OF REFUGEE, IMMIGRANT, AND BLACK FARMERS AND B) EMPOWER SUCH FARMERS TO ENTER OR IMPROVE THEIR SUCCESSES IN FARMING THROUGH ACCESS TO LAND, PERSONALIZED EDUCATION, AND MARKET OPPORTUNITIES WHILE BUILDING COMMUNITY, NOURISHING THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND CONNECTING WITH THEIR CULTURE.TO ACCOMPLISH ITS LONG-TERM GOAL, THE PROJECT WILL EMPLOY METHODS IN WHICH FARMERS ARE SUPPORTED IN CREATING ANNUAL INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS AND PARTNERS AT CORNELL TRAIN PFC STAFF ON TOPIC BASICS. THROUGH FARMERS' EDUCATION PLANS AND INCREASED STAFF KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY, PFC STAFF WILL BETTER PROVIDE BASIC PERSONALIZED EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP TO FARMERS THAT IS HANDS-ON, LANGUAGE-ADAPTED, AND ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL-GROUP. PARTNERS WILL LIKEWISE REFERENCE FARMERS' EDUCATION PLANS TO DELIVER ADVANCED INSTRUCTION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS SUPPORT CURRICULA REFINEMENT AND PRODUCTION OF VISUAL LEARNING MATERIALS. PFC FARMLAND AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH MARKETS SERVING LOW-INCOME, LOW-ACCESS COMMUNITIES WILL BE LEVERAGED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. IN TOTAL, 200 UNDER-RESOURCED FARMERS WILL BE SERVED AND FOUR STAFF MEMBERS WILL BE TRAINED.

PROVIDENCE FARM COLLECTIVE'S (PFC) IMPROVING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FRESH,CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FOOD FORIMMIGRANT,REFUGEE AND BLACK FAMILIES IN WESTERN NEW YORK PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE NEED OFMARGINALIZED AND LOW-RESOURCE FARMERS OF COLOR TO ACCESS MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES AND GENERATEECONOMICALLY VIABLE SALES OUTLETS THAT SERVE THEIR FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES VIA AGGREGATION AND DIRECTRETAIL. SPECIFICALLY,PFC WILL 1) BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BY HIRING A MARKETS MANAGER TO A) SCALE PFC'SPRODUCE AGGREGATION FOR FOOD BANKS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DIRECTLY SERVING LOW-INCOME,FOODINSECURE COMMUNITIES AND B) EXPAND DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER SALES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PFC FARMERS BYESTABLISHING A RETAIL MARKET FOR PFC'S EIGHT DISTINCT COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO WITH SUPPORT FROMTHE WESTMINSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (WEDI); 2) SUPPORT PFC FARMERS IN MARKETING ANDSELLING THEIR NICHE,TRADITIONAL CROPS,INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO AFRICAN MAIZE,AMARANTH,ROSELLE,HOTPEPPERS,AFRICAN AND ASIAN EGGPLANTS,TO ENHANCE FARMER PROFITABILITY. THROUGH THE PROGRAM,PFC'S IMMIGRANT,REFUGEE AND BLACK FARMERS WILL BE ASSISTED IN PROMOTING ANDCONDUCTING SALES OF THEIR LOCALLY PRODUCED,CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT PRODUCE TO HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCEDCOMMUNITIES IN WESTERN NEW YORK THROUGH TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. BY UTILIZING A "LEARN,DO,TEACH" APPROACH,THE SOFT AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY MARKETPRODUCE DIRECTLY WILL BECOME SELF-SUSTAINING IN THE FUTURE AS KNOWLEDGE TAKES ROOT AND IS PROPAGATEDFROM FARMER TO FARMER. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM,FARMERS WILL BE TRAINED TO BE TRAINERS IN THE MARKETINGAND SELLING OF NICHE,LOCAL,CULTURALLY-RELEVANT CROPS. THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT A MORE ROBUST,DIVERSE FOOD SYSTEM THAT PROMOTES HEALTH ANDEQUITY BY IMPROVING FOOD AND NUTRITION QUALITY,INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE FOODS,INCREASING ACCESS TO CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOODS,AND SUPPORTING BIPOC FARMERS IN SERVING LOCAL "LOWINCOME/LOW ACCESS" COMMUNITIES. FURTHERMORE,IMPORTANT CULTURAL TRADITIONS LINKED TO FARMING ANDFOOD,SUCH AS KULIMBULA (THE SOMALI BANTU AFRICAN MAIZE HARVEST FESTIVAL) WILL BE PRESERVED.

PFC'S GROWING TOMORROW'S FARMERS PROJECT ADDRESSES INTRACTABLE ISSUES OF FRESH FOOD ACCESS, FARMLAND ACCESS, AND ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL AND SMALL BUSINESS EDUCATION FOR LOW RESOURCE INDIVIDUALS IN THE WESTERN NEW YORK REGION. WITH FARMING AND BUSINESS MENTORSHIP AND HANDS-ON TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, BEGINNING AND ASPIRING FARMERS WILL ACQUIRE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION AND SMALL FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE SUCCESS. BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA WILL BE COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THE 3-YEARS OF THIS PROJECT AND WILL TAKE THE FORM OF SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS (PRESENTED IN EACH PARTICIPANT'S NATIVE LANGUAGE) ASSESSING PARTICIPANTS'WORKSHOP SKILLS ACQUISITION;QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS IMPROVED ACCESS TO CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOODS AND IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING; FARMER'S VEGETABLE YIELDS FROM YEARS 1 THROUGH 3; FARMER'S SALES AND EARNINGS RECORDS FROM YEARS 1 THROUGH 3. THROUGH THE PROVISION OF FREE FARMLAND AND FARMING EDUCATION TO LOW-RESOURCE POPULATIONS, PFC HOPES TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN WESTERN NEW YORK. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP OTHERWISE LAND-LESS FARMERS GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, DEVELOP FARM BUSINESSES FOR SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME, INCREASE CULTURALLY RELEVANT FRESH FOOD ACCESS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIESAND ULTIMATELY, EXPERIENCE AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.