Thanks to Pamela Mueri, a consultant helping with our Farm to School work, for writing this post.
Calling all foodies, farmers, school food service professionals, chefs, and anyone who loves all things food related. Have you discovered Barnraiser? It's the "#1 crowdfunding community for good food & healthy living,” according to their website.
Farm to School programs can benefit from the program, as well as farmers looking to fund expanding operations or offset start-up costs. The crowdfunding site has backing from Slow Food USA and the National Farm to School Network.
Why would crowdsourcing farmers and schools look to Barnraiser rather than other options? “While our competitors are full of tech, music and game projects, we focus specifically on sustainable food and farming projects and are growing the community that supports these ideas,” they explain on the site.
Barnraiser is a simple tool to navigate with support staff to help you set up your funding page. The staff that make up Barnraiser are farmers, nutritionists, and restaurateurs with many years of combined work experience in the food industry.
Step-by-step instructions can be found online at Barnraiser. You simply start an account, write your story, and set your funding goals. Once you share your Barnraiser fund with friends, family, co-workers, and the community, you immediately start to raise funds. Sharing your cause on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will promote your campaign and grow support.
Barnraiser has helped Darby Springs Farm in Ceresco, Nebraska, raise over $10,000 for a new creamery barn to help create a farmstead ice cream operation.
It has also helped Farm to School projects such as Boulder Valley School Food Project raise funds for a multitude of projects that include: Farmer visits, Garden Education, and scratch-cooked meals within the cafeteria. Visit their funding page to gain valuable tips and ideas.
Follow the links below to see how Farm to School has benefited from using Barnraiser.
Feature image: Lovely Guernsey cows are the heart of the flavor of Darby Spring Farm, who used Barnraiser to raise funds for their creamery barn. | Photo by Rhea Landholm
