"On a humid Friday evening in early September, staff at Farm School New York City ( FSNYC), an urban agriculture education organization, called an emergency town hall to share a critical update. They were at risk of closing-as early as the end of the year- and were starting an emergency fundraiser with a $250,000 goal. FSNYC staff shared that federal funding cuts had further deepened their funding gap and put their work with various community partners in jeopardy."
"FSNYC equips NYC-based residents with the tools, training, and support needed to practice sustainable agriculture and advance food sovereignty, food justice, and liberation. It is one of the few urban agriculture education spaces that has a sliding-scale tuition model, making it accessible to everyone. With proper funding, organizations like FSNYC equip learner farmers and land stewards with the knowledge to build sustainable businesses, forge food justice movements, and rebuild relationships with the land."
"This year has been full of questions and meetings for the organization's staff, board, and alumni network. "At the same time, we are trying to figure out what will happen with our jobs and our programs," said Frances Pérez-Rodríguez, the program coordinator for FSNYC, in an interview with NPQ. If FSNYC is forced to further reduce capacity or permanently close, what historical, cultural, and institutional knowledge will New York City lose?"
Farm School New York City (FSNYC) provides urban agriculture education and trains NYC residents in sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, food justice, and liberation. The organization operates a sliding-scale tuition model to make programs accessible and supports learner farmers and land stewards to build sustainable businesses and community food movements. Federal funding cuts have created a significant budget gap, prompting an emergency fundraiser with a $250,000 goal to avoid closure by year-end. FSNYC applied to multiple USDA and EPA grant programs in 2024 to address funding shortfalls. Staff, board, and alumni face uncertainty about jobs and program continuity.
Read at Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
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