The Sustainability Fund supports an association of eight organizations, each focused on a different facet of the challenge to reach full global sustainability in agriculture, each working with the others to accomplish this goal. These organizations will act as catalysts and resources to help develop practical solutions and provide technical assistance in their areas of expertise to independent sustainable programs and projects around the globe.

Initiative Summaries:

Global Sustainability in Agriculture: GROW BIOINTENSIVE® Sustainable Mini-Farming Initiative
Ecology Action (Proposed endowment $30 million) 
John Jeavons, Executive Director

The GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming Initiative is directed by Ecology Action, which for over 35 years has been researching the GROW BIOINTENSIVE small-scale system of agriculture, developing sustainable farming practices and educating people worldwide in their use. GROW BIOINTENSIVE enables people in all climates and environmental situations to grow complete diets on small areas of land, using a minimum of natural resources, including water. Ecology Action will be in charge of the training segment, from class level up to teacher certification, and will also monitor the major international GROW BIOINTENSIVE training and outreach centers.

For more information on this initiative, click here.

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Passing It On: The Edible Schoolyard and Garden Nutrition Program Initiative
(Proposed endowment $5 million)
Alice Waters, Founder

The Edible Schoolyard, created by Alice Waters, is a hands-on, school-based program, which introduces the concept of sustainable agriculture and the taste of fresh, seasonal foods to children. Through experiential education, students will learn the connections between food, and their health, health and the environment.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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Sustainable Agriculture: Research and Education University of California-Davis and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo Sustainable Agriculture Program Initiative (Proposed endowment $6.25 million)

The Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo Sustainable Agriculture Initiative will be the means to re-introduce sustainable agriculture into the higher educational system. Sustainable agricultural research at universities has been limited by the amounts and types of funding received and has not yet been able to approach full sustainability. Having a chairs in sustainable agriculture, at San Luis Obispo, as well as 4 year-long graduate fellowships and two undergraduate internships will strengthen sustainable agriculture focus and momentum.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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Biodiversity: Genetic Diversity of Grain and Grasses—Grain and Grass Seed Conservancy International Initiative
New Organization In Development
(Proposed endowment $10 million)
Executive Director and two Associates

The Grain and Grass Seed Conservancy International (GGSCI) Initiative is a new non-profit organization which is built on the lengthy experience and expertise of several people. Their purpose has been not only to save grain and grass seeds for the world but to understand the ways in which these important crops have been used by traditional people.

GGSCI provides solutions for the global sustainability issue of crop biodiversity, and also positively affects the issues of food security, and crop adaptability to climate change, water loss and soil degradation.

As a member of The Sustainability Fund, Grain and Grass Seed Conservation International will address the loss of crop biodiversity by establishing a truly sustainable seed bank designed to preserve and promote grain and grass varieties that would otherwise go extinct through lack of planting.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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Forestry for the Future: Global Reforestation— Forestry Trusteeship International Initiative
New Organization In Development
(Proposed endowment$11.625 million)
Executive Director

The Forestry Trusteeship International Initiative is a new non-profit built on the experience of key individuals and organizations. Their purpose is to catalyze an increase in the quantity and quality of sustainable forestry programs globally, to serve as a technical assistance base, and to actualize more-sophisticated and sustainable forestry practices. Through these processes, increased amounts of greenhouse-effect-causing atmospheric carbon will be captured in a growing base of global tree stands, thereby helping to stabilize harmful climatic fluctuations.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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Soil Fertility: Renewing Soil, Health, Food, Production and People — Sustainable Soil Fertility International Initiative
New Organization in Development
(Proposed endowment$40 million)
John Doran & John Beeby, Co-Executive Directors; Bill Liebhardt, Advisor

The Sustainable Soil Fertility International (SSFI) Initiative will facilitate the establishment of sustainable agricultural centers around the world, in order to help farmers with very few resources provide for themselves and their families while increasing and preserving their soil’s fertility. SSFI and each center will provide training in sustainable agricultural production that boosts yields while using less water and a minimum or no purchased fertilizer. In addition, SSFI and each center’s staff will train farmers to assess their soil’s fertility using simple but accurate tests, and to improve their soil’s fertility with locally available and low cost resources whenever possible, based on the outcome of the tests. SSFI staff have several decades of combined experience in practicing, researching and teaching appropriate and sustainable agricultural methods under a variety of soil and climatic conditions. SSFI staff will train, visit and remain in close contact with the staff of each established center to provide technical, research, educational and outreach support and to ensure the quality and effectiveness of their teaching, research and outreach programs.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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The Eastern United States Collaborative Program for Research and Education in Sustainable
Agriculture (EARTHWORKS)
New Organization In Development
(Proposed endowment$11 million)

Program in development.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here. c

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Vegetable Seed Preservation
In Development
(Proposed endowment $5 million)

Program in development.

For detailed information on this initiative, click here.

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Administration of The Sustainability Fund:
(Proposed endowment $5 million)

Click for more complete information about each initiative:

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