The Challenge
- In 2017 the average annual net farm income for white farmers was 12 times more than the average Black farmer.
- In North Carolina Black farmers maintain about 3.2% of the state’s farms.
- 93% of Black North Carolina farmers generate less than $50,000 in revenue per year.
One of the ways to counteract the lack of economic mobility that farmers of color have is to
create opportunities to ensure they have access to markets.
The Opportunity
Come to the Table’s mission is to empower faith communities to participate in the
creation of a just food system.
Since 2020, Come to the Table has leveraged more than $120,000 in re-grant funding to over 100 rural churches throughout North Carolina that are responding to food insecurity in their communities. These grants provided funding to faith communities to purchase food from local farmers of color to distribute in their communities.
In light of our mission, we are excited to offer $6,000-$8,000 in small grants to rural United Methodist
Churches to support mutually beneficial partnerships with farmers of color from RAFI’s farmers of
color network.
This funding would specifically support opportunities like:
- CSA shares for both church members and families experiencing food insecurity
- Stipends to pay a lay leader for the coordination of the farm to church partnership
- Transportation costs
- Comprehensive training for faith leaders on how to manage a successful farm and faith
- partnership project
Who Is Eligible?
Rural UMCs who value the importance of creating economic opportunity for farmers of color and hope to sustain the partnership beyond the grant.
How Do I Apply?
Email [email protected] to initiate a conversation and we will discern if
your faith community is a right fit for this opportunity.
Read below for stories of previous churches involved in our mini-grant program:
Anointed Ones Church of Deliverance International
Long’s Chapel UMC
Norman UMC and Richmond Fresh