Investing in Local Food and Organic Farms
SOIL Boulder
Please watch this photo recap of our 2022 Harvest Celebration, read the full text of our Land Acknowledgement graciously offered by Nick DiDomenico of Drylands Agroecology Research, and read Woody Tasch's Call to Farms.
A new way to fund local and organic food
Using charitable donations and 0% loans
Together, we’re building a permanent, member-driven, revolving fund.
Slow Opportunities for Investing Locally
By donating $250 or more, you become a voting member of SOIL for 12 months.
You can also join as a voting member for $22 each month with a minimum 12 month commitment. Please choose “Make this donation every month” to enroll.
Your membership donation is tax-deductible. Thank you for joining SOIL!
Slow Money Founder Woody Tasch describes SOIL.
Here’s how it works
Become a member of SOIL with a tax deductible donation of $250 or more. Then, members make 0% loans to local farmers and food entrepreneurs, by majority vote—one member, one vote, no matter what the size of your donation. When loans are repaid, funds are recycled into new loans. Over the years, SOIL will slowly grow into a substantial funding resource for the community.
Ollin Farms (Longmont, CO) has received a 0% loan from SOIL.
Investing that leaves the returns in
We’re using charitable donations and 0% loans to fund the next generation of diversified, organic farms and the small food enterprises that bring their produce to the local market. This is investing that leaves the returns in, for the benefit of future generations. If you are a farmer or food entrepreneur looking for funding, click here.
SOIL's inaugural Business Meeting
Our Progress
To date, SOIL members have made donations ranging from $250 to $50,000—except for farmers, who can join for $25. We have gathered to date over $500,000 from over 150 members. Also, five businesses and an NGO have joined our O% FOR SOIL campaign. Our goal is contributions of $250,000 per annum from 150 members.
I’m a member of SOIL for many reasons! To name the top two: the premise and mission give me great hope, and it brings together a fascinatingly diverse and inspiringly dedicated group of people who I always learn from and enjoy spending time with
Becky O'Brien
Director of Food & Climate, Hazon
Local food is all about relationships. As is soil fertility. We need a new kind of funding source that supports both. It’s Slow Opportunities for Investing Locally.
Brian Coppom
Executive Director, Boulder County Farmers’ Market
NOTE: This video is adapted from the full length documentary, How We Grow (2017). It’s just too beautiful not to share, even though the data is from 2017.
Pioneering a new model
The SOIL model has been pioneered since 2014 by the 2 Forks Club (Carbondale, CO), which was co-founded by the Slow Money Institute and Roaring Fork Valley resident Susan Brady. 2 Forks Club has made loans totaling more than $350,000.