Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute
Sister non-profit to the Santa Fe Farmers' Market
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We were initially formed to facilitate the construction and maintenance of the LEED-Gold certified Farmers’ Market Pavilion. While tending the permanent home for the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is a vital contribution to the sustainability of the community food system that was formed over 50 years ago and is inclusive of as many as 150 farmers in a given year, the building and our relationship to the Market has been a means to develop and implement important vendor and community programs. We are invested in strengthening connections among the agricultural community and with the broader community while promoting the ecological health of northern NM. Our programs that support the Market, farmers, and the public are investments in the health of our land, water, food, bodies, and communities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Microloans
Small-scale farmers have limited resources, low wages, and lack access to capital. The cost is rising for owning or renting land as well as for equipment that can decrease labor and increase yields. Farmers work in a cash economy with little to no credit and are often seen as high-risk for loans. All of this impacts their business’ sustainability and capacity to grow.
Our Microloan Program awards low-interest flexible loans to fund projects that have a huge impact on our vendors’ businesses. The loans are funded by a $200,000 revolving fund which is continuously replenished through loan payments.
Examples of projects that have been funded: Season Start Up (22%), Infrastructure (14%), Season Extension/Greenhouses (13%), Equipment (11%), Irrigation (10%), Sustainability Initiatives (6%), Livestock (8%), Value-Added (8%), Debt Consolidation (3%), Tree Care (2%), Land Lease (2%), Marketing (1%), and Education (<1%).
Training & Professional Development
Issue:
It is vital that farmers learn new skills in order to build capacity and sustainability and contribute to a stronger local food system. Because of long and difficult work hours and farms often being in isolated locations, they lack time for professional development and are not often able to connect with members of the local agricultural community. The future of farming must address an aging farm population and the need to transition land ownership from senior farmers to new farmers, as well as and provide support and training for beginning farmers.
Program:
The Training & Professional Development Program offers scholarships to outside trainings and we collaborate with national experts and local organizations to lead our own hands-on experiential workshops. Workshop topics are chosen each year based on suggestions and requests from vendors. Several workshops are opened up to new farmers that are not current market vendors.
Our workshop topics have included greenhouse construction, seed saving, solar power, soil analysis, tree grafting, business plan development, and marketing/social media. In 2019, we are offering a pilot program on Branding & Marketing, done in collaboration with graphic designer Jasmine Quinsier and Make Santa Fe. We have covered expenses for farmers to attended conferences such as the New Mexico Organic Farming Conference, the Rocky Mountain Seed Summit, Mushroom Cultivators Workshop, Women in Agriculture Leadership Conference, and the Acres Conferences.
Outcomes:
While building the Market community, we help our vendors improve their skills and their businesses. We help them diversify and increase harvests, grow more sustainably, incorporate heritage farming and innovative practices, and manage their business more effectively by increasing their knowledge of good agricultural practices and effective business management strategies. This helps them increase their income and ability to contribute to a healthy local food supply as well as bring more and better products to Market, year-round. By opening some workshops to non-Market farmers, we are supporting new farmers who may one day join the Market, as well as supporting the over-all agriculture community.
Double Up Food Bucks
Issue:
Many Santa Feans lack access to food, with the majority of grocery stores being concentrated in the center of town. New Mexicans face major economic and health/nutrition issues. Poverty is a potent and well-documented predictor of health outcomes, with a direct link between inequitable access to healthy, affordable food and chronic diseases, particularly in communities of people of color and low-income communities. Program:
Customers with food support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can scan their Electronic Benefits Transaction (EBT) cards for any amount and we will give them twice the amount in tokens to spend on fresh, healthy local food at the markets in the Railyard and on the Southside.
At the 2019 State Legislature “Food and Farms Day” we received the Farm To Table award for “Double Up Food Bucks Champion of the Year” for 2018.
Outcomes:
For a decade, the Institute has been addressing food access issues in Santa Fe. DUFB improves the health and nutrition of low income families by increasing access to healthy local food by SNAP recipients. This has increased sales and broadened the customer base of Market vendors and it has made a positive impact on the local economy, since the majority of those dollars have stayed in circulation in New Mexico.
Fresh Rx
Issue:
Obesity rates in New Mexico have more than doubled in the last 20 years, placing a huge strain on our health care system by bringing with it an increase in related health problems such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes and even some forms of cancer.
Program:
Through FreshRx, doctors issue their patients “prescriptions” for four $25 vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables from the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market’s Southside Market.
In its pilot year (2017), 115 out of 200 patients redeemed their $25 vouchers. This brought $2,875 in new dollars to Market vendors. Now the program issues four $25 prescriptions to 30 clients in order to better influence healthy eating habits.
Outcomes:
With the change to issuing higher-value prescriptions to fewer patients, we are able deepen the impact and simplify implementation by the participating doctors and clinics. We have given doctors an opportunity to strengthen their connections and discussions with patients about nutrition and healthy eating by engaging with them in a more meaningful way and providing real tools to change their eating habits.
Market Support
Issue:
The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market’s purpose is to support agriculture in Northern New Mexico by connecting community and agricultural producers through commerce. They do this with limited resources (time, staff, capital). For 40 years, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market dealt with inconsistency and instability of market locations, which were primarily in parking lots. This regular change in locations made marketing difficult. The weather prevented them from having a year-round market.
Program:
In 2008, the Institute built the LEED-Gold certified Market Pavilion in order to house a vibrant local farmers market. We own the building and lease the land from the City and will manage the facility for at least the next 80-years.
We support the Farmers’ Market operations by offering a low rental rate for office space and Pavilion use. Our boards and staff collaborate on strategic planning and the long-range vision for both organizations. Institute staff and volunteers manage the Info Booth at every market, and we provide volunteer docents to support vendors and customers during the Tuesday and Saturday markets. We also provide daily administrative support and collaborate on marketing.
Outcomes:
The Pavilion allows the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market to offer more markets throughout the year, increasing opportunities for local farmers to sell their goods while being protected from inclement weather. It has become an anchor business in the Railyard and has made the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market one of two year-round markets in New Mexico. The space showcases the importance of local agriculture and the investment by our community. It is a community resource, having been host to weddings, quinceañeras, non-profit fundraisers, public festivals, and community events.
Where we work
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollars loaned to businesses
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
American Indians, Multiracial people, People of European descent, People of Latin American descent, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Microloans
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of microloan borrowers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Adults, Economically disadvantaged people, Immigrants and migrants, Farmers
Related Program
Microloans
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Santa Fe Farmers' Market vendors are eligible to apply for low interest (5%) loans up to $20,000 to enhance production, including season extending, irrigation, solar installation and more.
Total SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks disbursed to shoppers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Double Up Food Bucks
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Dollars disbursed in DUFB and SNAP sales to customers, and earned by Market vendors, benefiting both low income shoppers and northern New Mexico communities
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
• To assist the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market’s mission “to support agriculture in Northern New Mexico by connecting community and agricultural producers through commerce” by maintaining and improving the Market Pavilion and through direct and indirect financial support;
• To encourage and support economic growth of agricultural producers in Northern New Mexico, positively impacting the local economy, the environment, and the health of our citizens and reducing vendor physical labor, creating jobs, becoming more efficient and sustainable, and producing more and better healthy foods;
• To help Market vendors build credit, particularly important for those interested in purchasing land;
• To increase vendor capacity and help diversify production, so they can produce more and bring better products to the Market;
• To contribute to more sustainable farming practices in order to have a lasting positive impact on our fragile environment (e.g. helping vendors’ build greenhouses, which increase production by extending the growing season and reducing water evaporation, waste, and energy use);
• To empower and enable vendor participation in experiential educational opportunities and presentations that help them grow their skill-sets and expand their knowledge of good agricultural practices and business management;
• To create opportunities that build and strengthen connections in the agricultural community and community-at-large, engage in person-to-person community building and knowledge sharing, and bring national experts to educate on locally-relevant agricultural topics;
• To increase the Market customer base so more people will purchase fresh, nutrient-dense local produce and other locally-produced foods, developing better nutrition habits, improving community health, and lessening the impact of poverty and chronic illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
• To empower the development of long-lasting healthy eating habits, enable people’s capacity to purchase more healthy, local produce (regardless of their socio-economic status), and inspire the next generation of Market shoppers;
• To engage community members through volunteering and other mission-related experiences.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Through out financial and staffing support of the Farmers' Market; owning and maintaining and improving the Market Pavilion; implementing programs that are an investment in local farmers (Microloans and Training), and implementing programs that educate the community around the issues of food, agriculture, the environment, and our health, and improving food access.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We are a large network of farmers and ranchers and a history of agriculture; we partner with the Santa Fe farmers' Market, which has over 50 years operating in New mexico; our programs have a proven track record; Our Program Director has extensive experience in quantitative and qualitative reporting on program effectiveness; we have excellent donor retention, with the majority of our donors having given consistently for 5-11 years; farmer engagement on board and program committees.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our programs continue to be reviewed/evaluated and refined/revised. earlier programs included Small Agricultural Land Conservation Initiative (SALCI), Water Initaitve, Local Organic Meals on a Budget (LOMB), and the Farms, Films Food / Movie Series. Each year we serve more people and have a deeper impact. We are continually looking to make sure our programs stay aligned with our mission and meat the needs of the community.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute
Board of directorsas of 10/19/2022
Mr. Michael Knight
Kyle Burns
Rikoon Group
Brenda Fresquez
Monte Vista Organics Farm
Lisa Kantor
Michael Knight
Global professional services
Christine Castro
Communications & PR
Mary Dixon
Green Tractor Farms
Nathaniel Earls
philanthropy
Robert W Jones
public strategy
Kaitlyn Kimzey
finance
Diane Sandoval-Griego
Guadalupe Credit Union
Gail Wadsworth
agricultural consultant
Pamela Walker
local farm and food activist
Val Wilson
Lotus Farms
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/11/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.