Beacon Food Forest is at a difficult moment - grants are shrinking, but community need is growing
Sustaining Public Food on Public Land
Over the years, dedicated staff helped keep the site safe, coordinated, and open for the community. This year, we are experiencing a significant financial shortage driven by a broader funding shift: grants are declining and are less likely to fund staffing. Furthermore, chasing grants isn’t sustainable – competing for a smaller and smaller pool of grants as our funding needs increase is not a reliable funding source. In recent funding cycles, we’ve seen:
fewer grants available
tighter restrictions
more grants focused on supplies/projects rather than people
Meanwhile, community demand keeps increasing - there is ongoing need for food access, green space, and consistent programming and coordination.
Without additional support, we will have to reduce staff & capacity
Volunteers remain at the heart of BFF and are central to BFF’s success. At the same time, some responsibilities require day-to-day stewardship and continuity that cannot be reliably carried by volunteers alone. Staff enable volunteers by coordinating work parties, tours, and community partnerships - creating momentum, structure, safety and accountability.
Today, BFF operates with approximately $18,000/month in costs; about $15,000(about 80%) of that is tied to staffing three employees. At the current moment, we only have about 3 months of funding in the bank.
Unless we receive significant donations, we will have to let staff go by December 1st, 2026.
Without staff stewardship, community access will decrease through fewer tours and less reliable coordination, reduced ability to maintain the site to the standard the community expects, and less capacity for safe, ongoing programming - especially youth learning and school/community partnerships. Previously when we lacked consistent staff, the Food Forest experienced more break-ins to our sheds, more tools stolen, more trash left behind, and less coordinated responses in case of any emergencies.
Monthly donations support staffing and program continuity - join “Roots that Reach” to keep the Food Forest thriving!
Monthly recurring giving is the most sustainable type of funding because it creates predictable support for staffing and program continuity. We invite you to join “Roots that Reach: Help Sustain Beacon Food Forest”as a monthly recurring donor. Monthly donations make it possible for Beacon Food Forest to plan ahead and sustain the day-to-day work that keeps the forest thriving. Your recurring gift helps cover core needs and protects staffing capacity so BFF can remain:
safe
organized
accessible
open to the community
able to offer free programs year-round
Choose the level that feels right for you: Seedling Savers ($10–25/month), Understory Allies ($50/month), Canopy Club ($100/month), and Food Forest Champions (>$500/year).
Together we can keep the dream of public food on public land alive. Follow this Link to become a Beacon Food Forest hero and sustain Beacon Food Forest! 
