https://smifoundationorg.presencehost.net/philanthropy/community-foundation-giving/grow-a-farmer.html

UPDATE

Grow a Farmer has raised $32,350 as of May 5, 2016

Slow Money Minnesota is happy to have the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) administering the loan fund. We anticipate accepting our first loan applications from SMIF's 20 county region in Southern Minnesota by the Fall of 2016.

Past Slow Money Minnesota events:

Slow Money MN - May 3, 2016  ·  Featuring Special Guest Woody Tasch

 

About Slow Money Minnesota

Slow Money Minnesota is an emerging network that connects people interested in building a better local food system. Together, we intend to increase the flow of knowledge and capital in support of local food makers and farming. Slow Money Minnesota was launched at the inaugural gathering on June 17th, 2015. 

The network is being organized through a task force convened by Renewing the Countryside in cooperation with Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, FEAST Local Food Network, Sustainable Farming Association, Shared Capital Cooperative, MSP Impact Hub, and is supported through a grant from North Central SARE.

What is Slow Money?

The concept of Slow Money is about investing in the sort of future we want and doing so closer to home, with a focus on food systems. The term Slow Money was coined by Woody Tasch, who wrote a book about his vision, and a movement, of sorts, has developed around the concept. Slow Money networks have formed across the country where they are convening gatherings, connecting entrepreneurs, farmers, investors, philanthropists and other stakeholders, catalyzing the flow of funds to a wide array of food businesses, while promoting public awareness of the importance of local sustainable food systems.

To learn more about Slow Money, visit:

Slow Money Vision: https://slowmoney.org/vision

Slow Money Principles: https://slowmoney.org/principles

Summaries of what other Slow Money Networks are doing: https://slowmoney.org/local-groups

Why Now? Why Here?

The concepts behind Slow Money are not new here in Minnesota. There have been people and organizations making "slow money" style investments for a long time. And there have also been convenings to learn about Slow Money, including a keynote by Woody Tasch, the founder of Slow Money, at the Sustainable Farming Association's 2011 Annual Conference and a visit last year by Bonnie Rukin, of Slow Money Maine, at the FEAST Finance Forum in Red Wing.

It is because of the growing interest in sustainable food systems, and the growing desire among people to help grow this type of food system, that we are launching a Slow Money Minnesota Network. It won't replace what is already happening, but rather help leverage current efforts and grow further opportunities for businesses and investors alike.

June 17th Inaugural Gathering

On a lovely summer evening in June, 150 people came together for the kick-off of Slow Money Minnesota. The event came about because of the energy and interest bubbling up locally around how Minnesotans can do more to support a healthy local food system. The gathering provided an opportunity to learn about investing in food and farming, as well as sampling delicious local fare.

Read the full recap of the event here. 

View the agenda here.

Slow Money Seminar: Investment Clubs 101

A Conversation with Joe Riemann, Cooperative Principal

Investment clubs are one avenue for aligning your investment dollars with your values. But how do they work? How do you start one? What do you need to know? On November 12, we sat down with Joe Riemann, co-founder of Cooperative Principal to learn how he started an investment club, and what he knows now, a year into it. 

Check out our blog post, for a recap of the event.

FEAST Finance Forum & Local Foods Businesses Conference
May 15 & 16, 2014

Issue: While the seeds of a local foods economy have been planted and tended over the past couple of decades in Minnesota, efforts have been isolated and under-resourced. As a group, we are ready to create structures to deliver capital, and support, to local foods businesses. To get to this goal, we need to identify innovative financing mechanisms that can be implemented over the next 24 months.

Solution: Bring together leaders from across the region to develop innovative mechanisms to provide capital and resources to local foods businesses ready to expand.

Strategy:
Invite national leaders from organizations and institutions that have developed and successfully implemented local foods financing and investment models to participate in a workshop we will organize in Southern Minnesota.