National Farm Viability Conference

“Mission-Oriented” investment entities seek to generate positive social and/or environmental outcomes in addition to a financial return (also known as: Impact; Values-Aligned; Triple Bottom Line; Socially Responsible; etc). While this segment of the investment world is expanding quickly, especially for funding food and agriculture enterprises, it is also quite diverse and can be difficult to navigate.

This interactive session will (1) educate attendees about the breadth and diversity of mission-oriented capital providers with panelists representing three mission-oriented investment entities: California Farmlink, Turus Mara, Dirt Capital; and (2) walk through a recent mission-oriented financing transaction from the perspective of the recipient of the financing -- The Main Street Project, a Minnesota-based organization that is expanding its poultry-centered regenerative agroforestry model to a 100-acre property in Northfield, MN.

Attendees should leave the session better prepared to evaluate if/when/how a mission-oriented capital provider may be appropriate for a particular project or client, what questions to ask up-front to help determine “fit”, and common red or yellow flags to keep in mind when discussing projects with mission-oriented investors.