Green Bridge Growers Jumpstart Fundraising
Capacity building initiative helped nonprofit raise money when they needed it most
The view from behind the greenhouses is idyllic and intoxicating, but Jan Pilarski is most excited about what’s happening over there, off to the right, toward a shady corner of the acreage.
“They’re harvesting zucchinis that we’ll deliver to the Food Bank,” Pilarski says. “We never would have been able to do that if it wasn’t for Jumpstart.”
Green Bridge is one of 14 local nonprofits participating in the current Jumpstart cohort, a Foundation initiative that helps nonprofits build sustainable fundraising.
Like many nonprofits, Green Bridge doesn’t have a full-time Development Director. That means Pilarski wears a lot of hats: fundraiser, volunteer coordinator, and often enough, weed puller.
“This came for us at exactly the right time,” says Pilarski. “And we seized it.”
When budget cuts hit the USDA, small farms like Green Bridge were affected deeply, and that’s not just a problem for Pilarski. It’s a problem for anyone who’s teetering on the edge of food insecurity.
Fortunately, Green Bridge has been able to close the gap with smart fundraising, thanks to their partnership with Jumpstart.
Since beginning the program, Green Bridge has raised more than $16,000. Just as importantly, they’ve built a sustainable foundation for future fundraising.
“I want to keep growing,” says Pilarski. “And Jumpstart helps me keep growing.”