EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This strategic plan was created by the South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust (SSCFLT) to help advance our mission and prioritize our work over the next two years. It is informed by our accomplishments to date, our five year vision and our collaborations with other partners. The plan defines our four core goals, the strategies to achieve them, associated work plan elements and benchmarks, and the current status as of April 2009.

To view the full plan, click here (pdf).

Goals and Strategies of this Strategic Plan:

1. Acquire Farmland by 2011 and Create or Enhance a Working Farm on the Site.

• Continue to actively pursue acquisition of the Black River Ranch and, if successful, secure farmer lessees, ground lease agreements, a farm plan, and other items needed to develop and manage the site for sustainable farming.

• Establish farmland acquisition criteria.

• Identify potential farmland properties for acquisition.

• Assess farmers’ needs and interests regarding access to farmland.

• Assist current farmers who wish to learn about legal and financial methods of assuring that their farmland land remains in agriculture in perpetuity.

• Develop a process for reviewing unexpected opportunities to acquire farmland.

• Identify funding sources for farmland acquisition.

• Develop a policy for purchase of conservation easements on farmland.

• Take leadership in creating a Community Farm Cooperative as a potential lessee of farmland acquisitions.

• Establish legal and administrative tools for property acquisition, ownership, and management.

• Create Project Committees for each property acquisition project.

2. Effectively Manage the Organization and Build Organizational Capacity and Sustainability.

• Develop a strong organizational infrastructure.

• Expand our funding base to increase organizational capacity.

• Support and celebrate our staff, volunteers and community partners.

3. Mobilize Support for the Organization’s Work through Education and Outreach.

• Develop and sustain a growing membership and network of supporters.

• Cultivate active participation in our work.

4. Support Local Farming and Promote Local Food Security.

• Advocate for policies and programs to help preserve farmland and strengthen local farm economies.

• Create projects that provide direct assistance to local farmers.

FIVE YEAR VISION

• South of the Sound Community Farmland Trust (SSCFLT) will be the lead community organization in the South Sound region working to preserve farmland and viable farms.

• SSCFLT will secure titles or easements on at least one or two working farms, and will negotiate leases or easement agreements that will assure active and sustainable farming of those properties.

• SSCFLT will be an active partner in local and regional coalitions promoting sustainable farming and sustainable communities, local food security, technical and economic support for family farms, viable agricultural economies, and secure land and housing tenure for farmers and low income households.

• SSCFLT will build a large public membership and volunteer network to financially and actively support the work of the land trust.

• SSCFLT will have an active and diverse Board of Directors, committed to its mission, and bringing the skills and professional expertise necessary to oversee the financial, political, legal and organizational responsibilities of a community land trust.

• SSCFLT will ensure its own sustainability as an organization committed to long term stewardship responsibilities. It will accomplish this goal with a realistic funding strategy and reliable public financial support from its membership and community partners, adequate to maintain a professional staff to implement SSCFLT’s mission.