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What We Do WE MAKE STRATEGIC AND COMMUNITY-LED GRANTS TO NON-PROFITS to fund, strengthen, and connect garden programs.

OverviewSTRATEGIC GRANTMAKING

Big Green is not a traditional grantmaker. We work in a slate of cities and communities that changes over time. We often make grants in support of these projects, but those grants are generally initiated by Big Green in collaboration with organizations in the field, rather than through a proposal process. That said, if you believe growing food changes lives, and think we should know about your work, we want to hear from you! Feel free to fill out the form below, and we will review on a quarterly basis. Please know that we may not be able to return all inquiries. But if we become engaged in a project in your community, and are able to consider an investment, we will reach out to you!

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Decentralized Grantmaking

The Big Green DAO

The Big Green DAO is a decentralized grantmaking body. It is designed to radically reconceive and restructure grant-making, disrupt embedded power structures, and put nonprofits in the driver’s seat of philanthropy.

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School Garden Grants

Jumpstart

We currently support school garden programs through a flexible mini-grant called Jumpstart! Offered seasonally and regionally, Jumpstart allows schools to invest in their gardens and get more kids growing.

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What is the Big Green DAO?

About the DAO THE BIG GREEN DAO BELIEVES FUNDAMENTALLY THAT THE PEOPLE AND GROUPS WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES OF THEIR COMMUNITY KNOW WHERE RESOURCES SHOULD GO. PERIOD.

The Big Green DAO Is a first-of-its kind project to radically reconceive and restructure grantmaking. By putting nonprofits in the drivers seat and allowing them to make grant awards, we are valuing firsthand experience, subject matter expertise, and local needs. Within the Big Green DAO, donors and nonprofits work together as peers, participating in a democratic and entirely decentralized process to fund gardening, farming, and agriculture organizations and projects in the US. Launched in 2021, the Big Green DAO is the first nonprofit-led philanthropic DAO in the world. Inspired by the power of decentralization and the potential of blockchain technology to scale philanthropy more efficiently, we created the Big Green DAO to find a more efficient and equitable way to support organizations growing food. We rely on the wisdom of practitioners to make decisions and grow a thriving community of grantees.

  • $02.06

    $2.6MM granted since 2021

  • 144

    Organizations granted

What is A “DAO”?A DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), is a blockchain-based organization governed by code instead of people.

A DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), is a blockchain-based organization governed by code instead of people. It’s community-owned by its members with a built-in treasury that nobody has permission to use without the approval of the group. The Big Green DAO is controlled by its grantees and donors, with everyone getting the same vote. While there are many versions of DAOs, the Big Green DAO is not fully autonomous and exists both on-chain and off-chain. It operates under the umbrella of Big Green’s 501c3, following all applicable laws and best practices for nonprofit organizations. We utilize numerous safeguards to protect both our grantee members and our donors’ investments in the project.

How does it work? THE BIG GREEN DAO IS A GRANTMAKER. ITS DAY-TO-DAY WORK IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, MAKING GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS AND UPLIFTING THE WORK OF NONPROFITS THAT ARE GROWING FOOD.

  • Governance

    The DAO has two bodies. The first is a governing body called the Committee that provides leadership and supports the Community, which is made up of the nonprofit grantees and donors to the DAO. Each member holds a Token that empowers them to vote on DAO governance.

  • Treasury

    The DAO receives donations to its Treasury, which is the fund from which grants are made. It also funds education and events in support of the DAO's nonprofit member.

  • Grantmaking

    When a grant cycle opens, each member of the Community may vote on who should receive grants from the Treasury and how much the grant should be. Grants are awarded based on optimized consensus to reflect the majority perspective of the Community.

  • Grants

    Successful grantees are awarded an unrestricted grant, Community membership, and a token to participate in future votes. The Community engages in peer-to-peer learning, DAO-facilitated education and professional development, and support one another in helping more people grow their own food.

  • Tokens & Voting

    After a year, grantees can burn their token and reapply for funds and membership, or they can keep their token and Community membership without reapplying for funding.

DAO Leadership THE BIG GREEN DAO COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EACH OF THEM WORKING TO GROW FOOD IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES

The DAO Committee leads the DAO in governance and grantmaking. They set the direction for the DAO each year and ensure that every decision is what’s best for the Community and the cause — changing the face of philanthropy while supporting the grassroots organizations working every day to grow food for their communities.

  • James Grevious

  • Stephen Lucke

    Founder and CEO, Gardopia Gardens

    Stephen Lucke, MA, COF is food systems expert and activist focusing on health and environmental justice, educating and empowering communities on how to lead healthy and sustainable lifestyles through urban agriculture. He became aware of San Antonio’s obesity epidemic and climate crises in his college years, sparking his journey to help find a solution to declining planetary and population wellness that disproportionately impacts BIPOC communities. In 2015 at 25 years old Stephen founded Gardopia Gardens to help solve the challenges facing his community by working with educational and community institutions to ensure current and future generations have the knowledge and skills to cultivate a high quality of life for themselves and society, fighting against malnutrition related diseases and environmental degradation.

  • SSG Lacy McDonald

    Lake Middle School & Outer Haven

    SSG Lacy McDonald served honorably with the United States Army for 13 years with 2 deployments to Afghanistan. Currently, he volunteers full-time at Lake Middle School as a fitness coach and garden lead, providing weekly lessons to Lake’s center-based students. Additionally, he created a nonprofit organization called Outer Haven that provides outdoor urban education through fitness, camping, gardening, and archery. Lacy was a highly decorated Soldier being awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, and nominated Soldier of the year in 2014 by the Chamber of Commerce of Aurora. Lacy has an extensive background mentoring and guiding the youth over the last 8 years. It is Lacy's goal to provide wisdom, character building, social-emotional support, and leadership skills for the youth today to become the leaders of tomorrow.

  • Jamala Taylor

    Jamala has earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from CSU-Fullerton and is currently pursuing a Master's in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in nonprofit management and leadership from the University of Southern California's Sol Price School of Public Policy.

    Jamala serves as the Senior Reentry Manager for the Insight Garden Program (IGP). IGP designs and installs gardens alongside participants while teaching a one-year environmental curriculum inside nine prisons and twelve facilities across the state of California. IGP offers all of its participants comprehensive reentry services upon release, and Jamala leads these efforts.

    Jamala’s journey into the nonprofit sector began during his 31-year incarceration, 15 of those years being served in solitary confinement at Pelican Bay State Prison/S.H.U. After his release from solitary to the general population, Jamala joined IGP as a participant in 2015. Five years later, in 2020, Jamala earned his release.

    Jamala is also a certified life coach, having completed the rigorous nine-month Coaching for Healing, Justice, and Liberation certification program (CHJL). His coaching approach is deeply rooted in the broader social movement, emphasizing organizational and individual leadership development and cohesion. Recently, he launched a consulting firm called “Amandla,” a Zulu rallying cry meaning “Power,” coined during the apartheid era.

    He is a staunch advocate for political causes supporting both current and formerly incarcerated individuals, with a particular focus on the unique reentry needs of women of color, ending the use of solitary confinement, and ending slave labor in prison. His advocacy also highlights the transformative power of nature and education in the lives of those affected by the criminal justice system.

    An experienced public speaker and facilitator, Jamala has presented at numerous universities (USC, UCLA, UVA, DOJ, etc.) and institutions. His topics range from reentry and the power of education to incarceration, uplifting the needs of women in reentry, and sharing his personal story.

  • Dianna Zeegers

    Big Green

    Dianna joined Big Green after nearly two decades working in public education in Wisconsin. She served as a high school teacher, curriculum coordinator, and middle school principal during that time. Dianna's background includes graduate coursework leading to a Master's Degree in Alternative Education, and licensure in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction. Her passion has been and continues to be working toward ends that help children reach their full potential, often through creative or alternate programming options.

Grant OpportunitiesGET STRAIGHT­FORWARD, FAST FUNDING FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION FROM THE BIG GREEN DAO COMMUNITY. GRANTS ROUND 7 IS OPEN NOW!

If your nonprofit is growing food, and you want to take an active role in creating a more equitable, accessible philanthropic future, the Big Green DAO is for you.

Applying takes less than 7 minutes

Food or gardening nonprofits can receive funding from the Big Green DAO. Successful applicants will also receive a DAO governance token to drive future funding. See the full list of requirements here.

  1. Step one

    Confirm Your Eligibility

    After confirming eligibility, complete your application and tell the Big Green DAO voters all about your incredible work. We’ll offer grantseeker information sessions and other support to help you with any questions.

  2. Step two

    SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

    Our application is short and simple. Applying takes less than 7 minutes! All eligible applicants gain access to the Big Green DAO's capacity building resources including Learning Pathways and The Annual, regardless if funding is awarded.

  3. Step three

    GET TO KNOW THE VOTERS

    One of the most special things about the Big Green DAO is that all applicants will have direct access to the voters responsible for grantmaking decisions. Engage with them in our private Discord, and in our Town Halls to make sure they know what makes your organization so amazing.

Grants Round 7

  • June 21, 2024 Application Opens
  • July 19, 2024 Application Closes
  • August 1 - 11, 2024 Voting Open
  • August 30, 2024 Awards Announced
  • September 2024 Fund Distribution

Why Apply?

  • Unrestricted funding from $10K to $25K.
  • Become a member of Big Green DAO and tap into our incredible community to grow your mission.
  • Create a revolutionary space to reinvent philanthropy.
  • And can we just say…we think it’ll be the shortest application you’ve ever completed.

Additional Resources

Fund the future of philanthropy

There are thousands of organizations out there doing incredible work in food justice, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one to support. Your contribution will be put to work supporting hundreds of nonprofit and grassroots organizations across the country to grow more food and grow their voice and power in philanthropy.

Donate Today

Please note, due to the nature of cryptocurrency donations and because they are immediately converted into fiat per our nonprofit bylaws, we cannot offer refunds on any donations that are made in cryptocurrency.