The Lawson Valentine Foundation is a multi-generational family trust that is committed to supporting advocacy, organizing, policy, and leadership development in reference to food systems, including local sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, and workers’ rights, as well as environmental justice.

Our strategy is to provide long-term support to grassroots community-based organizers and advocates, low-wage workers, and other change agents working among people of color, low-income youth, immigrants, refugees and other underserved populations.

Focus Area:

-Food Systems

-Environmental Justice

-Climate Justice

Since we develop long-standing relationships with our partner organizations, Lawson Valentine Foundation funds by invitation only.

On occasion, our partnerships can change, and we may look for another organization to fund. If after reading through our website, you feel your mission aligns with ours and that your non-profit would be a good fit, we can add you to our database through the Letter of Inquiry (LOI) form. This is the best way to introduce yourselves to us and it helps us keep current with innovative ideas in the field. Please do not send us unsolicited proposals and please do not send LOIs through mail or email.

Invited proposals for Environmental Justice non-profits are due on March 1 each year. The Board of Trustees meets in early June to discuss the proposals and make funding recommendations which are communicated to our partners within a couple of days of that meeting. Invited proposals for Sustainable Agriculture and Food System non-profits are due on August 1 each year.