research dossier

COMMON GROUND FARM INC

BEACON, NY · EIN 010574675 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE K99 · Food, Agriculture & Nutrition · Small ($100K-$1M) · commongroundfarm.org

revenue

$641K

expenses

$714K

net assets

$28K

employees

volunteers

program ratio

76%

mission · from form 990

COMMON GROUND FARM SUPPORTS AND ENGAGES OUR COMMUNITY BY FOSTERING ACCESS AND CONNECTION TO FRESH FOOD AND LOCAL AGRICULTURE THROUGH FARMING, EDUCATION, AND FARMERS MARKETS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Common Ground Farm supports community access to fresh food and local agriculture through farming, education, and farmers' markets. Based in Beacon, New York, the organization operates a community farm that provides produce via a CSA program and farmers' markets, while offering educational programming including seasonal farm camp for children. The farm emphasizes equity, sustainability, and community engagement in its operations.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Beacon Farmers’ Market

Weekly farmers’ market stand offering fresh produce grown on-site, managed by seasonal staff and serving local shoppers.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Weekly distribution of fresh produce to members through a seasonal subscription model, including pick-up coordination and member engagement.

Farm Camp

Seasonal educational program for children that includes hands-on activities in gardening, cooking, STEM, and nature exploration on the farm.

activities · 5 groups

What they do

Community-Based Urban Agriculture 2 activities
- Operating Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program
  
  Manages a U-Pick CSA program with weekly produce pick-up available on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the farm, involving members in crop planning and farm operations.
- Operating farm-based food production and food justice initiatives
  
  Grows vegetables on six and a half acres, with approximately half of the harvest allocated to food justice initiatives each season to increase community access to fresh, locally grown food.
Youth and Family Cooking Education 2 activities
- Providing educational programs on food systems, farming, and cooking for youth and adults
  
  Offers hands-on educational programs for children and adults that include harvesting, cooking skills, STEM activities, and engagement with the local food system, with a commitment to income-inclusive access.
- Running seasonal Farm Camp programs for children
  
  Operates a seasonal summer farm camp for children that includes supervised farm work, harvest activities, cooking over fire, STEM and art projects, and leadership development, with enrollment options and fee-based add-ons for before- and after-care.
Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Developing pollinator habitats and environmental education programs
  
  Transforms ecologically unproductive land into pollinator gardens and constructs pollinator pathways, supported by educational programming on native plants and habitat restoration for wild bees, butterflies, and birds.
Local Food Market Operation 1 activity
- Operating farmers' markets for community food access and local vendor support
  
  Operates weekend farmers' markets in Beacon and Newburgh, and manages a produce stand at the Beacon Farmers’ Market to promote affordability, access to fresh food, and support for local farmers and makers.
Agricultural Training and Education Programs 1 activity
- Providing professional development for farmers' market vendors
  
  Creates and supports the Hudson Valley Farmers’ Market Academy, a professional development series designed to help farmers' market vendors grow and succeed in their businesses.

financials · form 990 · fy2024

revenue

Total revenue$641K

Contributions & grants$235K37%

Program service revenue$407K64%

Investment income$550%

Other revenue$-1K

expenses

Total expenses$714K

Program expenses76%

Admin / overhead17%

Fundraising7%

Salaries & benefits$467K

Grants paid out$0

Largest expense lineCompensation

balance sheet

Total assets$95K

Cash$30K

Investments$0

Liabilities$67K

Net assets$28K

Liquid reserves0.5 mo

3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -4.3%

leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1

Name	Title	Hours/wk	Compensation
SEMBER WEINMAN	EXECUTIVE DI	40	$67K

board members · 10

ADONIA LARSON-MOORE — BOARD MEMBER
ANA BRITTEN — BOARD MEMBER
CASSANDRA JACKSON — RESIGNED 12/
ERIN DOTSON — RESIGNED 12/
EVELYN GARCIA — BOARD MEMBER
GREG ZALEWSKI — TREASURER
JESSICA SHAY — BOARD MEMBER
JUSTIN CONWAY — PRESIDENT
KATE FLANAGAN — BOARD MEMBER
THAD SIMERLY — BOARD MEMBER

relationships · 19

Who they work with

Beacon City School District Partner — Partner organization collaborating on development of pollinator pathways and educational programming
Beacon Farmers’ Market Partner — Hosts Common Ground Farm's produce stand for weekly sales.
Beacon Farmers’ Market Partner — Partner in creating and supporting the Hudson Valley Farmers’ Market Academy.
Beacon Sloop Club Partner — Partner organization working with Beacon Pollinators to build pollinator pathways and expand educational outreach
City Winery Hudson Valley Partner — Partner in offering a special edition Beacon Farmers’ Market bottle of wine, with proceeds supporting the market.
City of Beacon Partner — Hosts Common Ground's market operations in Beacon, providing an urban hub for food access and local vendor support.
City of Newburgh Partner — Hosts Common Ground's market operations in Newburgh, serving as an urban hub for fresh food access and local economic support.
Common Ground Partner — Fiscal sponsor and collaborative partner supporting native plant installations, education, and expansion of pollinator pathways
Common Ground Farm Network — Implied participation in broader food justice and sustainable agriculture networks through mission-aligned principles and community engagement.
Conservation Advisory Committee Partner — Partner organization collaborating on creation of pollinator pathways and educational opportunities
Facebook Partner — Social media platform used for community outreach and engagement
Helen Contino Partner — Contact person for Farm Camp education inquiries and coordination.
Hudson Valley Farm to School Partner — Collaborates on culinary education and food access initiatives.
Instagram Partner — Social media platform used for community outreach and engagement
Newburgh Farmers’ Market Partner — Partner in creating and supporting the Hudson Valley Farmers’ Market Academy.
Parks Department Partner — Partner organization collaborating on creation of pollinator pathways and learning opportunities
Stony Kill Education Center Partner — Shares property and facilities for farm operations
The Green Teen Program Partner — Partners on youth-focused culinary and farm education programming.
education@commongroundfarm.org Partner — Email contact point for camp registration questions and waitlist requests

strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

Anti-Racist Systems Change in Food Programming

methodology: anti-racist_food_systems_practice
By integrating anti-racism and historical accountability into culture and programming, we advance equity in the food system, because structural inequities must be actively dismantled to achieve food justice.
Experiential Food and Land Education Model

methodology: experiential food education
By engaging participants in hands-on farming, food preparation, and seasonal cycles, we transform relationships with food and land, because experiential connection fosters lasting behavioral and systemic change.
Food Justice-Integrated Production Model

methodology: food-justice-integrated farming
By allocating half of farm produce to food justice initiatives, we ensure equitable access to fresh food, because food access is a human right and must be operationalized through mission-driven distribution.