Community Development

Understanding and Measuring Social Sustainability

This SARE brief defines social sustainability and illustrates how it can be addressed more clearly in SARE projects. Sample projects and quality of life indicators are provided to help grant-seekers and reviewers think broadly about understanding, measuring and describing the social impacts of research and education projects.

Building a Local Food Movement

Over the last few decades, agriculture in western North Carolina has transformed from a reliance on tobacco to a diversified, self-sustaining industry intertwined with local communities and economies. In this video, learn how one organization has worked alongside local farmers and communities to support this transformation.

2015/2016 Report from the Field

Read about SARE-funded work in the areas of sustainable dairy cropping systems, soil health assessments, nutrient management, cover crops, beginning farmers, pollinators, technical assistance programs for women farmers, and more. This edition includes highlights of projects funded through the graduate student program, and the highly regarded Sustainable Agriculture Fellowship, a professional development program coordinated by SARE and NACAA.

The New Farmers' Market 2nd Edition

The New Farmers' Market - 2nd Edition - is a must-have resource for growers interested in selling their farm or market garden products through farmers' markets, as well as for market managers and city planners in starting, managing, and promoting a market.

Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems

More and more, farmers, ranchers, ag professionals, community organizers and others are striving to reconfigure the nation's food system so more value stays in food-producing communities.

The Small Ruminant Toolbox

This Small Ruminant Toolbox is a large collection of publications, presentations and other resources that will be helpful to small ruminant producers and educators.

Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities

This guide lists funding opportunities offered by federal programs, and is indispensable for anyone seeking government help to foster their innovative enterprise in forestry and agriculture.

Good Natured Family Farms Brings Together Producers and Local Businesses to Market Local Foods

Good Natured Family Farms is an alliance of more than 150 family farms and small businesses in the Kansas City, MO area.  They sell products under the Good Natured Family Farms’ logo in Balls Food Stores in the Kansas City Area. Their selection of products encompasses all-natural beef, free-range chickens, free-range brown eggs, farmhouse cheeses, milk, eggnog, […]

Farm to Hospital Toolkit

Tools farmers and hospitals can use to increase direct hospital purchases from local producers.

Creating Farmer Networks: A Toolkit for Promoting Vibrant Farm Communities

This toolkit provides information and resources needed to create a successful farmer network. It is intended for farmers, extension agents, community organizers, and other agricultural professionals.

Sustainable Bioenergy Course

In association with an NCR-SARE Professional Development Program grant, the Bioenergy Training Center, in collaboration with the Farm Energy CoP, has developed a Sustainable Bioenergy Course to provide educational training resources focused not only on the technical feasibility of bioenergy generation, but also on approaches and processes that assist communities in understanding the comprehensive implications of bio-based alternative energy. This course can provide foundational materials for teaching undergraduates or for community education sessions.

Biofuels and Community Participation

Extension and other natural resource educators can provide educational programming on renewable energy and potential impacts at the community level, and can be facilitators of community discussions about renewable energy. Sharon Lezberg provided training materials to approximately 100 extension, NRCS educators, and community stakeholders on ways to engage community members and stakeholders in assessing proposed bioenergy developments. The toolkit Lezburg developed provides a decision-making […]

Edible Avalon Curriculum

This summer program curriculum teaches youth about local food systems and sustainable agriculture.  

How-to-Guide for Aspiring Urban Micro-Agricultural Entrepreneurs

Created for city residents who want to increase their access to fresh, healthy and affordable food. 

Working With Your Food Safety Inspector

How food safety inspectors and small scale processors can work together to meet regulations. 

Guide to Financing Community Supported Farms

This guide outlines alternative, local funding sources that farmers can use to finance their farm business,

Sustainable Food Systems for Georgia’s Agrarian Future

This report analyzes the need for food hubs in Georgia to help facilitate a regional food system.

Cheshire Labor and Infrastructure Needs Assessment

Research in Cheshire County, NH to determine how to promote the economic viability of local farmers.

Case Studies on Setting Up Microloans

Information for lenders financing new and expanding farm businesses with limited access to capital.