Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) is a public charity based in Davis, California, formed in 1978. It works with farmers, buyers, and food advocates across California to build sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers at a glance
In short: Community Alliance with Family Farmers gave $959K across 68 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in California. 89% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $959,149
- +158.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 68
- +41.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,105
- +82.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $7,247,977
- +255.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 89% first-time grantees (39 of 44, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Alliance with Family Farmers
- How to Apply
-
For CUSP drought relief, farmers apply through the program’s application process and submit supporting documentation; applications are currently closed. Details for applying to the Urban Agriculture Microgrants and Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship are not provided.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 363, Davis, CA 95617
Phone: (530) 756-8518
Website: https://caff.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Farmer Funding Opportunities Database
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Urban Agriculture Microgrants (2026)
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Community Alliance with Family Farmers funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UC Regents ($60K). Together the top 10 received $281K.
Organizations only. It also paid 24 grants to individuals ($304,800), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
153 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 152 grants of 153 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CAFF describes its work as serving farmers across California. In 2024, 99% of its reported grant dollars went to recipients in California and 1% to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 68 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Alliance with Family Farmers open to new grantees?
89%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 39 of 44 grantees (89%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $73K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $185K (2021) to $959K (2024). In 2024 it made 68 grants totaling $959K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UC Regents Los Angeles, CA | Subrecipient | $60,253 |
| Multiplier San Francisco, CA | Subrecipient | $37,945 |
| Central Coast Aliance United for a Sustainable Economy Ventura, CA | Subrecipient | $26,000 |
| Central CA Environmental Justice Network Fresno, CA | Subrecipient | $26,000 |
| Centro Binacional de Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno Fresno, CA | Subrecipient | $26,000 |
| 19 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $277,300 |
| Vizcarra's Universities California Almonds Inc Chowchilla, CA | Stipends and Grants to Farmers | $20,000 |
| Benise Management LLC Vacaville, CA | Stipends and Grants to Farmers | $20,000 |
| Burns Blossom Farm LLC Chico, CA | Stipends and Grants to Farmers | $20,000 |
| Cherta Farms Inc Del Rey, CA | Stipends and Grants to Farmers | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Alliance with Family Farmers?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,247,977 | $12,430,271 | $7,372,542 | $959,149 | 68 |
| 2023 | $2,037,495 | $4,373,044 | $5,296,188 | $371,750 | 48 |
| 2022 | $518,494 | $3,292,181 | $3,578,180 | — | — |
| 2021 | $1,157,338 | $3,052,443 | $2,886,926 | $185,000 | 37 |
| 2020 | $1,467,121 | $2,840,982 | $2,150,793 | — | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CAFF’s mission is to build sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs that create more resilient family farms, communities, and ecosystems.
Its programs include Farm to Market, Ecological Farming, Food Safety, Small-Farm Tech Hub, Wildfire Resilience, and policy and organizing work. CAFF also supports urban agriculture and offers resources to help farmers identify funding opportunities.
Its 2024 grants included support for farmers and subrecipients. Among the recipients, Multiplier received $37,945 as a subrecipient; Multiplier describes its mission as accelerating impact for initiatives focused on protecting and fostering a healthy, sustainable, resilient, and equitable world.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, CAFF reported 68 grants totaling $959,149. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $60,253, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $60,253 to UC Regents, $37,945 to Multiplier, and $26,000 each to Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, Central CA Environmental Justice Network, and Centro Binacional de Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno. These were listed as subrecipient grants. Several farmers and farm businesses received grants or stipends, including an individual recipient ($20,200) and an individual recipient ($20,000).
CAFF administers the California Farmer Relief Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to small-scale family farmers affected by climate disasters, rising costs, and systemic exclusion. Its California Underserved and Small Producer (CUSP) drought program offers technical assistance and direct drought-relief grants to eligible California producers. The CUSP page states that applications are currently closed. Eligible producers must farm in California and generally have annual sales below $400,000, with a higher limit of up to $1 million for dairy or ranching operations. CUSP grants are reimbursement-based and require supporting documentation. The page describes drought-related expenses that may be covered, including increased water costs and emergency irrigation-system upgrades.
CAFF also lists Urban Agriculture Microgrants and the Growing Urban Agriculture Fellowship as active programs. The available information does not specify their application procedures or eligibility requirements.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dawnie Andrak as board chair; Michelle Basso Reynolds as secretary; and Scott Berndt as treasurer. Board members listed are Al Courchesne, Anna Nakamura Knight, Benjamin Hartman, Charity May, David Visher, Deirdre Holbrook, and Dominic Bruno.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers is led by Paul Towers, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 17 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul Towers
Executive Director
Executive Director → President, 2022
President → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$93K (2020) → $140K (2024)
Dawnie Andrak
Board Chair
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Al Courchesne
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deirdre Holbrook
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Basso Reynolds
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Miller
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Visher
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rogelio Ponce
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Berndt
Treasurer
Director → Board Member, 2022
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anna Nakamura Knight
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dominic Bruno
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael O'Gorman
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mickey Duran
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charity May
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Keiser
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Hartman
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Schwing
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Gowan Batist (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: John Bailey (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Tommy Irvine (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Ben Hartman (2022–2023) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $140K, to Paul Towers (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Community Alliance with Family Farmers
How much does Community Alliance with Family Farmers give each year?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers gave $959K across 68 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $372K across 48 grants.
What is Community Alliance with Family Farmers's typical grant size?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,105, across 68 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Alliance with Family Farmers that year got $15K on average.
Where does Community Alliance with Family Farmers give grants?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers gives mostly in California: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fresno, CA (5 grants), Los Angeles, CA (5 grants), San Francisco, CA (2 grants) and Winters, CA (2 grants).
Does Community Alliance with Family Farmers give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 68 grants with a stated purpose on Community Alliance with Family Farmers's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Stipends and Grants to Farmers" (59 grants) and "Subrecipient" (6 grants).
Who are Community Alliance with Family Farmers's largest grantees?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers's largest 2024 grantees include UC Regents ($60,253), Multiplier ($37,945) and Centro Binacional De Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno ($31,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 24 grants to individuals ($304,800), which are not listed by name. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Alliance with Family Farmers?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers reported $7.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $12.4M.
What does Community Alliance with Family Farmers fund?
CAFF’s mission is to build sustainable food and farming systems through policy advocacy and on-the-ground programs that create more resilient family farms, communities, and ecosystems. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Alliance with Family Farmers?
For CUSP drought relief, farmers apply through the program’s application process and submit supporting documentation; applications are currently closed. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Community Alliance with Family Farmers's EIN?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2914745. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Alliance with Family Farmers's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Alliance with Family Farmers funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-alliance-with-family-farmers-morg_3d728326c0c3496fb9ccd7f0ddcdd7e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942914745_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Alliance with Family Farmers funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-alliance-with-family-farmers-morg_3d728326c0c3496fb9ccd7f0ddcdd7e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Community Alliance with Family Farmers's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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