Mentorship Program
The Care Farming Network’s Mentorship Program offers aspiring care farmers in the Northeast region of the U.S. the opportunity to enhance their business and farming practices while increasing employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) on care farms.
Program goals
Mentors and beginning farmers will be matched based on farm type, learning goals, and location. Over ten months, they will visit each other’s farms, participate in virtual consultations and check-ins, and attend periodic cohort sessions with other participants. At the program’s conclusion, mentees will apply for and receive a mini-grant to support their work.
Supported by a Northeast SARE grant, this new CFN program is being piloted in 2024. While the details below offer a preliminary overview, they are flexible and subject to change. We welcome and value our members’ feedback as we adapt and evolve the program.
Who is this program for?
Mentees:
- Mentorships are available to beginning care farmers in the Northeast region: ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, NJ, NY, PA, WV, MD, DE, and Washington D.C.
- Priority will be given to applicants with some experience (one to three years) in farming and/or working with people with an intellectual or developmental disability. (If you don’t have experience with either of these and are still in the dreaming phase, please check out our consultation process.)
- Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to increase their employment of people with IDD on their farm by participating in this program.
- We encourage farmers with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to start their own farms to participate.
- Mentees may participate as individuals or teams, though there needs to be an individual applicant responsible for upholding the program agreements.
- Applications open September 16, 2024
Mentors:
- Mentors (and their farms) must be located in the Northeast region: ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, NJ, NY, PA, WV, MD, DE, and Washington D.C.
- Mentors are care farmers whose farm/organization is currently employing at least one person with IDD.
- Mentors may participate as individuals or teams, though an individual applicant must be responsible for upholding the program agreements.
- Mentors will receive a stipend of $1,000.
Timeline and Expectations
![Mentorship Photo](https://carefarmingnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mentorship-300x225.jpg)
August 2024
Program announced; potential mentees invited to Beginning Care Farming Series
September 2024
CFN hosts the virtual Beginning Care Farmer Series (all applicants are required to attend or to watch session recordings to provide a foundation in the basics of care farming)
**Mentee applications open September 16, 2024
November-December 2024
Mentees are selected and paired with mentors
January 2025
Program Kick-Off at 2025 CFN National Conference (If costs are prohibitive, please reach out to discuss scholarship options.)
February- September 2025
Mentors and mentees will conduct and/or participate in, at a minimum:
- One site visit at the mentor’s farm
- One site visit at the mentee’s farm
- Monthly check-in calls
Mentees will be required to attend periodic cohort sessions to share learning, discuss challenges, and receive support and feedback
Mentees are highly encouraged to attend CFN’s monthly member gatherings
October 2025
Mentees attend a funding workshop (virtual, hosted by CFN) and apply for a mini-grant ($1,000), which will be awarded upon submission of application and completion of the workshop
General expectations for both mentors and mentees:
- Respond in a timely manner to emails from one another and from CFN
- Complete program surveys as requested by CFN
- Permit CFN to take photographs and or videos for internal and promotional use
Stay tuned for applications opening September 16, 2024!
Questions? Please email Kasey Armstrong.