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

Through this program, mentees will build valuable relationships with experienced care farmers, develop and work on personal learning goals, join a supportive cohort, engage in peer learning exchanges, and practice grant writing for funding.

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

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.