Grant Alignment & Community Investment Snapshot

Building the Infrastructure That Sustains Communities

Fertile Ground Incorporated is a place-based, community-rooted nonprofit organization working at the intersection of housing stability, food access, and community resilience in the greater Atlanta region.

As our programs expand, we are intentionally building the operational infrastructure required to responsibly steward public, private, and philanthropic investment—in alignment with Community Development Corporation (CDC) best practices.
This page provides transparency into how funding is deployed and how investment directly supports community outcomes.

Our CDC-Aligned Focus Areas
Fertile Ground’s work reflects core community development functions, including:
 

• Housing stabilization & emergency home repair

• Food access & neighborhood-based distribution

• Elder and vulnerable resident support

• Transportation & logistics for community services

• Capacity building for sustainable program delivery
   

Our approach prioritizes systems, compliance, and long-term impact rather than short-term relief.

Fertile Ground 2026 Operating Budget High Level Snapshot

1. Personnel & Contracted Services — $595,000
 
Lean core staff + specialized contracted expertise

• Executive Director (Founder) + assistant — $80,000

• Program Developer & Housing Development Manager — $125,000

• Operations & Compliance Manager — $65,000

• Community Programs Coordinator — $55,000

• Finance & Grants Administration (part-time/contract) — $55,000

• Development / Grant Writing (contract) — $45,000

• Legal, Accounting, & Audit Services — $60,000

• Payroll taxes & benefits — $110,000

Subtotal: $595,000

2. Housing & Land Development Programs — $540,000
 
Core mission delivery: housing stability & land activation

• Pre-development costs (surveys, feasibility, zoning, design) — $180,000

• Construction & rehabilitation (affordable/workforce units) — $250,000

• Sustainability & energy-efficiency upgrades — $60,000

• Property stabilization & safety improvements — $50,000

Subtotal: $540,000

3. Food Access & Community Infrastructure — $185,000
 
Food security + land-based resilience

• Community gardens & urban agriculture infrastructure — $50,000

• Food pantry coordination & food procurement — $55,000

• Tools, equipment, storage, irrigation — $65,000

• Program transportation & logistics — $15,000

Subtotal: $185,000

4. Workforce Development & Apprenticeships — $140,000
 
Economic mobility & capacity-building

• Apprenticeship stipends & participant support — $65,000

• Training materials, certifications, safety gear — $40,000

• Instructional partners & facilitators — $35,000

Subtotal: $140,000

5. Facilities, Operations & Insurance — $135,000
 
Responsible nonprofit operations

• Facility costs (program spaces, utilities, maintenance) — $55,000

• General liability, D&O, property insurance — $40,000

• IT systems, software, data security — $20,000

• Office supplies & administrative costs — $20,000

Subtotal: $135,000

6. Community Engagement, Communications & Fundraising — $70,000
 
Visibility, accountability, and sustainability

• Community outreach & events — $25,000

• Communications, website, storytelling — $20,000

• Donor engagement & fundraising tools — $15,000

• Printing, signage, materials — $10,000
   

Subtotal: $70,000

7. Governance, Compliance & Contingency — $35,000
 
Risk management & long-term stability

• Board development & governance support — $10,000

• Compliance filings, reporting, evaluations — $15,000

• Contingency & emergency reserves — $10,000

Subtotal: $35,000


Total Annual Operating Budget$1,700,000


How Grant Funding Is Deployed
Grant and institutional funding directly supports:

• Program delivery costs that allow services to reach residents consistently

• Transportation and cold-storage infrastructure necessary for food safety and compliance

• Staff and coordination capacity to manage volunteers, partners, and reporting

• Technology and data systems that ensure accountability and outcome tracking

• Organizational stability that prevents disruption of essential services
   

This structure allows Fertile Ground to scale responsibly while maintaining financial integrity.

Commitment to Accountability
Fertile Ground Incorporated is committed to:

• Transparent financial reporting

• Proper segregation of restricted and unrestricted funds

• Program-specific tracking for grant-funded activities

• Alignment with public-sector and foundation compliance standards
   

We recognize that community trust and funder trust are built through structure, clarity, and consistency.

Partner With Us
We welcome partnership with:

• Foundations and philanthropic institutions

• Corporate and employer-sponsored giving programs

• Local governments and public agencies

• Anchor institutions and community stakeholders