When CT NOFA was founded in 1982, it was an entirely grassroots organization. Our first winter “conference” had fewer than 30 attendees, and the conference lunch was a potluck. 40+ years later, our community is exponentially larger (and the conference lunch is catered). As the size and impact of our organization has grown, the financial means by which we implement our work across the state is, more than ever, driven by government grants and mandates that can unexpectedly change or be discontinued when political power shifts occur, a fact CT NOFA was made keenly aware of in 2025 when the USDA and other federal agricultural agencies had their budgets abruptly diminished. This created funding shortfalls for many programs and services that CT NOFA provides. Sometimes protecting our soil, food, and environment is in fashion; sometimes it isn’t.

What doesn’t change is you. You still demand access to healthy, nutrient-dense, poison-free food for all. You still demand landscapes free of pesticides on which pollinators can flourish and enrich the biodiversity of our environment. And you still demand accountability from those who would seek to undermine those goals. In an uncertain political landscape, we know that our work’s funding will always be at risk, but with the support of a community who believes in our mission and whom our work is in service of, we will persist in voicing your demands and educating and supporting all who wish to work in their furtherance.

As we look toward the future, we want you to know that the grassroots heart of CT NOFA – the community members who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the work we do, and whose well-being is a foundational directive for CT NOFA – is our primary focus. Through community-centric activities, gatherings, and resources, as well as expanded member discounts and benefits, we look forward to engaging with you to build an interconnected community of farmers, gardeners, activists, scientists, landscape restorers, and organic advocates of all kinds. And we hope you’ll join us.

You can show your commitment to our work and our shared community by becoming a member of CT NOFA. Individual memberships are $50/year (or $30 for students and seniors) and business/organization memberships are $125/year. Already a member? You can still support us by renewing your membership for an additional year or making a direct financial contribution, both of which help provide the funding that empowers our initiatives and allows us to continue fulfilling CT NOFA’s programmatic mission.

We rise or fall on the strength of our commitment to and actions on the things that matter most to us. At CT NOFA, healthy food for all matters to us, land access for new farmers to grow it on matters to us, and the community of individuals required to make all this come to fruition matters to us. We’re excited to continue building it with you.