.png)
Proofing Station Non-Profit Provides Low-Interest Loan to Expand Operations
Sola Gratia — a mission-driven, food access-focused farm in Urbana, Illinois — will scale up its operations thanks to a $750,000 long-term low-interest loan from Proofing Station, an impact-first charitable investment fund that provides capital access to small- and mid-sized entities in the food and agriculture supply chain.
The investment, structured as a nine-year loan, supports construction of a new on-farm building that will be used for washing and packing produce and educational programs, as well as storage and office space.
Sola Gratia Farm was founded in 2012 as a ministry of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Urbana. It is a nonprofit urban farm dedicated to making healthy food accessible for all by nurturing productive land and cultivating diverse, inclusive communities.
In 2023, Sola Gratia expanded their operations from a four-acre farm to a 29-acre farm, enabling the non-profit to grow more than 80,000 pounds of produce annually. In addition to its retail and wholesale operations, Sola Gratia Farm donates between 20 percent to 30 percent of its produce to regional hunger programs.
The original four acres are now under development as their “Community Classroom,” a teaching farm for active practices, demonstration and education of accessible and affordable fresh food production.
“We are thrilled to receive this support from Proofing Station as we look to scale our production, operations, and educational programming at our Farm,” said Traci Barkley, Director of Sola Gratia Farm. “Accessing patient capital like this allows us to focus on what we do well — provide fresh food and education to our neighbors — with financing at a scale difficult to achieve through traditional philanthropy and virtually impossible for a nonprofit like ours to access through traditional lending.”
According to Proofing Station Executive Director Cortney Renton, “Sola Gratia Farm is an inspiring example of the essential, strategic infrastructure we need to build local, sustainable food systems across the Midwest. As one of the largest produce farms left in the region, Sola Gratia not only provides fresh food to residents, but they also teach regenerative growing practices to farmers and gardeners in the area, multiplying the downstream impact of this investment.”
Proofing Station launched in 2023,, and its investment in Sola Gratia Farm aligns with two of its investment priorities: advancing sustainable cultivation and long-term access to land and real assets.
Proofing Station partners with foundations, public charities, and family offices who share our focus on investing in the Midwest regional food and agriculture ecosystem. Proofing Station’s funders include Builders Initiative, Food:Land:Opportunity (funded by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust), Lumpkin Family Foundation, Margot L. Pritzker Fund, and the Schmidt Family Foundation.
For those interested in supporting or partnering with Proofing Station, please contact Executive Director Cortney Renton at funding@proofingstation.org. Organizations and businesses interested in accessing funding may complete an intake form available at proofingstation.org or email info@proofingstation.org.
Comments