BLACK FARMERS COLLECTIVE
YES FARM
FARM MANAGER (INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR)
CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ABOUT EARTHCORPS, BLACK FARMERS COLLECTIVE, AND YES FARM
At EarthCorps, we believe that we have a collective responsibility to care for each other and nature, and that we need new ideas and boundless enthusiasm from across the globe to create a better world where people and nature thrive together. Since 1993, more than 1,000 young adults participated in EarthCorps environmental leadership development program. These emerging environmental leaders make up our corps program, where they learn technical environmental restoration and hands-on leadership skills, all while building a close-knit community through caring for our natural world.
Black Farmers Collective and EarthCorps began collaborating in 2019 as Yes Farm started to move from vision to reality. The goal of EarthCorps is to build a partnership based on the community’s needs, desires, and aspirations, following and supporting the community’s vision and leadership.
Yes Farm is led by a group of Black food system professionals working to reclaim a little more than two acres of land in Yesler Terrace in order to develop an urban farm. The project, in cooperation with the Yesler community, Seattle Housing Authority, and the Washington State Department of Transportation, is dedicated to growing healthy food for the community, while also building the community’s skills to create viable food systems that nourish families and communities; generate economic prosperity; promote public health and social justice through increased access to healthy food; safeguard the health of the environment; increase self-reliance and food security; and regenerate communities through civic engagement.
CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS
The Yes Farm Manager is a part-time, grant-funded, independent contractor that supports the development of Yes Farm, led by the Black Farmers Collective and supported by EarthCorps. Hours will vary by week, month, and season, but will range from 20-90 hours/month from June 2020 through November 2021.
The Farm Manager will play a vital role in developing and managing Yes Farm.
SCOPE OF WORK Leadership, Management, and Planning (15%): Develop systems and documents that support farm operations. Serves a primary role in developing Yes Farm. Effectively represents Yes Farm to key funders and partners. Actively works to create a race equity culture.
● Farm Development (60%): Develop and implement plans to build healthy soil. Create planting beds. Plant, harvest, and distribute produce. Sustainability and permaculture techniques with community informed & culturally relevant food production. Deliverables include co-developing a record keeping system and farm expansion plan where in year 1 build soil and expand growing sites, in Year 2 plan, and execute maximum food production.
● Community Engagement (20%): Manage Yes Farm interactions and direct volunteers. Collaborate with the Director and Program Manager on the farm plan and outreach.
● Reporting (5%): Provide twice-monthly reports summarizing activities and tasks completed with each invoice.
QUALIFICATIONS
● Independent contractors only.
● Commitment to the missions of Black Farmers Collective, Yes Farm, and EarthCorps.
● A minimum of three years’ experience in farming and urban agriculture.
● A commitment to racial equity and environmental justice.
● Ability to work collaboratively.
● Ability to work independently while managing multiple tasks and projects.
● Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to try things out, listen, learn, and continually grow and improve.
● Excellent problem solver and multi-tasker responsive to ongoing deadlines.
● Ability to work outside in all weather conditions.
● Driver’s license to deliver materials ~2/week
● Physical-lift 50 pounds
● Insurance coverage.
SUBMIT PROPOSALS: Submit proposals and qualifications by email to blackfarmerscollective@gmail.com. In your proposal, please describe your qualifications including your personal and/or professional experience with issues surrounding racial equity and how you believe this role could contribute to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Black Farms Collective/Yes Farm/EarthCorps. Proposals will be reviewed as received.
PRIORITY CLOSING DATE: June 10, 2020.
LOCATION—YES FARM, Seattle, WA.
COMPENSATION— The Farm Manager is an independent contractor role. This is a grant-funded role that runs approximately June 2020-November 2021 up to $2,500/month in available funding. The contractor is responsible for payroll/employment taxes.