Seed money

The Four Corners Slow Money movement is spouting up. Fresh off awarding its first micro-loan of $3,000 to Adobe House Farm on Oct. 6, the local chapter has received a matching grant of $5,000 from the national and Boulder chapters. In order to receive the funds, Four Corners Slow Money must raise $5,000 of its own by Dec. 15.

Four Corners Slow Money's goal is to build a robust local food economy by giving farmers, growers and enterprises a leg up in the region. “These funds will go toward offering a new round of loans to local farmers or entrepreneurs that help get food from the fields to our tables,” Four Corners Slow Money member Linda Illsley said.

Folks can become members for $250, which automatically earns them voting privileges for upcoming loans. Those who can’t foot the $250 alone can join with others to make the $250, but together will only have one vote among them. Farmers and producers can join for a discounted rate of $150. In addition, the local group is also looking for corporate sponsors.

The next round of loans will be awarded in February 2020. Deadline for local farmers and producers to apply is Jan. 30, 2020.

The Slow Money movement is built around local networks, which catalyze grassroots investing in a variety of ways: peer-to-peer lending, public gatherings, pitch fests and on-farm events. There are currently 27 Slow Money groups globally, which have invested $73 million in 752 food enterprises.

For more on Four Corners Slow Money, go to: fourcornersslowmoney.org