In the rolling hills of Southwest Wisconsin, a quiet but powerful movement has been taking root for decades. The 2025 SEED MONEY PROJECTS is the latest chapter in a story that began in 1989 at Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, born out of a deep concern for the land and the people who live by it. Today, this initiative continues the legacy of community resilience, with a mission to foster vibrant rural communities through local food systems, sustainable farming practices, and food security for all.
The seeds of this work were first planted during the height of the 1980s farm crisis, a time when small family farms were vanishing and rural communities were fraying. In response, the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, a Congregation of Women deeply embedded in the rural fabric of the region, called together farmers, clergy, rural advocates, and concerned citizens.
Their goal was simple yet profound: to explore how people of faith and goodwill might stand together to support rural life and keep hope alive in the countryside.
Out of that gathering, the Churches’ Center for Land and People was born. It was a grassroots movement rooted in shared values—stewardship of the land, community, spirituality, and economic justice. Churches across denominations and other rural-focused organizations joined forces, working collaboratively to address the challenges faced by rural families and agricultural workers. Over the years, this alliance grew into a trusted voice for rural communities, offering advocacy, education, and on-the-ground support.
In 2016, reflecting both a broadening mission and an increasingly diverse coalition, the organization changed its name to the Food, Faith, and Farming Network. The name change signaled an embrace of inclusivity—serving people of all faith traditions, and those with none—and emphasized its role as a connector, a network that links farmers, consumers, faith communities, and advocates in a shared effort to revitalize rural life.
Now, in 2025, the SEED MONEY PROJECTS represent a bold step forward in that mission. These microgrants are designed to support grassroots initiatives that align with the core principles of the network: strengthening local food systems, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and ensuring food security for all, especially in under-resourced rural areas. Whether it’s funding a community garden, launching a farm-to-school initiative, supporting young or beginning farmers, or helping faith communities source food locally, the SEED MONEY PROJECTS are about planting hope and harvesting change.
But this is more than just grantmaking. It’s about relationship-building, mentorship, and weaving a resilient social fabric that honors both the land and the people who call it home. In the face of ongoing challenges—from climate change and economic pressures to food system disruptions—the Food, Faith, and Farming Network continues to lean into its founding vision. It remains grounded in the conviction that healing rural communities means nurturing both soil and soul.
As we look ahead, the SEED MONEY PROJECTS affirm that small investments, when rooted in love for the land and care for community, can yield extraordinary abundance. This is the legacy of Sinsinawa, and the promise of what’s still to come.