Who We Are
Jennifer Astone
- Moderated “Vital Capital: Crowdfunding for Regenerative Agriculture Investing in Native Communities,” panel at SOCAP on how Ejido Verde raised $400,000 from 10,000 people.
- Featured in Inside Philanthropy article on how teamwork enabled Swift Foundation to invest in funds for smallholder farmers who solve for industrial agriculture.
- Presented and blogged for Confluence Philanthropy’s “Investing in Native Communities Learning Journey” meeting in Santa Fe.
- Exponent Philanthropy recognized Jen Astone as a finalist for the 2019 Outsized Impact Award.
- “Foundations Can Unlock a Food System to Feed the World” Jen co-wrote this 2019 Stanford Social Innovation Review article with Meredith Storton of RSF Social Finance focusing on the unique role that philanthropy has to play as a catalyst for a healthier and more equitable world. We note that foundations with small staffs can focus on the relationships that can make this change happen most effectively.
- As foundations increasingly make grants in food and agriculture, few invest their endowment assets in farmers, cooperatives, businesses and entrepreneurs. This lack of capital investment reflects a big gap in analysis and leadership. Read more about the need for leadership and finance from the philanthropic sector inInvesting in Food Systems: Gaps in Capital, Analysis and Leadershipwritten by Jen Astone while at the Swift Foundation.
- In this blog posting, From Grantmaker to Financial Activist, Jen recounts her personal journey breaking down the silos between grantmaking and investing for the Justice Funders Network.
