Gift Economy

We're a small community of individuals with diverse talents. The gift economy model means we are mindful of how much we give and take from our community. We provide courses that are financially accessible to all. While intentional about reciprocity, our work is done in the spirit of abundance. We know there are enough resources to do this work well, and support and value people's time, energy, and expertise.

The Citywide Program is a 12-month hybrid urban agriculture education program rooted in food justice and social justice. We are grateful to continue to offer this program as a part of our gift economy. We ask all cohort members to commit to a monthly financial gift amount to support the faculty and staff who build the container for our shared learning.

Since Farm School’s beginning, the program has been offered on a sliding scale to increase equity and accessibility. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to lean into our dreams, visions, and values, we have shifted from charging tuition to cultivating a gift economy. 

Cultivating a gift economy means that we depend on gifts from our community of students and foundation, government, and individual supporters to offer the certificate program itself as a gift to all students.

Certificate students are always welcome to attend Farm School NYC, regardless of how much they can contribute towards program costs. And we need your support. Students are encouraged to give a recurring monthly donation to FSNYC with a comfortable amount. 

 Program cost varies based on how many students are accepted and their completion. The average cost ranges from $10,000 to $17,000 per student (around $4,000 per seasonal quarter).

We have some guidelines to help consider monthly contribution amounts based on income below.

** Additional Considerations**

If you are a member of an organization that uses the trainings and skills from Farm School to improve your home organization or as a professional development opportunity, please consult with us for a corporate rate that we ask your group to contribute on your behalf.

If you would like to support our work fiscally, please donate here. If you have another type of donation to contribute, please reach out to Jazz@farmschoolnyc.org. Thank you!

Our staff dedicates significant energy towards fundraising to cultivate financial abundance and make this offering possible. We feel blessed to cultivate practices of abundance together and are immensely grateful to all of the people, organizations, and beings that have come together, seen and unseen, past-present-future, for us. With them, we continue embodying parts of the world we know is possible.

In addition to financial contributions, students may also choose to support the vitality of our community in other ways, including:

• sharing food, knowledge, or skills with your cohort

• consulting with staff on areas where you have experience and expertise

• grant writing

• loaning tools and equipment

• volunteering to table at community events and other outreach and engagement efforts 

• sharing your insights and feedback

• sharing your story to demonstrate Farm School NYC’s impact, writing or sharing FSNYC content on social media

• Donations of tech like laptops ipads and DSLR cameras
  

  While considering the Paymet Level Chart to the left, please
  
  Consider Moving to a higher tier if you:

+ Have a high degree of earning power due to level of education, gender, racial privilege etc.
+ Do not have trouble purchasing food or accessing healthcare.
+ Own the home you live in.
+ Have investments / retirement account.
+ Travel recreationally, own a vehicle, computer or pets.
+ Have access to family money in times of need.

Consider Moving to lower tier if you:
- Receive any form of public assistance
- Have immigration related expenses
- Have medical expenses not covered by insurance:
- Are a senior citizen on a fixed income
- Have tuition or educational expenses
- Do not work or work part-time
- Support dependents