Business Plan & Funding Strategy for Community Land Trust

We are seeking a skilled pro bono volunteer to help strengthen and operationalize the initiative through the development of a comprehensive business plan and funding strategy. The goal of this project is to help move the CLT from early-stage planning toward a more implementation-ready model that can support fundraising, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.

The Florida Food Policy Council is developing the Highland Legacy Community Land Trust (CLT), a community-owned initiative focused on affordable housing, community-led food systems, land stewardship, and long-term economic resilience.

Specifically, we are seeking support with:

Refining and strengthening the Community Land Trust business plan
Developing a funding strategy that includes grants, philanthropy, investment pathways, and potential capital stack considerations
Creating high-level financial projections and early operational modeling
Providing strategic recommendations for phased implementation and organizational sustainability
Identifying potential revenue pathways and long-term growth opportunities
Helping translate existing planning materials and community vision into a more cohesive, actionable strategy document

Our team has already developed foundational materials, including draft planning documents, early project frameworks, and initial strategy concepts. We are looking for a volunteer who can help organize, strengthen, and strategically refine these materials into a clearer roadmap for implementation.

The desired outcome of this engagement is a stronger operational and financial foundation that can help support fundraising efforts, partnership development, community ownership strategies, and long-term community impact across Florida communities experiencing housing and food access inequities.

This project directly advances the Florida Food Policy Council’s mission to build equitable, community-driven food systems by addressing the root causes of food insecurity—land access, housing stability, and economic opportunity.

This project directly supports the Florida Food Policy Council’s mission to advance equitable, community-driven food systems by addressing the interconnected issues of food insecurity, housing instability, land access, and economic inequity.

The Highland Legacy Community Land Trust (CLT) is being developed as a long-term, community-centered model that integrates affordable housing, local food systems, land stewardship, and community wealth-building. By helping strengthen the business plan and funding strategy for this initiative, volunteers will contribute to building a foundation for sustainable, community-owned development in historically underinvested communities.

This work is part of a broader ecosystem of aligned initiatives, including collaboration with the Highland Project (THP), which focuses on Black wealth-building and investment strategies, and alignment with the Dream Keepers Fund (DKF), which invests in community-led solutions across South St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, and communities throughout Florida.

The outcomes of this project will help FLFPC:

Strengthen long-term community resilience and ownership pathways
Expand equitable access to land, housing, and food systems resources
Increase organizational readiness for partnerships, fundraising, and implementation
Advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI)-centered community development strategies
Build scalable models that can inform policy, collaboration, and future community-led initiatives across Florida

For volunteers, this project offers an opportunity to apply their expertise to a mission-driven initiative with tangible, long-term impact. Their support will help move a community-centered vision into actionable strategy and implementation, contributing to efforts that support stability, opportunity, and self-determined community growth.

We have taken several steps to prepare for this project and ensure a successful partnership with a pro bono volunteer. Our team has already developed foundational materials, including a draft Community Land Trust business plan framework, early funding strategy concepts, project outlines, and initial operational assumptions. We have also clarified the current project scope and identified business planning and funding strategy as priority areas for support.

There is strong internal alignment and leadership support for this initiative, and our team is committed to dedicating time, coordination, and responsiveness throughout the engagement. We are prepared to meet regularly, provide timely feedback, and supply relevant background information to help the volunteer work efficiently and effectively.

To support the project, we will provide:

Existing draft planning materials and framework documents
Background information on community needs and project goals
Organizational context and vision for the Community Land Trust
Early research, assumptions, and strategic priorities already developed by the team

We are also connected to a broader ecosystem of aligned community initiatives and partnerships that can help inform the work, including efforts related to housing stability, food systems, economic equity, and community wealth-building across Florida.

The outcomes of this project will be directly implemented by our team. The completed business plan, funding strategy, financial recommendations, and implementation guidance will be used to support fundraising efforts, strengthen partnerships, guide decision-making, and move the Highland Legacy Community Land Trust toward launch and long-term sustainability.

We are committed to continuing this work beyond the Taproot engagement and ensuring the project leads to meaningful, community-centered impact.