In the arid central and southern United States, compost is fundamental to growing soil organic matter and improving soil health. Healthy soils can catalyze the transition of farms and ranches away from chemically intensive production methods and improve local health outcomes. It is also essential to the long-term success of community and school farms and gardens. While composting is universally accessible, easy to understand and visibly beneficial to all, on-farm and community compost have largely been overlooked in current climate change conversations, policies, and philanthropic programs. 

PFL has long supported composting in the agricultural sector. The Carbon Project focuses on connecting urban food waste producers and rural agriculturalists to produce more compost. In 2019 PFL became the fiscal sponsor for the California Alliance for Community Composting (CACC) in their successful application for the first-ever grant from the State of California for community organics management. Securing and then distributing the $1.54M Community Composting for Green Spaces funds equitably to over 110 community compost sites (many of which are run by informal or underdeveloped organizations) required significant legal consultation, unrestricted grant fundraising, and creative problem-solving over the three-year project. PFL is proud to support the growth and success of community composting in California’s most impacted regions.