Community Composting for Green Spaces

Composting restores soil health, empowers grassroots leadership, strengthens community ties, reduces climate harm, and transforms organic waste into shared abundance. Yet, in a system built for large-scale infrastructure, small-scale community composters are often overlooked. PFL saw this critical need and stepped up to help support the growth of community-based composting from the ground up.

Paving the Way for a Statewide Movement

In 2021, PFL partnered with the California Alliance for Community Composting (CACC) to support their leadership in securing California’s first-ever Community Composting for Green Spaces (CCGS) grant from CalRecycle. Acting as fiscal sponsor and organizational backbone, PFL helped CACC receive $1.54 million in funding — supporting over 110 community composting sites across California.

“Working with PFL as the fiscal sponsor for the Community Composting for Green Spaces grant program was essential for us to access state funds while our grassroots organization was still developing. Their accounting expertise and capital support streamlined the reimbursement process from CalRecycle, allowing us to focus on the project’s core mission and hone our long-term vision.”

— Kourtnii Brown, Co-Founder, California Alliance for Community Composting

 

What We Made Possible Together

PFL provided vital infrastructure so grassroots leaders could focus on growing the soil and the movement:

• Fiscal & Legal Infrastructure:
  Accounting, grant management, insurance, and compliance
• Creative Problem-Solving:
  Navigating state regulations and logistical roadblocks
• Flexible Capital:
  Securing bridge funds and capacity-building support
• Organizational Backbone:
  Helping scaffold a strong foundation for CACC’s independence

 

Why Community Composting Matters

1. Soil health returns organic matter to the land, improving water retention and soil fertility.
2. Waste diversion keeps food scraps and green waste out of landfills.
3. Climate action reduces methane emissions and supports carbon sequestration.
4. Local leadership empowers residents to lead climate solutions from the ground up.

 

From Grassroots to Networked Impact
This effort was always driven by communities. PFL helped CACC lay the groundwork for an enduring statewide network. Thanks to this collaboration:

• CACC launched over 100 new compost sites!
• Transitioned to independent management with direct grant access!
• Continues to grow the movement!