Business Models
Figure 1. Business Models.
Source: Wix (n.d.)
Business Models
In my research on community gardens, I've come across a couple of dominant business models. This is the subscription model where you pay an annual fee to collect fresh produce. The other business model I've seen is a pay-per-plot. There are situations where these 2 business models are combined.
Business models are important, not only to raise income, but to show donors and grant-givers how the community garden intends to raise its own revenue. A community garden will always need outside funding. However, investors need to see that the project is viable.
Subscription Business Model
People choose to pay by the week, fortnight, month, bi-month, quarter, half-year or year to harvest fresh vegetables. This is competitive to what the supermarkets sell fresh produce for. These sorts of community gardens rely on volunteers to do the unpaid cultivation of the fresh fruit and vegetables. Subscribing to the food garden makes the subscribers a member, with possible added benefits.
Pay-Per-Plot Business Model
This business model relies on renting or selling a small plot of the garden to an individual or group for personal cultivation and harvest. The entity will need to be a member to rent the plot. This model relies less on volunteers to do the work, though as a community garden, many people with plots will volunteer and assist each other.