skeleton figure commons

A nonprofit educational farming + conservation initiative.

radical transparency.

Our logistical process and financial flow (open-book commitment)

We believe that the process of building this farm should be as visible as the outcomes it produces.

As an educational organization, we share not only what we grow—but how we grow it, fund it, and sustain it. That means documenting the work before there is a farm to see: forming the organization, building governance, seeking land, developing partnerships, raising funds, and eventually building and operating the physical site.

“This dream has been a long time coming, and the vision has evolved endlessly over the last 15 years.

I want to own a farm, but I don’t want to simply be a farmer. I want to teach, and I want people to learn, but I don’t want financial means to determine who gets to participate. I want to craft slowly, with foraged and homegrown materials. I want to have autonomy over what goes into my body. I want to set boundaries when intentions get skewed. I want the lines of cultivation and the lines of the organic to intertwine.

After 15 years of working in agriculture - and supplementing that work financially through local food service - I’ve kept trying to prioritize my health, the planet, and the work of those who came before me.

But the burning question beneath it all; Exactly when will the money that allows me to offer myself for free magically appear?

It won’t. That’s when I realized the irony of the initiative being about community while expecting myself to carry it to the throne.”

And since, we’re establishing Skeleton Figure Commons.

Where we are now: EARLY DEVELOPMENT + LAND SEARCH

Skeleton Figure Commons is currently in an early but active development phase. While a permanent or long-term site has not yet been secured, the organizational foundation for the project is being built in parallel with an ongoing search for land.

Rather than beginning this record once the farm is established, we are documenting the process from the beginning—including the uncertainty, time, professional support, and community relationships required to get a project like this onto the ground.

  • Federal nonprofit status: Approved

  • Board of governance: Established

  • Land: Active search / discussions

  • Site infrastructure: Not yet begun

  • Programming: In development

  • Fundraising: Early stage

  • Additional board/advisory involvement: Seeking people with nonprofit and organizational experience

what it has taken to get here: year 1

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • Developed the initial concept, mission, and organizational structure

  • Established Skeleton Figure Commons as a legal entity

  • Worked with the USM Business and Law Clinic on organizational and legal development

  • Applied for federal 501(c)(3) recognition

  • Received federal tax-exempt status

  • Established a board of governance

  • Began developing financial controls, recordkeeping, and open-book practices

  • Developed preliminary operating and infrastructure budgets

  • Began identifying insurance, liability, volunteer, and operational requirements

LAND + SITE DEVELOPMENT

  • Identified the project's land requirements

  • Researched potential sites and land-access models

  • Developed relationships with landowners/land organizations

  • Spent nearly a year pursuing a potential land commitment

  • Developed preliminary site and infrastructure concepts while awaiting land

  • Continued exploring alternative land opportunities rather than putting organizational development on hold

CONTRIBUTIONS

In-kind + professional support

  • Legal guidance (USM Clinic)

  • Business/organizational guidance (USM Clinic + Small Business Development Center)

  • Donated materials or services

Founder + board time

  • Organizational development

  • Land search and meetings

  • Grant/fundraising development

  • Program planning

  • Administrative work

  • Board governance

Future sharing…

Where Our Money comes From

  • Grants (if we make them happen)

  • Individual donations (go-fund-me)

  • Program revenue (when active)

  • In-kind contributions (labor, materials, land)

Where Our Money Goes

  • Farm infrastructure (Year 1 focus)

  • Educational programming (Year 2 onward)

  • Labor (paid and unpaid)

  • Materials and tools

  • Administrative + insurance costs

What It Actually Costs

Example; Cost of fence:

Materials purchased — $X
Materials donated — $XX
Founder labor — $XX
Volunteer labor — $XXX
Equipment borrowed — $___ avoided
Total cash outlay — $XXXXXXXX
Actual resources required — $X + X hours

Build Log (Living Record)

Future build ledger

Current Snapshot

  • Funding goal: $50,000

  • Funds raised: $X

  • Funds spent: $300

  • Current gap: -$300

    We are currently working to fund the initial infrastructure with learning opportunities built in.

Why We Do This

Transparency is part of our mission. We want participants to understand:

  • What it takes to grow food + manage land appropriately

  • What it takes to run a nonprofit

  • How community support translates into real infrastructure and education

What We Don’t Share

To maintain privacy and safety, we do not publish::

  • Individual donor identities (unless permitted)

  • Personal or personnel information

  • Certain contractual details