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. . . an initiative of the North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council - building a better future for Marin, Lake, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties

Who we are

Cultivating Commerce is an initiative of the North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We rely heavily on partnerships and our own membership expertise to educate and assist people in the sustainable use of agricultural and natural resources within Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties of California.

Helpful tips

Never be afraid to take action!

Nothing is perfect, so be ready for a minor mishap and be willing to start again in the event of catastrophic failure, all the wiser from the experience. If a certain marketing strategy hasn’t proven effective for a long time, don’t waste energy and money--just look for a new approach.

“Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own.”
~ Samuel Johnson

Welcome

Cultivating Commerce welcomes you to our website. Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship through sustainable use of agricultural and natural resources within Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties of California. Whether adding a niche marketing endeavor such as boutique honey production to an existing winery or pursuing a startup organic vegetable farm, entrepreneurs struggle in developing and implementing a viable business model in our rural area. Cultivating Commerce is designed to assist these entrepreneurs in expanding or establishing their businesses while ensuring environmental protection of our agricultural and natural resources.

We have an exciting educational project for protecting pollinators, but we need your help in funding "Bee Buddies." To find out more about our project for elementary school children, pleas click on BEE BUDDIES.

Cultivating Commerce is pleased to announce that we have partnered with Shadefund to be a Field Partner. Established by The Conservation Fund with a lead grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, ShadeFund enables individuals, companies and foundations to help green entrepreneurs across America grow their businesses and create jobs. Tax deductible contributions to ShadeFund are pooled and lent to qualified small green businesses nationwide. As entrepreneurs repay their loans, those same dollars are recycled to help other entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Cultivating Commerce is excited to be a part of this program--visit our Field Partner page now and learn more!

What we do

Geese Cultivating Commerce is one of several initiatives of the non-profit North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council (NCRC&DC) which serves four Northern California counties. We have built rainwater collection systems at local schools, held educational workshops with landowners to increase pollinator habitat, created and expanded community gardens, educated landowners to prevent the spread of Sudden Oak Disease, prepared detailed feasibility studies for biomass-to-energy production in Mendocino County, and conducted workshops with ranchers and farmers interested in adding an agri-tourism element to their operations.