Taproot Collective

Background

Taproot Collective was formed in 2017. It emerged from local urban agriculture efforts in Rochester and focused on developing community gardens on vacant lots and developing youth workforce opportunities in low-income areas. Over time, the organization expanded its scope to include policy research and partnerships with municipal food systems planning. ⁴

Activities

Taproot Collective operates “The Collective,” a free membership program that provides community gardens with material supplies, volunteer coordination, workshops, technical assistance, and infrastructure support. Its youth employment initiative, including the Community Food Team, places young people in garden-based jobs where they hope to learn skills in agriculture, project management, environmental policy, and community organizing while producing food for underserved neighborhoods. The group maintains First Market Farm near the Rochester Public Market as a demonstration site, educational venue, and produce distribution hub. ^{5 2 4}

Taproot Collective has conducted research on community gardens and urban agriculture to influence local policy. In 2022, it received nearly $100,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant program to launch the “Gardening Together” initiative, which studied and promoted environmentalist practices in urban gardens. The organization has also received funding from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for garden support and expansion. ⁶

Funding

Taproot Collective is heavily funded through government grants, reporting $307,000 in government grant funding in 2024, which comprised over 80 percent of the organization’s total revenue that year. Funders have included the government agencies New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the private organizations Rochester Area Community Foundation, the Funders Network, RochesterWorks, and Emil Muller Foundation. Other funding for the group comes from individual donors. ^{7 8 3 9}

People

As of 2026, Nathaniel Mich was the executive director of Taproot Collective. He worked in urban agriculture programs at Foodlink, chaired the South Wedge Planning Committee, and chaired the Rochester Food Policy Council. ^{10 11}