PROGRAMS
Through community outreach and engagement, we advocate for buying local, in particular for locally produced food and farm fresh products. We offer guidance, advocacy and facilitation of financial support with the goal of helping these entrepreneurs to survive, grow and become an important part of our local food system. Their resilience is crucial to our regional health and vitality.
ADVOCACY
Slow Money SLO advocates for the sustainable growth of small, local food and farm businesses so the health and economy of SLO county can prosper.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS
Through expertise and a vast partner network, we are able to provide coaching and guidance to entrepreneurs who are faced with challenging business decisions.
LENDING
Slow Money aims to spark a range of investment conversations, helping develop unique funding relationships for sustainable food and farming businesses.
TESTIMONIALS FROM PROGRAM RECIPIENTS
We have been honored to work with so many amazing community businesses! Listen in to what they have taken away from their participation with Slow Money SLO.
“I found the food service director through a Slow Money SLO farmer-to-buyer mixer...I have an heirloom variety of melon...I thought it would be a good fit because kids love watermelon, I can grow them to pique ripeness and they’ll be like nothing the kids have ever tasted. The schools were the only buyer that could take 1,000 pounds of melon.”
Robinsong Farms, Farm to School Central Coast farmer
"What attracted me to Slow Money was the theory that for those of us who invest in mutual funds, we don’t really know what we own, because everything is so conglomerated, and there would probably be some ownership of holdings that don’t match our values.... Investing with Slow Money SLO helps the local business community, increases local food sustainability, and provides me more ethical satisfaction with my financial portfolio.”
Slow Money SLO Lender
“It sounded too good to be true. He (Jeff Wade) basically said, ‘I’ll help you raise all this money at super reasonable rates from people who are stoked on local food businesses and investing in the local community.’ We said, ‘Where do we sign up?’”.
Whalebird Kombucha, Slow Money SLO Borrower
“When we were ready to do the Kiva loan, Slow Money SLO said they would be the trustee which gave us more validity and backing. They promoted our campaign in their newsletter, which brought in more lenders and new customers. That was awesome!”
WellBean, Slow Money SLO (Kiva) Borrower
“It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had in financing and lending. They (her lending group) cared about what we were doing, and they understood it, and they were there to support and were excited to be a part of it. I have so much gratitude for the organization, for Jeff, and for the individuals who have been willing to take a risk. It is (Slow Money SLO) such an amazing resource.”