This piece was originally posted on the Shared Assets blog on 26.08.22.
We’re pleased to share that Resonance have joined the New Models for Farm Succession project team as our finance partner. The project is researching ways in which farmland owners could better transfer land, through sale or asset transfer, to organisations and businesses who want to steward that farmland in agroecologially responsible ways.
Shared Assets, along with Stir to Action, Ecological Land Coop and CSA Network UK have been developing plans to work with around five family farms who are exploring farmland sale.
As part of this work, the core project team have teamed up with Resonance - a social impact fund manager who have supported millions of pounds of investment into a range of impactful social enterprises including in affordable housing, community assets and care provision.
Resonance will be working closely with the New Models of Farm Succession team to understand the needs of family farmers, and to develop a tool that will showcase how farmland sales could meet their financial, cultural, social and emotional needs once that sale takes place. This could be to enable retirement, ensure that an exiting farmer has a home to live in once farmland is sold, or helping with unexpected costs that an exiting farmer might experience once they have transitioned away from farming.
Martin Lawson from Resonance said “we’re really pleased to be working with a team of purposeful organisations committed to improving the food system. Food and Farming enterprises are an emerging sector in social finance, and we’re pleased to be at the forefront of shaping how food is grown, accessed and financed by joining the project team”
Tom Carman from Shared Assets said “we’re excited to be working with Resonance - not only are their skills in developing sophisticated but user-friendly models very welcome, but Resonance bring a strategy to this partnership by being able to link us with their networks, plus they share values that are kind, supportive and welcoming to those working to improve the food system”
Dan Woolley from Stir to Action said “ We know that this project will greatly benefit from the knowledge and expertise that Resonance can bring. We’ve already learned a lot from them and how social finance could support the growth of the democratic economy.”
Applications still open
The New Models of Farm Succession project is still open for applications from Family Farmers. If you’re interested in applying, fill out this Expression of interest and we’ll be in touch to discuss (we’re committed to making sure this is a personal process), or if you ‘d like to ask any questions, please be in touch with tom@sharedassets.org.uk or dan.woolley@stirtoaction.com and we can arrange a time to speak.
