Not an incubator, not an accelerator, but a Pollinator: Four Years of our Tailored Business Planning & Coaching Program

This year, we’re celebrating four years of Pollinator, our Tailored Business Planning and Coaching Program. Pollinator is part of the Local Food Economy Lab’s long-term efforts to support the viability of farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food business owners in San Diego County.

We’re thrilled to highlight the amazing businesses that we’ve supported and to celebrate the incredible work they are doing to build a more resilient, equitable local food economy.

Why “Pollinator”?

When we co-designed Pollinator with Lab Advisors several years ago, we consistently heard that small-scale food and farm businesses were not interested in a traditional program with a one-size-fits-all approach. Rather, they expressed the need for tailored, hands-on support that could meet them where they are, at their own scale, pace, and stage of operation.

And so, Pollinator was born, with the idea of bringing each business what it needs to flourish, just as pollinators do in nature. 🐝

Who Is the Program For?

Through Pollinator, we aim to provide deep, tailored support to our region’s small-scale food and farm businesses, helping them build a strong foundation for viability and success.

We intentionally center equity and community ownership, uplifting businesses led by individuals and communities who have been historically disinvested or face systemic barriers to achieving profitability. This includes beginning and small-scale businesses—especially those led by Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants, women, seniors, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with low income.

While these groups are prioritized, all food business owners operating in San Diego County are encouraged to apply.

How Does It Work?

Each year, Pollinator aims to support a cohort of six (often more!) food business owners, including farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and other food businesses.

Over the past four years, select businesses have received up to two years of formal support, tailored to their specific needs, scale, and stage of development. The program provides funding to cover professional development opportunities and to hire values-aligned consultants who can support with top-priority needs such as:

• Business plan development and coaching
• Marketing and branding
• Legal support
• Grant writing
• Bookkeeping
• Permitting and regulations
• Business operations
• Access to capital, land, or markets
• Cooperative development or conversion
• And much more!

The goal is simple but powerful: to offer deep, one-on-one support that helps local food businesses create the solid foundation they need to thrive for the long term.

Each business that joins Pollinator brings a unique story, vision, and set of needs.

We invite you to learn more about their work and journey with Pollinator.