Impact Fund
The connection between farmers and customers is rooted in trust, equity, and shared responsibility. That’s why we are proud to support the Cooperative Coffees Impact Fund, a unique financial tool designed to help build climate resiliency and support sustainable farming systems in coffee-producing communities.
What Is the Impact Fund?
Established in 2020 by our member-owned, green coffee importing cooperative, Cooperative Coffees, the Impact Fund is a collective investment in the future of coffee farming communities. For every pound of green coffee Café Campesino purchases, we contribute 3 cents to this fund. While that may sound small, between 22 participating coffee roasters, it quickly adds up to meaningful support, enabling farmer-led long-term adaptation strategies and providing emergency aid when disasters strike.
Why It Matters
Climate change is already disrupting coffee production. From erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts to hurricanes and rising temperatures, small-scale farmers, many of whom operate with limited resources, are on the front lines. These challenges not only threaten harvests and incomes but also the livelihoods of entire communities.
The Impact Fund offers a solution rooted in solidarity. It helps farmer cooperatives invest in regenerative agriculture, agroforestry systems, water conservation, soil health, and other climate-smart practices. In moments of crisis, like hurricanes, floods, or pandemics, the fund also provides rapid-response support to help farmers recover and rebuild when disaster strikes.
A few efforts have been to:
- Train farmers in climate-adaptive practices through partnerships with organizations like CATIE and local universities.
- Plant thousands of native trees in agroforestry systems that stabilize ecosystems and enhance biodiversity.
- Restore infrastructure after hurricanes devastated communities in Honduras and Guatemala.
- Support COVID-19 response efforts by delivering food and hygiene kits to co-op members’ families.
How You’re Involved
Every time you buy a bag of Café Campesino coffee, you are directly contributing to this important work. The 3 cents per pound that we allocate to the Impact Fund wouldn’t exist without your continued support. This model of ethical sourcing ensures that your coffee dollars go beyond a better price for farmers, they help fund tangible climate solutions in the communities that grow your coffee.
Rooted in Our Core Values
The Impact Fund reflects Café Campesino’s commitment to environmental justice, cooperative business models, and global solidarity. The people who grow our coffee deserve not only fair compensation, but also support in their struggle to thrive in the face of climate adversity.
From the coffee farm to your cup, our work is guided by the principles of sustainability, equity, and mutual respect. The Impact Fund is one more way we’re honoring those principles, together.