Waterway Partnership
Shifting the flow of capital and power
What is the Waterway Partnership?
The Waterway Partnership - formed in 2023 by the NoRegrets Initiative and Manzanita Capital Collective - is shifting capital and power to Black, Indigenous, POC-led community-controlled funds and intermediaries focused on sustainable and regenerative food and agriculture, community ownership, and racial and economic justice.
To date, we have moved over $20 million to incredible organizations who, in turn, are moving loans and integrated capital on the ground.
We have created this site to share our learnings and contribute to the growing body of collective knowledge among funders, investors, investment advisors, and movement partners around community-controlled funds and alternatives to CDFIs, non-extractive finance, integrated capital, and shifting power in philanthropic and investor spaces.
We will also aim to lift up the Black, Indigenous, POC-led organizations we have supported - and ask our philanthropic and investor communities to resource these and similar organizations.
About the Partners
Manzanita Capital Collective
Manzanita Capital Collective is grounded in values of community and economic self-determination, Tribal sovereignty, and a just transition. Our work - shifting capital and power to partners from frontline communities of color - is guided by, in service to, and in relationship with our partners.
The NoRegrets Initiative
The #NoRegrets Initiative is an integrated relationship-centered approach to land and asset management that uses a variety of capital – ecological, investment, philanthropic, and social – to grow the health of agricultural lands and the communities that steward them. This work is done through Paicines Ranch, Cienega Capital, Globetrotter Foundation, and the Paicines Ranch Learning Center.
Integrated Capital Investments
Loans range in size from $250K to $1.5M, including many at 0% interest. All loans are paired with grants equal to 15% of the loan amount.
Community Controlled Fund
Black-Led
Indigenous-Led
| Region | Focus Area(s) | Active Capital Raise? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EFOD (Equitable Food Oriented Development) Collaborative | National | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES - $15M Capital Type: $10M in grants; $5M in 0% investments) Learn More |
| National Black Food & Justice Alliance | National | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES - $5M (integrated capital) |
| Climate Justice Alliance | National | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES |
| Right to the City Alliance | National | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES |
| Justice Funders JT Integrated Capital Fund | National | Climate Justice, Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES |
| OWEESTA | National | Indigenous Communities | YES |
| Moonsoon Fund | National | Indigenous Communities | YES |
| Native Ag Financial Services | National | Sustainable Food and Agriculture | |
| Runway / Rooted Fund | National | Entrepreneurs of Color | |
| Black Farmer Fund | Regional - Northeast | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES |
| Persimmon Collective | Regional - Southeast | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES - $2M Capital Type: 0% interest loan capital paired with grants |
| Midwest Farmers of Color | Regional - Midwest | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Climate Justice | YES - $3M Capital Type: grants and impact first loans Learn More |
| People’s Land Fund | Regional - California | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Indigenous Communities | YES - $15M Capital Type: $10M in grants; $5M in 0% investments) Learn More |
| Four Bands Community Funds | Regional - South Dakota | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Indigenous Communities | |
| Northwest Native Development Fund | Regional - Pacific Northwest | Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Indigenous Communities | |
| Agricultura Cooperative Network | Regional - New Mexico | Sustainable Food and Agriculture | |
| Kensington Corridor Trust | Regional - Philadelphia | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES - $24M Capital Type: $19M in debt; $5M in grants Learn More |
| The Guild - Ground Cover | Regional - Atlanta | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES - $30M Capital Type: integrated capital Learn More |
| South Central Equitable Development Fund | Regional - South Central LA | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES - $10M Capital Type: $5M in grants; $5M in investments |
| East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (EBPREC) | Regional - East Bay, CA | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES - $10M Capital Type: investments and grants Learn More |
| Jane Place | Regional - New Orleans | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES |
| Communities in Partnership Black Land Collective | Regional - Durham | Community Ownership of Real Estate | YES |
| Inclusive Action | Regional - Los Angeles | Entrepreneurs of Color | YES |
what we are talking about
We are out in the world, talking and writing about the Waterway. Follow along with us!
waterway reading list - coming soon!
Who we are
A-dae Romero-Briones
Manzanita Capital Collective
Anthony Chang
Manzanita Capital Collective
Avery Sponholtz
Globetrotter Foundation /
NoRegrets Initiative
Esther Park
Cienega Capital /
NoRegrets Initiative
Mariela Cedeño
Manzanita Capital Collective
Where you can find us
Join us at one of these upcoming events to hear more about our work and learnings.
We believe this moment in time requires moving billions of dollars to collectively governed funds where those in deep relationship with frontline communities of color can steward their own resources.
Contact
Are you ready to join us on this journey of moving capital and power to frontline communities of color?
We'd love to hear from you if you are:
- Interested in moving grants and/or investments to any of the groups listed above
- Seeking to host a conversation on this work for other funders and investors
- On a journey to radically shift capital and power and would like to learn more about our work and lessons learned, or ways that we could partner in the future
