CISA is a nonprofit that has supported small farms in western Massachusetts for over 15 years. It promotes community growth through agriculture by helping new farmers through mentorship programs, offering agricultural education training for teachers, and connecting local farms to schools and consumers through its "Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown" campaign. The organization aims to strengthen the local agriculture economy and change perceptions of farming.

1. CISA Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture Vannesa Gheen 10/04/10

2. Overview Since 1999 this nonprofit has been helping the small farms of western Massachusetts and promoting community growth through agriculture. Slogan “where the community comes together to support local agriculture.” “…for over 15 years, CISA has led the way in developing initiatives that support farmers, create strong markets for their products, and build a thriving agriculture economy here in Western Massachusetts.” this organization tries to get away from the pejorative view of agriculture. They wish to take the dissemination of shopping and put it all towards small local farms. They are trying to aggrandize the small farms of western Massachusetts in a astute way.

3. Programs

4. Farmer Mentor Program Helps new farmers by teaching them what other more experienced farmers have gone through and working one-on-one with each other to share information to better the agriculture community. Helping young “green hands” gregariously learn hands on techniques.

5. Farms to Schools A summer graduate coarse for agricultural literacy training for educators. Offers This graduate course offers agricultural-literacy training hands-on study and investigation of agriculture education resources. learn how to integrate agriculture into the classroom

6. Organizations devoted in the farms to schools program Fertile Ground The Farm Education Collaborative Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom School Sprouts Seeds of Solidarity Education Center

7. Community Needs “CISA's Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown® campaign has been pointing shoppers towards locally grown food, wood, and fiber since 1999.” Through this website you can find local farm products. help you use the local bounty. Gain ideas for packing lunches with locally grown food.

8. Critical Thinking This website uses Critical Thinking by interacting the community with local farmers. They also evaluate what needs the community needs from the small farms.

9. Critical Reading Focuses the community towards small farms. Promotes agriculture in the classroom. Such as… agricultural-literacy training agriculture enhancing curriculum investigation of agriculture education resources

10. Critical Action Developing small farms needs. Engaging the classroom to agriculture. This nonprofit is also helping teachagriculture.

11. Funding

12. Who has Funded Business Sponsors Government Grants Foundation Grants

13. Why you might want to Fund This non profit helps the community as a whole and the agriculture community as well This program helps promote business “CISA is connecting the dots between farm fields and kitchen tables, workplace dining rooms, and grocery store shelves.” The CISA take a vivacious new look and apply it towards what most Americans impetuously think of as “dirty” work. They do all this with a benevolent outlook towards the consumers.