Our Mission
The mission of The Chain Collaborative is to co-create opportunities and strengthen capacities for community-led change in the coffee sector. Through our central program, the Community-Led Development Incubator, we build relationships with local leaders in coffee-growing regions, cultivate their project design and management skills, and foster the development of their farming enterprises. This work allows global communities to combat intergenerational poverty and marginalization in the coffee sector on their own terms, and according to their own visions for change. In addition to our Community-Led Development Incubator, we offer Courses and Consulting Services, and engage in other coffee industry collaborations, in order to maximize our impact across the value stream.
How Your Donations Help
- $15,000 supports 1 community-based organization to participate in our Incubator program for one year
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Our Impact
about 1 year ago — Com, Guatemala
Jovemcafé is a group of 25 young women coffee entrepreneurs from the community of Com, Guatemala. The group entered The Chain Collaborative's Community-Led Development Incubator program with plans to launch a tree nursery business to generate additional income through the sale of shade and coffee tree seedlings. Prior to joining the Incubator, Jovemcafé had previously participated in farming and gender training, but never had the opportunity to develop their own initiatives. However, after practicing TCC-recommended community visioning exercises, several members of the organization demonstrated increased leadership capacity, and came forward to design the tree nursery project; in addition, they formed a second committee to design a parallel community-led project as part of the Incubator: a collective egg-laying hen business. Now, both this business and their tree nursery are contributing to increased incomes for members of Jovemcafé, especially during coffee's off-season. Specifically, Jovemcafé is bringing in $1,000 USD extra per month through their new initiatives, and thanks to their engagement with TCC, their members report increased confidence, connections, and capacity to continue turning their future project ideas into realities. (Image is of Paula Perez, community leader of Jovemcafé).
Causes We Support
Countries We Serve
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Through our Community-Led Development Incubator program, local leaders of community-based organizations in coffee-growing regions design, implement, and measure the impact of their own community-led projects. To date, we have seen participants design and carry-out projects related to the following impact areas: Education; Food Sovereignty; Transformative Infrastructure; Alternative Income; Gender Equity; and Clean Water, Carbon, and Climate.