The CCOF Foundation announced on April 28 that its Organic Transition Program has been independently verified by Impact Genome, an organization specializing in nonprofit impact assessment. The verification was made possible through a partnership with BMO, which supported the review of the program’s results.
This development is significant as it provides external validation of the foundation’s efforts to support farmers transitioning to organic agriculture. Third-party verification is seen as an important step in building trust and transparency regarding nonprofit outcomes.
According to the announcement, Impact Genome used universal standards for outcomes, program design, beneficiaries, context, and evidence quality to evaluate the CCOF Foundation’s Organic Transition Program. The evaluation found that the supporting evidence for the program’s impact was rated as Extensive—an assessment achieved by only 29% of programs reporting on primary Business Development outcomes. This places CCOF Foundation’s evidence level equal to or stronger than 93% of all nonprofit programs evaluated by Impact Genome.
The program supports farmers during their transition period into organic agriculture by providing $10,000 per year in direct financial support over three years, along with technical assistance tailored to each farm, mentorship opportunities, networking resources, and referrals to partner organizations. Since its launch, more than $1.8 million has been invested in 176 farmers participating in this initiative.
Impact Genome reported a 100% effectiveness rate for participating farmers—above sector benchmarks—and found that every farmer accessed essential financial resources while also improving their organic farming skills and professional networks. The cost per outcome was significantly lower than sector averages at $15,413 USD compared with a typical range of $60,913–$91,178 USD.
The CCOF Foundation said its farmer-centered model has influenced larger public programs such as California’s CDFA Organic Transition Partnership Program and USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program. In 2025 alone, the foundation served 48 diverse farmers across California through this initiative.
In a statement about future engagement with stakeholders and supporters: “We invite you to explore the full Impact Genome Verified Impact Report to learn more about the outcomes, benchmarks, and methodology behind this assessment of our Organic Transition Program.”
