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We have a food system in America that is fundamentally broken - or, more accurately…
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Tom McDougall posted this"How was/is Climate Week?" Very strange moment to try to answer that question: I flew out of NYC this morning to get to Virginia Beach, where the 4P Foods team is ganging up with a bunch of other bada$$ food hubs in our region like Firsthand Foods, Freshlist, Working Landscapes, the Eastern Food Hub Collaborative (TY to Seed Change Strategies), and others to evangelize, activate, celebrate, and feed tens of thousands of people at Farm Aid. What's the opposite of networking events, panel discussions, and relentless scheduling of Climate Week? I'll tell ya: It's getting weird, courtesy of Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Jesse Welles, Mon Rovia, Lily Meola, Sierra Ferrell, and many more. Here's what Climate Week was for me: On the one hand, it was a wildly frustrating, out-of-body experience, listening to industry leaders and corporate promises trying to make their sh*tty styrofoam packaging slightly less $h*tty by the year 2100. It was the perpetuation of a system that caused the problems we are trying to solve by choosing incrementalism as the strategy to change that very system. Those promises, those commitments, those approaches, were mapped against the background of a polycrisis. A very clear picture of a world truly (not figuratively, not "sort of") in peril. I need not rattle off the long list of indicators that show we are at and beyond tipping points, not only in our biological and environmental systems, but also in our social and economic systems. Incrementalism, especially at the hands of the most powerful food system actors in the world, is not going to get us where we need to get, certainly not on the timeline with which we need to get there. All of this while single-use plastic cups are readily available to sip beverages as if to flaunt the dystopian hypocrisy of the whole thing. To that end, F** climate week. It's a charade. A masquerade. But on the other hand... There are others. There is a much longer list of others. Builders, makers, creators, activists, evangelists, and champions, who are giving every bit of their spirit to build something new. People like Seanicaa (Edwards) Herron, Matt Jozwiak, Phil Taylor, Todd Barker, Clare Fox, Corby Kummer, Dalila Boclin, Carolyn Gahn, Caroline Noble, Steven Chen, Christopher Gergen, Jeff Tkach, Anne Engammare McBride, PhD, Sara Balawajder, Ryland Engelhart and MANY MORE. Climate week serves as a touch point to bring our flames together in an effort to build a roaring bonfire; A source of light, direction, warmth, safety, and inspiration. We gather to share ideas, create plans, exchange capital, laugh, cry (a lot), and most importantly, be human. As my friend Ken Kolb, PhD likes to describe it, we experience "collective effervescence" - the shared feeling of energy, harmony, and connection that happens when people gather for a common purpose. What then, is that common purpose? For me, it comes down to one word: Revolution. Let's do this. Let's build the new system.
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Tom McDougall shared thisShout out to Natalie Reitman-White and Peter Koehler for their continued work in this space. 4P Foods is watching closely and learning from others as we collectively decide how to hold Mission and Margin in harmony with one another. Keep up the great work, y'all! And bravo, to Grady-White Boats.Tom McDougall shared thisI am very proud to share about another ownership transition I worked on. Grady-White Boats transition is the largest business since Patagonia to combine a perpetual purpose trust and a nonprofit organization. It was an honor and truly inspiring to work over the past year with founder Eddie Smith, and CEO & President Kris Carroll, and their whole team. Over 50+ years, they built a highly successful company though a relationship-driven approach to business. Grady-White is a highly profitable business that operates with integrity and heart, has deep care for employees, customers and the local community, rigorous focus on quality, and makes decisions for the long term. Grady-White Boats will surely be a lighthouse for other founders who find the usual ownership succession options inadequate. This shows another way that can preserve the culture, ensure employee profit sharing and benefits continue, safeguard the company’s independence and way of operating. It was great to work once again with my long-time collaborator Peter Koehler and our all-star team member Alex Martinez. #stewardownership #purposetrustownershipnetwork #perpetualpurposetrust
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Tom McDougall posted thisWe did a thing! I am deeply humbled and honored to be named a 2026 John P. McNulty Prize Winner alongside Rudy Espinoza and Anna Novosad. More than anything, this recognition shines a light on an important truth: We do not have to accept the food system we've inherited. We can build a different one. A better one. For the past twelve years, the team at 4P Foods has been proving that regional food systems can work at scale. Every day, farmers, school districts, hospitals, food banks, community organizations, chefs, distributors, and policymakers are showing that healthier local economies, healthier communities, and a healthier planet aren't competing goals—they reinforce one another. We've always believed that the future of food won't be built by one organization. It'll be built by an ecosystem of people willing to collaborate across sectors, challenge old assumptions, and keep designing something that we all deserve, that we all can be proud of. We are grateful to the McNulty Foundation and the The Aspen Institute for believing in this vision, and especially grateful to every farmer, teammate, partner, customer, and supporter who has been part of this journey. This recognition belongs to all of you. Extra love to Corby Kummer for being the beautiful human that he is. We've still got a lot of work to do. And honestly... I can't think of a better group of people to do it with. Let’s GO! Watch the Announcement Video here: https://lnkd.in/euDgd55C #McNultyPrize #FoodSystems
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Tom McDougall shared thisRight back atcha, Adam! Building the collective puzzle of a better system - excited to be on the journey with you and your team. Special shout out to our friends at Headwater Foods for connecting the dots!Tom McDougall shared thisThe best partnerships happen when organizations are solving different parts of the same challenge. That's what makes the new partnership between Trellus and 4P Foods of Warrenton Virginia such a natural fit. 4P Foods is building a more regenerative and equitable food system by creating stronger connections between regional farmers, institutions, and communities. At Trellus, we're building the regional delivery infrastructure that helps those connections move efficiently from origin to destination. Together, we're helping create a stronger, more connected regional food network across America.
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Tom McDougall shared thisNicole Tichenor Blackstone thanks for gathering us today - what an inspiring conversation. and one more time for the folks in the back: "Where the food comes from *matters*!" #FarmtoFIM. FIMCONTom McDougall shared thisDay 1 @ FIMCON, and I'm excited to moderate a *stellar* session this afternoon on scaling Farm to FIM 🍎. We'll hear about what's working and how to keep up the momentum from Tom McDougall, Cathryn Couch, Merry Davis, Joshua Faller, Brian Hillmer, Erin W. Martin and Heather Latino. Catch us @3:45! This is part of the values-aligned purchasing/Farm to FIM track being organized by The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and Health Care Without Harm (Shout out to our team: LaPorchia Collins, Emma Sirois, Betsy Skoda, Lisa Niederman, Kyra Battaglia). Huge thanks to The Rockefeller Foundation for their support of this work! https://fimcon.org/
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Tom McDougall shared thisBig props to Hannah Rowan for her wonderful piece in The New Atlantis, titled "Happy Meals." It's a long read, and well worth it. The questions we often ask about how to design and implement the architectural scaffolding of a new food system - let alone a new economic system within which our food system operates - are nuanced and complex. They warrant long form conversation, discussion, and musings. Hannah does all that and more in this piece. As more attention turns toward Food-is-Medicine and preventative health, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: if we want healthier people, we also need healthier food systems. That means asking bigger questions about where food comes from, how it’s grown, how it moves, and whether the underlying infrastructure is actually built to support long-term health outcomes. What often gets missed in these conversations is the complexity behind making this work at scale. Farmers take on risk when shifting production. Regional supply chains have to manage more complexity. Institutions need to commit to procurement models that value long-term impact, not just lowest-cost sourcing. None of this happens overnight, and none of it happens in isolation. The article also raises an important tension: how do we scale these models beyond pilot programs without losing the integrity, relationships, and values that made them effective in the first place? For those working across agriculture, healthcare, nutrition, impact financing, and regional food systems, I think it’s a worthwhile read and an important conversation to continue having. https://lnkd.in/edXprZ-z
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Tom McDougall shared thisEvery year, we put together an Impact Report that looks back at the prior year to celebrate our partners, toot our horn, and elevate amazing humans doing amazing work. This year is no different - here's a look back at 2025. What's neat is that we're not alone in this type of impact. Everywhere in the country right now, there are food hubs aggregating from and distributing to their local communities. They are supporting farmers, shifting policy, raising capital, feeding families, and showing what's possible. **Big ups** to all of our friends at the Eastern Food Hub Collaborative who are on this journey with us; Dreaming Out Loud, Inc., Headwater Foods, Freshlist, @Grow Food Carolina, Firsthand Foods, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Food Connects, Farmer Foodshare, Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP), Red Tomato, Inc., FRESHFARM, Working Landscapes, Boston Food Hub, @Crowne of Maine, Seed Change Strategies. Every one of us is working on some form of Food-is-Medicine work, farm-to-school programs, restaurant relationships, home deliveries, and more. We buy from over 1,200 farms, and move tens of millions of dollars of food each season. We are bringing scale through a network --> a food supply web to replace extractive food supply chains. So for now, peep our Impact Report, but also, follow along. We food hubs... We are on to something. And it's worth celebrating. 4PFoods 2025 Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/enR5BuMa
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Tom McDougall shared this4P Foods was launched on Earth Day in 2014 - yesterday, we celebrated our 12th "Earth Day Birthday" with the whole team. We spent the day exploring the 4P's... People, Purpose, PLANET, and Prosperity. While we have a long way to go before regional, regenerative, and equitable food systems are the Norm, one thing is for certain: It can be done. It can be built. And it only gets built in partnership with a wide ecosystem of partners, leaders, and warriors all fighting for our home planet. Many thanks to Builders Vision, who are building that ecosystem, our team here in the mid-Atlantic feels more confident than ever that we CAN DO THIS. Mostly, because we ARE doing this. On behalf of Mother Earth... Let's GO, Y'all!Tom McDougall shared thisAt Builders Vision, we partner with hundreds of companies, funds and grantees scaling solutions and reinventing entire industries to create a more sustainable future. This Earth Day, we are featuring a few of these incredible partners at the forefront of building a more resilient planet: ECOncrete, Electra, Global Delta Capital, Trellis Climate, GreenieRE Coalition and 4P Foods. From pioneering industrial decarbonization to building regenerative food systems, these innovators are proving that economic strength and environmental health are fundamentally linked. They are building the commercial infrastructure and market-driven solutions necessary to drive growth that supports both a thriving planet and global economy. Swipe through to learn more and hear from our team on how these partners are shaping the economy of tomorrow. Learn more about our work: buildersvision.com #EarthDay2026
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Tom McDougall shared thisThe prompt from LinkedIn when you begin to write a post is, "What do you want to talk about?" Welp, I'm glad you asked, LinkedIn, because I wanna talk about *THIS GUY*. Christopher Bradshaw and I started our organizations round about the same time in Washington, DC. I was living in SW DC, the same neighborhood where he was building a kick-ass urban farm - a program that has become the backbone of Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.. We both found our way to Impact Hub Network, a shared workspace for mission-driven businesses in Penn Quarter, where we built relationships among the food justice community, hosted events, lamented the struggles of running food hubs, and managed to convince each other that buying a 2009 Ford Transit Connect Van to be our distribution vehicles of choice was a good idea (our van was fondly named "the Ghostbuster" and it has since retired - pics below - may she rest in peace). Fast forward to this Monday. I (finally) went to visit Chris and his team at the Marion Barry Avenue Market & Cafe, which opened last year after nearly a decade of unrelenting focus on behalf of Chris and his team. Dreaming Out Loud has become not only a place, but a powerful machine of food justice, economic justice, and a beacon of hope. After spending a couple hours with Devonte Howard and Chris, getting the tour, catching up, and sharing big ideas, I walked away with another word to describe Chris and his organization: Strength. 💪 I asked Chris how he was doing, personally, knowing that so many of us fighting for a better food system can find ourselves tired, worn out, and at times overwhelmed. His response, without skipping a beat was, "I'm doing great!" He's healthy, he's happy, he's got balance, and all of that is showing up in the culture of Dreaming Out Loud. The place is alive with good energy and forward progress. They're building, they're growing, they're vibing. It was inspiring, refreshing, and energizing for me. To see a leader put all of his blood, sweat, and tears into something that has not only come to life, but it is continuing to expand, and he's still got a ton of gas left in the tank... THAT is strength. THAT is what strong leadership looks like. To everyone at Dreaming Out Loud: THANK YOU for your Strength. It's an honor to work alongside you, it's a gift to learn from you, and it's a good shot of energy drink to see you kicking so much ass. You deserve it. To anyone not familiar with DOL's work, go check them out. Hire them for your next catering event, buy from their Black Entrepreneurs, visit their cafe (try the Mushroom Po' Boy), source your produce from them, but most importantly, give them the props they deserve for being strong, for staying strong, and for making it look (and taste) good while doing it. Much love, Chris! Let's gooo!
Tom McDougall commented on a post
3w
Thanks, and all kudos redirected appropriately to our team, our partners, and most importantly, our farmers. Onward!
Tom McDougall commented on a post
3w
Thanks for continuing to help make this forum possible Loic Comolli. Looking forward to seeing all my fellow regenerative food system nerd friends there!
Tom McDougall commented on a post
3w
I mean, anyone that gets to work with Clare Fox on the daily MUST be a rockstar. Go team, go!
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Tom McDougall liked thisIntegrated Capital is Essential for Systems Change. Grant funding can be impactful, but it can’t drive systems change alone. To create a new economy of food – one that values and protects ecological farming, resilient supply chains, worker protections, community ownership, and equitable access – funders and practitioners must work together to address the evolving capital needs for food system transformation. We know we need more BIPOC land stewardship, regional food hubs, worker cooperatives, and community-serving retail. But how do we unlock the capital resources needed to build this new food system? Individual funding tools come with both opportunities and downsides, limiting their respective impact. Traditional finance conforms to status quo market dynamics and financial extraction, hamstringing innovation for regenerative and equitable agriculture and limiting opportunities for frontline entrepreneurs. #IntegratedCapital approaches can turn individual funding tools into a combined and catalytic force, unlocking larger flows of public and private capital toward solutions for a sustainable food future. Most importantly, it's a way to see beyond financial resources alone to coordinate an ecosystem of shared values, deeper partnerships, and non-financial resources toward systems change. For philanthropy, integrated capital approaches multiple the impact of grant dollars. As federal funding cuts continue to destabilize community-led food projects, the limitations of fragmented funding structures are becoming impossible to ignore. A business-as-usual approach to philanthropy is not sufficient for the complexity of crises – and the scale of opportunities for transformation. Want to learn how you can expand your impact through integrated capital strategies? Join Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) for the Integrated Capital Community of Practice led by the inimitable Charity May of Sacred Futures. This in-depth and ransformative learning experience is open to any organization that deploys capital and will equip you with technical, applicable, and community resources. Sign up for the program by Friday October 2nd. Got questions? Join us on Tuesday 9/29 to hear from last cohort's participants (Link in comments). #catalyticcapital #nonextractivecapital #RFSI #impactinvesting #philanthropy #foodsystemschange #solidarityeconomyTom McDougall liked this🌱 Registration is OPEN to join the second cohort of our Integrated Capital Community of Practice! This seven-month, cohort-based program is for funders ready to align all forms of capital—grants, investments, endowments, and beyond—with mission, vision, and values. Through expert-led sessions, peer exchange, and hands-on projects, you'll learn about tools and frameworks to deploy capital using a full-spectrum, impact-aligned approach and better understand your unique position and opportunities for influence within a larger capital ecosystem in food and agriculture. Open to SAFSF members and non-members. The deadline to join is October 2, 2026, but early sign-ups are encouraged. LEARN MORE + REGISTER ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eTCKsxfJ #IntegratedCapital #Philanthropy #ImpactInvesting #SystemsChange #SAFSF
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Tom McDougall reacted on thisTom McDougall reacted on thisThe industrial agriculture system is artificially cheap - let’s pay farms and farmers for the real value of locally, regeneratively grown food for the benefit of our economy, our environment, and our health. Tom McDougall from 4P Foods with Nathaniel Rateliff at Farm Aid
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Tom McDougall reacted on thisTom McDougall reacted on thisIn NYC for Climate Week with some amazing leaders in food and ag. 🌎💫⛰️ Patagonia Mad Agriculture Trailhead Capital Lauren Tucker Renourish Studio Elizabeth Candelario
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Tom McDougall reacted on thisTom McDougall reacted on thisMore great framing, this time from Philip Taylor, Ph.D. and Tom McDougall "How do we tend the fire of change?" "The challenge right now is to build a massive bonfire..."
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Tom McDougall liked thisTom McDougall liked thisSince 2021, Builders Vision has partnered with ECOncrete to bring their bio-enhancing concrete to commercial scale—an innovative technology that improves the strength of marine infrastructure while actively regenerating the ocean ecosystem. Today, that technology is being deployed in major projects from Rotterdam to New York City. Backed by a recent $14 million funding round that attracted significant institutional investment, they are proving that nature-positive infrastructure is ready for scale. Read more about what’s possible when an innovation is matched with the long-term, flexible capital it needs to scale: https://lnkd.in/dZVbt-_2
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Tom McDougall reacted on thisTom McDougall reacted on this🎉 Big news from Food System 6: We have completed the first close of Guarantees for Regenerative Agriculture (GRA), securing $3.1 million in guarantor capacity. GRA is a new risk-sharing facility designed to expand the capacity of mission-driven lenders financing regenerative agriculture. Some of the most innovative agricultural lenders in the country are already finding more flexible, borrower-friendly ways to serve this sector. They understand that agricultural transition and growth do not always fit neatly within conventional underwriting models. Yet many of these lenders cannot access the billions of dollars in taxpayer-backed loan guarantees administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. That leaves them without one of the federal government’s primary tools for balancing risk across agricultural lending portfolios. GRA is designed to help those lenders go further. Through GRA, philanthropic guarantors share risk with lenders, giving them more room to be creative, refine their underwriting approaches, and explore how risk in regenerative agriculture can be understood differently. This shared-risk structure also means farmers, ranchers, and food businesses are not left to carry the full financial risk of transforming our food system. At our targeted 5x multiplier, this first close could support more than $15 million in lending for regenerative transitions and growth. But the goal is bigger than moving capital through a single facility. Through GRA, we will study how regenerative agriculture loans perform, identify what effective underwriting looks like, and help build a practical playbook that more lenders can use to finance this sector successfully. We are actively looking to partner with: 🍎 Lenders and other capital providers interested in using guarantees to expand or strengthen their agricultural lending 🍎 Foundations, philanthropic investors, and other funders interested in providing additional guarantor capacity Learn more about GRA here: https://lnkd.in/gDYMXK_aGuarantees for Regenerative Agriculture — Food System 6Guarantees for Regenerative Agriculture — Food System 6
Experience & Education
Honors & Awards
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Diana Davis Spencer Fellow
The Global Good Fund
Awarded the Diana Davis Spencer Fellowship, a 12-month program supporting the leadership development of social entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating sustainable jobs for under- and unemployed Americans over the age of 50.
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adVenturesAcademy Pioneer
adVenturesAcademy
adVenturesAcademy unleashes the growth potential of high-impact enterprises and aligned investors, harnessing the power of adventure to deepen engagement, redefine diligence, and build resilient growth.
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FoodFutureCo: Food Accelerator Cohort
FoodFutureCo
Accepted into the FoodFutureCo Accelerator Program as a leader of an established, mission-oriented food business. FoodFutureCo is the world's first scale-up accelerator designed to scale up leaders of companies working towards impactful solutions in the food ecosystem.
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Rising Social Entrepreneur
Conscious Company Media
Conscious Company Magazine partnered with leading accelerators, incubators and educational institutions to identify 17 rising entrepreneurs who see things differently, are shaking the tree, disrupting industries, making money and doing good.
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