Fiscal Sponsorship Case Study
UpRoot Center
Reclaiming the Story of Food to Build a Healthier, More Honest Food System
PROJECT
UpRoot Center
WEBSITE
www.uprootcenter.org
FISCAL SPONSOR
EarthShare
SECTOR
Food Systems, Public Health, Narrative Change, Sustainable Agriculture
PROGRAM TYPE
Model A
LOCATION
United States
KEYWORDS
Food systems, narrative change, public health, social media, behavioral science, Big Ag, regenerative agriculture, food policy, consumer education
How EarthShare’s Fiscal Sponsorship Helps UpRoot Center Reclaim the Food Narrative and Build Public Support for Systems Change
The Challenge
The modern food system is shaped by a powerful and deeply entrenched narrative.
For decades, industrial agriculture interests have invested heavily in influencing how the public understands food, farming, and health. Through sophisticated marketing, lobbying, and strategic communications, large agribusiness companies have normalized practices that often undermine soil health, biodiversity, farmer livelihoods, and public well-being.
UpRoot Center was created to challenge this status quo.
The organization combines social media strategy, behavioral science, and research on how people think to help trusted messengers (including doctors, farmers, parents, scientists, and advocates) communicate more effectively about food and agriculture. By reclaiming the story of food, UpRoot Center is working to build public understanding and collective power in support of a healthier, more honest food system.
Launching this type of fast-moving, media-driven initiative required nonprofit infrastructure that could support fundraising, contracting, and day-to-day operations without burdening the team with the administrative complexity of creating and managing a standalone 501(c)(3).
To attract philanthropic support and operate with institutional credibility, UpRoot Center needed a trusted fiscal sponsor that could provide legal and financial infrastructure while allowing the organization to focus on research, communications, and movement building.
The Solution
Through EarthShare’s fiscal sponsorship, UpRoot Center gained the legal, financial, and operational foundation needed to launch and grow as a mission-driven charitable initiative.
EarthShare provides the administrative backbone that enables UpRoot Center to receive tax-deductible donations, manage grants, navigate nonprofit compliance requirements, and operate with confidence. This includes financial administration, donor receipting, grant management, contracting support, risk management infrastructure, and day-to-day operational assistance.
With this infrastructure in place, UpRoot Center can focus on what it does best: researching how people form beliefs about food, developing compelling digital narratives, and equipping trusted messengers to challenge misinformation and build support for transformative change.
The Impact
With EarthShare as its fiscal sponsor, UpRoot Center has been able to strengthen its operational foundation and focus on reshaping public understanding of food and agriculture.
Fiscal sponsorship has helped UpRoot Center:
- Launch more quickly | UpRoot Center was able to begin fundraising and operations without first establishing an independent nonprofit entity.
- Mobilize philanthropic support | EarthShare provides a compliant structure for receiving and stewarding charitable contributions and foundation grants.
- Build institutional credibility | EarthShare’s trusted nonprofit infrastructure strengthens confidence among funders, partners, and collaborators.
- Scale communications efforts | Administrative and financial support allows the team to focus on research, content creation, and strategic storytelling.
- Strengthen operational management | Robust reporting and fund administration systems support greater visibility across programs and restricted funding.
Why It Matters
Changing food systems requires changing the stories people believe.
Public narratives shape consumer choices, political priorities, and investment decisions. When misinformation and industry influence dominate the conversation, meaningful reform becomes harder to achieve.
UpRoot Center demonstrates how strategic communications and behavioral science can help reclaim the story of food and empower trusted voices to lead cultural change. By pairing this work with strong nonprofit infrastructure, EarthShare enables initiatives like UpRoot Center to move faster, attract funding, and focus their energy on creating a healthier and more transparent food system.
About UpRoot Center
UpRoot Center is dedicated to reclaiming the story of our food from Big Ag. Using social media and research on how people think, the organization works with everyday heroes—including doctors, farmers, parents, and other trusted voices—to build public understanding and lead the way toward a healthier, more honest food system.
About EarthShare Fiscal Sponsorship
EarthShare’s fiscal sponsorship program provides mission-driven climate and environmental projects with the legal, financial, and operational infrastructure needed to launch, grow, and attract funding with confidence. As a trusted national nonprofit partner, EarthShare helps project leaders stay focused on strategy, delivery, and impact.