Capital Conversation: Funding Regeneration with David Leon and Drew Dumsch

David Leon is the Co-Founder & Executive Director at Farmer's Footprint and Drew Dumsch is the President & CEO of The Ecology School. They are both inspiring leaders in the regenerative movement and have taken innovative approaches to funding their projects. Although the topics of profit and capital can make many in the regenerative world queasy, the reality is that funding is a foundational element to most ambitious initiatives. And just like how society's ideas about food production and community can be revolutionized with the ideals of regeneration, so can its ideas about capital and financing.

This is the first in a series of Capital Conversations that will dive deep into the state of capital in the regenerative space. It was recorded this summer in front of a live audience at the Regenerative Real Estate Gathering at the bucolic River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine. Show host Neal, David, and Drew discuss the formation of their respective regenerative endeavors: Farmer's Footprint, a nonprofit "creative agency" for farmers, and The Ecology School, which has hosted over 100,000 participants in programs that aim to promote an appreciate for nature and the environment. David talks about how to approach profitability and financial sustainability as a nonprofit, and Drew explains how his group raised $14 million to bring The Ecology School to River Bend Farm through a creative combination of loans and capital campaigns. For more information, visit theecologyschool.org and farmersfootprint.us.

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This podcast isn’t just about ideas—it’s about action. From these conversations, two organizations have emerged to bring regenerative real estate to life:

Latitude Regenerative Real Estate is the world’s first regenerative-focused real estate brokerage, dedicated to aligning values-driven buyers and sellers. With a strong presence in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions, Latitude also supports purpose-driven developments across North America through strategic marketing and branding services. If you're looking to buy, sell, or amplify a regenerative project, Latitude is your trusted partner.

Hamlet Capital is an investment and development firm committed to building resilient communities rooted in working farms. If you’re developing an agrihood or conservation community, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can turn visionary ideas into thriving, place-based investments.