Resilient Southern LAND Fund

The Future of Southern Land is Being Decided Now.

The LAND Fund is building a new model for land ownership: one that keeps farmland in community hands, restores soil health, and supports the next generation of regenerative stewards.

About Us

A joint initiative between Rural Beacon Initiative and Croatan Institute, the Resilient Southern Legacy and Nature Defense (LAND) Fund seeks to bridge capital and community by strengthening soil wealth through place-based investment. This approach places regenerative farmers and land stewards at the center of building climate resilience and restoring the rural landscapes and economies that sustain us.

Our Process

Acquire

Acquires undervalued or at-risk farmland and timberland in the U.S. South facing development pressure or generational transition

Stabilize

Uses patient, mission-aligned capital to stabilize land tenure, restore ecological function, and de-risk transition periods—enabling producers to invest, contract, and plan long-term

Regenerate

Transitions land to regenerative farmers and community stewards through ownership and stewardship pathways—supporting consistent, market-ready production rather than extractive leasing

Our Team

William J. Barber III, JD

LAND Fund Co-Founder

Rural Beacon Initiative

Joshua Humphreys

LAND Fund Co-Founder

Croatan institute

Stu Dalheim

Rural Beacon Initiative

John Fenderson

Croatan institute

Christi Electris

Croatan institute

News

Meet the 5th ARC Fellowship Cohort

We’re thrilled to announce that the Resilient Southern LAND Fund has been selected to participate in the 5th cohort of Boston Impact Initiative’s ARC Fellowship. For five years, the ARC Fellowship has supported visionary fund managers who center community ownership, economic justice, and climate sustainability. The program is hands-on and peer-driven, bringing together managers at every…

Capital Rooted in Place

We put regenerative farmers and rural communities at the center of a new investment model — one where healthy land and thriving economies grow together.

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