Summary
Organization name
Masa Seed Foundation
2018
Tax id (EIN)
83-2720985
Category
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, Human Services
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
1367 N. 75th StreetBoulder, CO 80303
Boulder County, CO, US
Masa Seed Foundation
1
match
Live
$7,144 raised
8% complete
$85,000 Goal
About
Custom Tab
MASA Seed Foundation: Securing Colorado’s Local Seed & Food Future
MASA Seed Foundation is a 501(C)3 nonprofit on a mission to secure a diverse and vibrant food system for the Front Range by building a seed bank of locally adapted seeds capable of responding to changing climate conditions. MASA's work connects seed stewardship with food access; the bioregional seed bank keeps locally adapted seeds in active use, while the farm turns that growing capacity into fresh produce for CSA members, community markets and hunger relief partners. Their Farm to Food Bank program provides fresh produce directly to low income families and others with limited access to healthy food.
The Challenge in Colorado
Global seed uniformity and extreme high-altitude weather leave our local food systems vulnerable. As water scarcity worsens and soil degrades, traditional agriculture struggles to keep up, threatening the future of organic farming across the Front Range.
MASA Seed Foundation isn't just a farm—it is the Front Range’s dedicated bioregional seed bank, research center, and educational hub. We breed, preserve, and distribute open-pollinated seeds specifically adapted to thrive in Colorado’s high-altitude, low-water environment without heavy chemical inputs. By securing local seed genetics, we ensure our region can grow resilient, nutritious food for generations to come.
Local Proof & Community Reach
In the past year alone, our community-backed efforts delivered real impact across Boulder County and the Front Range:
🌾 400–500 Seed Varieties Preserved: Saved and acclimated high-altitude seed lines built specifically for Colorado's soil and dry climate. Locally adapted starter plants at the MASA Botanical Plant Nursery in Boulder.
🥬 60,000 lbs of Organic Produce Donated: Grown on our 75th Street farm and distributed directly to local hunger-relief partners.
👩🌾 640 Volunteers & Student Groups Educated: Taught hands-on regenerative farming, seed stewardship, and soil health on site.
Giving Activity
Mission
MASA Seed Foundation is on a
mission to secure a Front Range Seed
Bank of heirloom and traditional
food plant varieties, ensuring seeds
adapt to climate shifts and support
food resilience. Our work feeds
communities while advancing the
future of locally adapted seeds.
Background Statement
In 1990 MASA Seed Foundation’s founder, Richard Pecoraro, helped facilitate the launching of the nation’s first 100% organic, non-hybrid seed company, Seeds of Change. In 1995 he moved on to develop a new regional seed and produce organization called Abbondanza Organic Seeds and Produce in Gila, New Mexico where he utilized his seed training to create an organic seed and vegetable system that became a vital resource for the rural area. The team at Abbondanza applied traditional seed breeding methods for crop improvement to create a community-supported agricultural model unknown to most at the time.
Richard then moved north to Boulder, Colorado to expand Abbondanza’s concepts and the bio-regional seed bank to include Colorado’s Front Range.
In 2018, MASA Seed Foundation, a non-profit organization, was formed to be the steward of this important seed bank and to continue the organic, regenerative agricultural practices started in 1990. Since then, the organization has extended its mission to provide healthy, local produce to communities in need and to distributing seeds and plant starts community gardens and local growers who are part of a network working towards food sovereignty for the Front Range that can withstand the effects of a changing climate.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Boulder, CO 80303