Kristen Moriarty joins Berkshire Agricultural Ventures as development director – The Berkshire Eagle

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Strengthens Capacity to Advance Sustainable Development Goals with New Leadership

Introduction

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting a resilient regional food system, has announced the appointment of Kristen Moriarty as its new Development Director. This strategic hiring aims to enhance the organization’s capacity to achieve its mission, which directly aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

New Appointment and Strategic Objectives

In her new role, Ms. Moriarty will lead fundraising and development efforts critical to advancing BAV’s work. Her primary responsibilities contribute to building a sustainable operational framework for the organization.

• Fundraising and Donor Cultivation: Spearheading a multipronged fundraising strategy to secure financial resources for agricultural programs, directly supporting local food producers.
• Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17): Cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual donors, private foundations, and corporate partners to build strong, multi-stakeholder collaborations.
• Programmatic Expansion: Overseeing the grant portfolio to expand capacity for farmer-focused programming, which promotes sustainable agricultural practices and contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) through specialized training and support.

The organization also hired a program and development associate, further investing in human capital to support these objectives and promote SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through job creation.

Professional Background and Community Engagement

Ms. Moriarty brings a diverse skill set from her previous positions at Shakespeare & Company, where she gained experience in development, program management, and individual giving. Her background also includes event management and content creation. This appointment highlights the promotion of women in leadership positions, aligning with SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Her active community involvement, including four years as PTO president at Morris Elementary School, demonstrates a commitment to fostering strong and inclusive communities (SDG 11).

Organizational Impact on Regional Sustainability

Based in Great Barrington with a staff of nine, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures serves a tri-state area including parts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. The organization’s work is fundamental to achieving regional sustainability targets. The enhancement of its development team is poised to amplify its impact across several key SDGs:

1. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): By providing essential support to farmers, BAV strengthens the local food supply chain, improves food security, and promotes sustainable agriculture.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The organization fosters economic viability for farm businesses, creating sustainable livelihoods and contributing to inclusive economic growth within the community.
3. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Supporting local agriculture encourages sustainable production patterns and reduces the environmental impact associated with long-distance food transportation.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • The article focuses on Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV), a nonprofit organization that “serves farmers” and provides “farmer-focused programming.” This directly relates to SDG 2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. By supporting farmers, BAV contributes to the foundation of the local food system.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • BAV’s mission to support “agricultural ventures” aligns with promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. Farming is a form of employment and entrepreneurship, and by providing support, the organization helps ensure the economic viability of these small-scale enterprises, contributing to local economic growth and decent work. The article also notes the organization’s own growth, with a “staff of nine” and the hiring of two new employees, which contributes to local employment.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The central theme of the article is the hiring of a new development director to lead a “multipronged fundraising effort.” This effort involves “cultivating and stewarding individual donors” and overseeing a “grant portfolio of private and corporate foundations.” This is a clear example of a civil society organization (BAV) building multi-stakeholder partnerships to mobilize financial resources for achieving its sustainable development objectives.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 2.3: Double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers.

   • The article states that BAV “serves farmers” and has “farmer-focused programming.” While not explicitly detailed, the purpose of an organization named “Agricultural Ventures” is to support the viability and success of farms, which directly connects to increasing their productivity and income.

2. Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.

   • By supporting “agricultural ventures,” BAV is directly fostering entrepreneurship and the growth of small-scale enterprises (farms) within the local economy, which is the core of this target.

3. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

   • The article’s focus on the new development director’s role in managing relationships with “individual donors” and “private and corporate foundations” is a direct implementation of this target. BAV is actively building partnerships with the private sector and individuals (civil society) to finance its mission.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

1. Indicator for Target 2.3 (Implied): Number of farmers supported.

   • The article implies this indicator by stating that the organization “serves farmers in parts of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York” and is expanding its “capacity for farmer-focused programming.” Progress could be measured by the number of farmers engaged in these programs.

2. Indicator for Target 17.17 (Implied): Financial resources mobilized.

   • The hiring of a development director to lead a “multipronged fundraising effort” and oversee a “grant portfolio” directly implies that a key metric for success is the amount of funding raised from donors and foundations. This serves as a direct indicator of the financial resources mobilized through partnerships.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: berkshireeagle.com