
Donation 2021
Truth is, COVID has affected RMSA’s budget again this year. The good news is that we are trimming where we can, applying for PPP funds, and hope to come pretty close to ending the year, cash-wise, where we began. Our budget for the year has the rather reasonable goal of raising $25,000 from individual contributions. This is something we have done before. The time has come. We are looking for heroes to jump start the process by throwing down a chunk up front as an incentive to match and stimulate the other donations through out the year. Go big or go home. The times call for this.
What is more cost-effective and powerful than training seed teachers?
How often do you get the chance to be the hero in a world that really needs one?
Bill McDorman, Executive Director
RMSA’s Impact
- Built online web directories where Seed Stewards, Seed Teachers, Grain Trialists, Seed Librarians, and Seed Businesses can find seeds, resources and most importantly each other with the click of a mouse.
- Recruited 330 Seed Stewards commited to save and share seed from at least one crop.
- Inspired 152 Heritage Grain Trialists to grow, save and share seed for more than 200 varieties of ancient and heritage grains.
- Graduated 936 Seed School students and 134 Seed Teacher graduates, many of whom have gone on to start seed exchanges, seed libraries, seed workshops and seed schools.
- Organized 50 seed leaders from across the U.S. to begin discussions to start a Patent Free Seed Campaign.
- Sent representatives to Peliti Seed Festival in Greece, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in Rome, and taught seed saving in the Philippines for the Global Seed Savers.
- Visited dozens of communities across the Mountain West (and beyond) to educate, speak, inspire, network and advocate on behalf of saving seeds!
- Presented workshops at many of the region’s organic farming conferences about organic seed patenting and heritage grain trials.
We are making an impact together – and our work has never been more important!
Please consider making a donation to RMSA. Like a tiny seed, your contribution can make a powerful difference in the lives of generations to come. So far we have raised $460 towards our $25,000 target! That’s 2% of the total!

In deep appreciation,
I know the pandemic has also impacted you, our RMSA family and friends. For that I am grieved. Some have suffered the loss of loved ones, others have experienced the decline of health, income, and various hardships. I am sorry if this is the case. I hope you find healing, as I know I have, through planting and saving seeds. And if you can in large or small ways, consider supporting us in our efforts to connect others to the healing joy of seed saving. We want to be around to watch the healing power of seeds ripple through new and upcoming seed savers. Because to me, there is no better gift than one with an incalculable ripple effect like that of seed sharing.
In the past few months, we have discussed concepts such as “white fragility,” “human supremacy,” “earth justice” and “anti-racism.” This is important, soul-searching work and through this learning process RMSA is becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and socially just organization. In early 2021 RMSA will publish our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement to help inspire and guide our work! We are grateful for everyone in the “RMSA Family” and invite you to join us moving forward into 2021 with a deeper understanding of the privilege, blessings, and responsibilities that seeds have gifted us.
“Take a knee” and kiss the Earth, oh what a sensation!
To plant and grow in celebration,
That Seeds will show the way to our Salvation.
May peace and loving-kindness prevail,
The Walking Wall is a dry-stacked rock wall conceived by British artist, Andy Goldsworthy, and the Kansas City community in which it was created. The wall was originally 1500 feet, traversing various Kansas City sites, including a road where authorities blocked off traffic, and ending at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art where part of it would eventually reside. New sections of the wall were constructed from rocks pulled from the end of the installation as that section was dismantled. One local paper reported that what made the project exciting was the process “…on the way to experiencing, if not always understanding, what Goldsworthy was up to.”.
/more We have experienced some of our own surprise and curiosity watching the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance (RMSA) evolve from its strong foundations, and redefining the ways it serves its mission. It has been a sobering process at times transforming past experiences into the building blocks of the future.
What an honor to be part of RMSA’s group of deep thinkers, spiritual seekers, and committed seed lovers. RMSA is an amazing expression of community, hard work, and dedication in the same way as the Walking Wall. We didn’t always know how we would overcome our challenges, but we had faith in our organization and its supporters. And look where we are now! I am so proud and thankful to you all.
RMSA not only stewards precious seeds but the resources needed to do the work. People who have supported RMSA know that we have always done a lot with a little. Please do what you can to assure this profound work continues.
I have walked this path with RMSA from the beginning in 2014 and am proud to be one of the co-founders along with John Caccia and my husband, Director Bill McDorman. Now it is time for me to step aside and pass the baton. I am taking my leave as of December 31st knowing that RMSA is in great hands (and hearts). I have so much gratitude to everyone who has helped along the way.
It will be humbling to watch and observe what RMSA “may be up to” in its next iteration and I will be happily watching from the sidelines.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Love to you all,