Our Impact Map does more than outline goals — it visualizes how we get there.
At HereWeGrow, we believe that real change begins with clarity of purpose and a roadmap to get there. That’s why we created the HereWeGrow Impact Map — a framework to guide and align our efforts toward achieving meaningful and sustainable improvements in income for households in coffee communities.
Why an Impact Map
Our Impact Map does more than outline goals — it visualizes how we get there. It connects project activities with intermediate outcomes and ultimately with the change we want to see: higher incomes, greater resilience, and better living conditions for coffee-farming families.
Designed as both a planning and reflection tool, the map helps us and our partners:
- Identify the most effective interventions
- Ensure synergy across project components
- Reflect on what works and why
- Maximize Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Two Levels, One Mission
Coffee farming plays a central role in rural livelihoods — but on its own, it is rarely enough to sustainably improve household income. Our Impact Map reflects this reality by working on two fronts:
- On-farm, where we improve practices, quality, and income potential within the coffee value chain and agricultural production, and
- Off-farm, where we address household-level barriers for economic participation and opportunities for income diversification.
Each pathway shows how specific actions — like providing training, improving access to finance, or enhancing coffee processing — can drive income improvements and sustainable impact in coffee farming communities.
Our seven focus areas
To structure and focus our support, we have determined seven focus areas for the projects we fund
- Women’s Empowerment
Empowering women strengthens household resilience and ensures fair participation in economic opportunities. - Wash and Health
Access to clean water and health services supports productivity and reduces vulnerability. - Capital, Financial & Business Skills
Equipping farmers with financial literacy and access to capital lays the foundation for productive investments on-farm and off-farm. - Quality Inputs
Access to quality seedlings and seeds, fertilizers, and tools leads to higher yields and diversified farming systems. - Agricultural Information & Services
Extension services and training help farmers make informed decisions for better farm management. - Coffee Processing
Investments in processing infrastructure improve coffee quality and increase prices received. - Market Linkages
Stronger market access — from better pricing to long-term relationships — boosts incomes and stability.
Projects we fund work across one or more of these areas to leverage synergies, create multiplying effects and maximize impact on income.
Four Guiding Principles
Our Approach Moving Forward
While our impact map emphasizes income, four cross-cutting principles ensure our work is inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in local realities:
Gender Equity and Equality
At HereWeGrow, we recognize that sustainable income generation for farming households depends on the meaningful inclusion of the entire familyparticularly women. Women often face systemic barriers to resources, decision-making, and market participation. That’s why we value approaches that address these challenges and foster inclusive participation. By considering gender equity and equality we seek to strengthen household resilience, contribute to a fair distribution of benefits, and support dignified economic participation for all.
Climate and Natural Resources
At HereWeGrow, we recognize that sustainable income generation for farmers depends on reliable weather patterns and the responsible stewardship of soil, water and biodiversity. That’s why we value initiatives that promote the preservation of natural resources and climate change mitigation and adaptation within project design practices into project design to optimize both short-term and long-term productivity while minimizing environmental degradation. By ensuring that natural resources are preserved and regenerated, we aim to enhance resilience to climate change, reduce carbon footprints, and secure the long-term viability of farming systems.
Social Cohesion and Community Collaboration
At HereWeGrow, we recognize that social cohesion and community-building can unlock opportunities for increasing income and long-term impact by fostering collaboration and economic resilience. That’s why we value initiatives that strengthen cooperation among farmers, enabling knowledge-sharing, collaborative decision-making and collective bargaining power. Where appropriate, we support these approaches to help farmers work together more effectively, creating long-term resilience and improving household incomes.
Local Structures and Stakeholder Integration
At HereWeGrow, we recognize that strong local institutions enable the long-term viability and scalability of development efforts. Strengthening local structures fosters greater ownership and ensures solutions are tailored to local needs and can be sustained over time. That’s why we value initiatives that enhance the capacity of local organizations and governance structures and integrate key stakeholders — farmers, communities, government, and private sector partners. Where appropriate, we invest in these institutions to build a solid foundation for sustainable growth, equipping communities with the leadership, skills, and resources needed to drive their own development.
Get in touch, we love to discuss – are we on the right track, where can we improve?