CNE’s 7AP in Action series showcases members who exemplify excellence in nonprofit work and embody one or more of CNE’s 7 Actionable Principles (7AP)—guiding values that support a strong, sustainable social sector: 

  1. Create strategic budgets 

  1. Manage financial position 

  1. Build relationships 

  1. Prioritize equity 

  1. Develop leaders 

  1. Collaborate with communities 

  1. Evaluate impact

 

This issue features Jim Hankins, Executive Director at Fauquier Educational Farm. His leadership reflects a strong commitment to the 5th and 6th principles—develop leaders and collaborate with communities. 

Tucked away in Fauquier County, Virginia, the Fauquier Educational Farm is far more than a patch of cultivated land—it’s a living, growing classroom, a food justice engine, and a community cornerstone. Every year, Executive Director Jim Hankins oversees the production of ten acres of vegetables—not for sale, but to give away. “Everything we grow is donated,” Jim explains, “to food banks across Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, and Prince William counties.” 

 

Principle 6: Collaborate with communities 

Since Jim stepped into the role in 2014, the farm has donated over 760,000 pounds of fresh produce—more than $1 million in value—to local food banks. “We’re bringing them fresh-picked, right out of the field, not the expired grocery store stuff they usually get,” Jim says proudly. “In 2021 alone, we donated 112,000 pounds.” 

 

But that’s just the beginning. The farm also serves as an outdoor classroom, offering hands-on learning for everyone from preschoolers to adults. Each year, more than 1,200 school-age children, scouts, homeschoolers, and church groups come through the farm gates. Adults benefit too, from a Growers Academy offering free workshops on sustainable agriculture to multi-week courses for aspiring farmers. There’s even a farmer incubator area to help launch new agricultural careers. 

 

Principle 5: Develop leaders 

And Jim does all this with a lean team: just himself full-time, a couple of seasonal part-time staff, and a powerful force of hundreds of volunteers—many of them families and moms with young kids. 

 

Yet even with all this impact, sustaining the work hasn’t always been easy. Like many nonprofits, Fauquier Educational Farm has faced funding shortfalls, staff turnover, and board transitions. That’s where the Center for Nonprofit Excellence – Virginia came in—and, according to Jim, made all the difference. “CNE has been absolutely vital,” Jim says. 

 

Through CNE’s guidance, Jim and his evolving board have found a clearer sense of shared purpose. CNE has helped the organization navigate leadership changes, fiscal challenges, and the dynamics of governance. In late 2023, the farm was just months away from running out of money. Emergency funding from Fauquier County, the PATH Foundation, and Northern Piedmont Community Foundation provided a lifeline—but came with a request: work closely with CNE to ensure long-term sustainability. 

 

It proved to be transformative. From leadership coaching for Jim to board chair mentoring, Jim shares that CNE offered not only tactical support but emotional reinforcement. “The leadership coach helped me focus on what matters most,” Jim says. “It’s not just about developing leaders—it’s about supporting them.” 

 

Developing leaders and collaborating with communities are clearly embodied in the farm’s mission. Volunteers come from all walks of life: churches, companies, homeschool networks, garden clubs, and even toddlers digging in the soil. Collaboration isn’t just a strategy for Jim—it’s survival. “I couldn’t exist without our partnerships,” he says. “From food banks to Extension agents, conservation districts to the garden club ladies who guard the greenhouse trays like family heirlooms—it all matters.” 

 

Though Jim didn’t found the farm, he’s undeniably shaped its legacy. And in many ways, it’s CNE that’s helped him stay rooted, supported, and thriving in his leadership. “When I’m happy and feeling supported,” Jim reflects, “we can do really, really amazing things.” And amazing things are growing every day at Fauquier Educational Farm—potatoes, possibilities, and the next generation of community leaders.