Urban Ag Innovations Initiatives, Inc.

Urban Ag Innovations Initiatives, Inc. (UAII) works to make commercial scale local food production something families, small producer groups, institutions, and communities can take part in and own.

We develop and test practical models for Building Integrated Agriculture (BIA) and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): greenhouses on rooftops and other underused spaces, run on solar energy and guided by monitoring data. We pair these with cooperative enterprise, workforce training, and partnerships across sectors, so that growing food also builds local jobs, ownership, and community wealth.

Our work is guided by the Golden Rule: treat others as we would want to be treated. For us, that means fair terms for producers and workers, open books and shared decision-making and partnerships built on mutual benefit.

Our first project, a berry greenhouse pilot now being developed in metropolitan Phoenix, is designed as a learning platform. It will produce the evidence, cost data, and training materials needed to bring the model to more communities.

UAII is a metro Phoenix-based nonprofit working on a practical question: how can technology be used to grow food indoors as something ordinary families and neighborhoods can do on a commercial scale, not just large corporate growers.

Our approach combines:

• Building Integrated Agriculture (BIA): turning rooftops and other underused spaces in the built environment into places that grow food.
• Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): greenhouses that manage temperature, water, and nutrients to produce fresh food, which matters in a climate as hot as Phoenix's.
• Solar energy and smart monitoring: using Arizona's strong sunshine and sensor data to cut costs, save water, and learn what works.
• Cooperative enterprise: helping small producers be aware of the benefits of pool purchasing, training, food safety, marketing, and distribution while keeping ownership of their own operations.
• Workforce and community development: building skills, jobs, and small businesses so the value of local food stays in the community.

Who We Serve

• Families and small producer groups who want to grow on a commercial scale in greenhouses.
• Job seekers and aspiring entrepreneurs looking for training in agriculture, technology, and small-business operations.
• Local institutions and buyers, such as hospitals, schools, food-service providers, and markets, that want reliable local produce.
• Building owners and communities interested in putting underused rooftops and land to productive use.

Our Values

• The Golden Rule in practice: fair terms for producers and workers, open books and shared decision-making in our cooperative model, and partnerships where both sides benefit.
• Community ownership: people who do the work should share in the ownership and the rewards.
• Evidence over hype: we test, measure, and share what we learn, including what doesn't work.
• Practicality: we favor solutions that small producers can afford and repeat, not technology for its own sake.
• Stewardship: careful use of water, energy, and the resources entrusted to us.

Current Work

UAII is developing its pilot project: a solar-powered rooftop greenhouse of about 5,000 square feet, planned for the Maryvale area of west Phoenix and focused on hydroponic strawberries and other berries. The pilot is a learning lab. It will track yields, costs, water and energy use, and training needs so we can find out what it really takes to replicate the model.

Our status

We are an early-stage organization and are looking for people who want to help build something from the ground up. We especially welcome volunteers and partners with experience in:

• Greenhouse growing, horticulture, or hydroponics
• Structural, mechanical, or solar engineering; architecture
• IoT, data systems, and environmental controls
• Cooperative development, nonprofit finance, and grant writing
• Real estate and building management (including rooftop or site access)
• Community outreach, communications, and event support