Nathan Spalding advances the Agriculture Program’s strategic goals by stewarding collaborative, impactful grantmaking. With seven years of experience in the non-profit world – working on the receiving end of philanthropy – Nathan is committed to providing a positive, supportive experience to our grantee partners. Nathan joined Builders Vision in 2024 after wrapping up a three-year hiatus running a small pottery business in Des Moines, Iowa.
Prior to that, he was the Iowa Program Associate Director for FoodCorps, supporting AmeriCorps members and community partners to increase access to food education and locally-sourced meals in Iowa elementary schools. He also co-chaired the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition, a state network dedicated to increasing access to locally-grown food, while promoting market development for small-scale producers. Nathan began his career as a FoodCorps AmeriCorps member in Connecticut and Iowa, delivering food education and advocating for local procurement in school food programs.
Originally from Kentucky, Nathan studied Environmental Studies and Spanish at Cornell College in Iowa. Outside of work, you’ll find him eating his way through Chicago, fixating on a new hobby (knitting is the current obsession), and searching for the city’s best oat cappuccino.