Using AI Projects for Farmers’ Markets

A Simple System for Fundraising and Content Creation

AI is most useful when it understands your specific market, not just farmers’ markets in general.

That’s where AI Projects come in.

Instead of starting from scratch every time you write a newsletter, apply for a grant, or draft a sponsorship email, Projects allow you to give AI a shared knowledge base about your market: who you are, what you do, and how you communicate. Once set up, that knowledge can be reused consistently across many tasks.

Create two separate AI Projects:

1. Fundraising & Sponsorship Project
2. Content Creation & Marketing Project

Keeping these separate prevents tone confusion and helps AI stay focused on the task at hand.

What Is an AI Project? (Plain English)

An AI Project is a dedicated workspace that contains:

• Documents you upload
• Instructions about tone and priorities
• A history of related conversations

Think of a Project as a folder.

Inside that folder:

• You can start many different conversations (called chats)
• All of those chats can refer back to the same uploaded documents
• AI “knows” it is working for your market every time

Projects vs. Chats

This is the most important concept to understand.

• A Project is the container (or folder)
• A Chat is one specific conversation inside that container

You do not need a new Project for every task.
You do need new chats within a Project for different tasks.

When to Start a New Chat (Inside the Same Project)

Start a new chat when:

• You are switching tasks
  (e.g., from writing a grant to drafting a sponsor email)
• A conversation has gotten long or messy
• You want a clean slate but the same background knowledge
• You’re working on a new week, event, or document

Example:

• One chat: “Draft grant responses for X funder”
• New chat: “Create sponsor email for local business”
• Same Project, different chats

All chats still have access to the uploaded documents.

When to Stay in the Same Chat

Stay in the same chat when:

• You are refining or editing the same piece of work
• You are asking follow-up questions about the same document
• You are iterating on wording, tone, or length

Think:

One task = one chat

Projects Do Remember:

• Documents you upload
• Instructions you give within the Project
• Your market’s programs, tone, and priorities

Projects Do Not Reliably Remember:

• Live websites
• Links alone
• Verbal references to past conversations outside the Project

That’s why uploading documents is essential.

Project 1: Fundraising & Sponsorship

Use this Project for:

• Grant applications
• Sponsorship packages
• Impact summaries
• Funder and donor emails
• Year-end reports
• Board-facing updates

Tone focus: clear, confident, impact-driven.

Project 2: Content Creation & Marketing

Use this Project for:

• Newsletters
• Social media posts
• Blog articles
• Event promotion
• Website copy
• Program explanations

Tone focus: warm, welcoming, community-centered.

1. Market Overview Document (Written Once)

Create a single document (PDF or DOC) that includes:

• Market name and location
• Mission and purpose
• Community role
• Years of operation
• Market vibe or personality
• Vendor categories
• Voucher and food access programs
• Partnerships
• Seasonal schedule and events
• Goals and challenges

This is your foundation document.

Upload it to both Projects.

2. Website and Online Presence Summary

Instead of relying on AI to “remember” your website:

1. Ask AI to review your website, Google Business Profile, and social media
2. Ask it to create a 1–2 page summary of how your market is presented publicly
3. Save that summary as a PDF or DOC
4. Upload it to the Project

This creates a stable reference point.

3. Existing Documents

Upload anything you already have:

• Grants
• Sponsorship materials
• Press releases
• Annual reports
• Vendor handbooks
• Newsletters

Even older documents are helpful

Create a short document called something like:
“How to Write for Our Market”

Include:

• Preferred tone
• What to avoid
• Primary audiences
• Writing style preferences
• Accessibility expectations

Upload this to each Project.

Metrics & Impact Notes

Include:

• Vendor count
• Attendance range
• Voucher dollars distributed
• Growth milestones

Standard Answers Document

Include:

• Mission statement
• One-paragraph market description
• Why the market matters
• How sponsorships help
• Who benefits

Event & Program List

Include:

• Annual events
• Special programs
• Kids activities

Seasonal highlights

Once set up:

• Start a new chat for each task
• Keep editing and refining within that chat
• Start fresh chats often, this is good practice, not a mistake

Example prompts:

• “Using what you know about our market, draft a sponsor email.”
• “Write a newsletter section promoting this week’s programs.”
• “Answer this grant question using our mission and voucher programs.”

You do not need to restate your mission or programs each time.

• You cannot “break” a Project by asking the wrong question
• Starting a new chat does not erase anything
• Uploaded documents are always available
• AI is a drafting tool, not a decision-maker
• You should always review and edit before publishing

Key Message for Markets

AI Projects are about reducing repetition, not replacing people.
A little setup creates a system that saves time all season long.

AI doesn’t replace your voice.
It helps you reuse it clearly, consistently, and with less burnout.

These prompts assume the market has already uploaded:

• A Market Overview document
• A Website / Online Presence summary
• Existing docs (grants, newsletters, sponsorships, etc.)
• A “How to Write for Our Market” tone guide

They are intentionally plain English. No magic words required.

Project 1: Fundraising & Sponsorship

(Tone: clear, confident, impact-focused, not salesy)

Grant Writing & Applications

• “Using what you know about our market, answer this grant question: [paste question]”
• “Rewrite this response to be clearer and more outcome-focused while staying accurate.”
• “Shorten this answer to 250 words without losing impact.”
• “What data points from our market should be emphasized for this funder?”

Sponsorship Outreach

• “Draft a sponsorship email to a local bank that focuses on community impact and visibility.”
• “Create a short ‘Why Sponsor Our Market’ paragraph using our programs and audience.”
• “Help me explain how a $2,500 sponsorship supports food access and local farms.”
• “Rewrite this sponsorship blurb so it sounds appreciative, not transactional.”

Reports & Impact Summaries

• “Create a one-page sponsor impact summary using our voucher programs and attendance.”
• “Turn these bullet points into a funder-friendly narrative.”
• “Write a year-end thank-you section for sponsors highlighting shared success.”

Strategy & Framing

• “What themes consistently show up in our fundraising story?”
• “How can we better explain our community impact in simple language?”
• “Suggest ways to describe our market’s value beyond attendance numbers.”

Project 2: Content Creation & Marketing

(Tone: warm, welcoming, accessible, community-first)

Newsletters

• “Draft a weekly market newsletter using our usual structure.”
• “Write a short intro paragraph that sets a welcoming tone for this week.”
• “Turn this list of updates into skimmable newsletter sections.”
• “Rewrite this to sound more friendly and less formal.”

Social Media

• “Write 3 social captions promoting this Sunday’s market, each with a slightly different tone.”
• “Create a caption explaining our voucher programs in plain language.”
• “Turn this newsletter section into a Facebook post.”
• “Help me promote this event without sounding repetitive.”

Blog & Website Content

• “Write a blog post answering this question: What programs help make the market more affordable?”
• “Rewrite this page so it’s easier to understand for first-time visitors.”
• “Create an FAQ section for new shoppers.”
• “Summarize this long explanation into a clear website paragraph.”

Planning & Consistency

• • “Create a simple content plan for the next month based on our programs.”
  • “What messages should we repeat regularly to build familiarity?”
  • “Help me repurpose this blog post into social and newsletter content.”