Regional Partnerships and Approaches to Farm to Institution - presentation
1. Philanthropy as Partner in Regional
Farm-to-Institution Collaborations
Traditional Philanthropy Model:
• Foundation describes & publicizes its interests to NGO community
• NGOs respond by submitting proposals for projects that meet the
foundation’s interests
• After “due diligence” vetting, foundation makes grant to NGO
• NGO undertakes activities per proposal description; submits
report to foundation at end of grant period
• Foundation reviews report and determines whether to invite
renewal request based on match between proposed
activities/outcomes and reported activities/outcomes
2. Philanthropy as Partner in Regional
Farm-to-Institution Collaborations
Emerging “Collective Impact” Approach to Philanthropy
Researchers John Kania & Stephen Kramer describe the challenges and long-term
benefits of the philanthropic sector partnering with NGOs and others working on
systemic change:
“Shifting from isolated impact to collective impact is not merely a matter
of encouraging more collaboration or public/private partnerships. It
requires a systemic approach to social impact that focuses on the
relationships between organizations and the progress toward shared
objectives.”
“Mobilizing and coordinating stakeholders is far messier and slower
work than funding a compelling grant request from a single
organization. Systemic change, however, ultimately depends on a
sustained campaign to increase the capacity and coordination of an
entire field.”
3. Philanthropy as Partner in Regional
Farm-to-Institution Collaborations
Sustainable agriculture and local/regional food
systems are growing interests in the
philanthropic sector for a variety of reasons:
• Health
• Economic development
• Food sovereignty/local food system
resilience
• Working landscapes conservation
4. Philanthropy as Partner in Regional
Farm-to-Institution Collaborations
F2I is a key strategy that private philanthropy is
supporting to expand regional/local food system
development:
• Enormous potential demand for local/regional
food
• Farm-to-school
• Emergence of strong NGOs in other institutional
sectors and along the value chain
• Growing focus on F2I by state and federal agencies
5. Philanthropy as Partner in Regional
Farm-to-Institution Collaborations
Leverage, Leverage, Leverage:
• Engage private philanthropy as a partner in
regional food systems work from the beginning
• Better educated, more involved funders make
better funding decisions
• Better educated, more involved funders make
better advocates
• Attracting other resources to F2I/food systems
change
6. The John Merck Fund
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, The John Merck Fund (JMF) was established in 1970
by the late Serena Merck and is now in its third generation of family leadership.
Starting in 2012, JMF will spend all of its assets over the next ten years to spur progress
in clean energy, environmental health, development of a New England regional food
system, and treatment of developmental disabilities. JMF will award its last grants in
2021 and close its doors in 2022.
JMF’s Regional Food Systems Program helps strengthen innovation
and entrepreneurship in New England's expanding market for
regionally and sustainably grown food by funding initiatives to develop
institutional demand and the regional supply network. Among current
grantees are: Farm-to-Institution New England (FINE), Real Food
Challenge, Health Care Without Harm/Healthy Food in Health Care, Red
Tomato, Wholesome Wave, MOFGA, NOFA-VT, Vermont Sustainable
Jobs Fund/Farm-to-Plate, and more.
More information at: http://www.jmfund.org/
Hinweis der Redaktion
Health : Concern about the health and healthcare cost implications of the increase in obesity and associated diseases underlies some funders’ focus on increasing supply of healthy, fresh food sourced from local/regional producers Economic development : Many funders and investors—private as well as public—are recognizing the potential inherent in the local/regional food movement, especially in tough economic times, and are seeking ways to support sustainable agriculture and local/regional food systems advances as economic development that supports healthy landscapes, healthy producers and healthy communities Food sovereignty/local food system resilience : Concern about the over-reliance by industrial agriculture and the global food system on fossil fuels, petrochemical inputs, monocultures, and inhumane working conditions is leading some funders to focus on supporting the (re-)building of regional/local food systems based on more sustainable practices Many funders see support for local/regional food system development as an important venue for protecting open space & wildlife corridors, and promoting smart growth, particularly clustered, transit-oriented development. Working landscapes conservation : Many funders see support for local/regional food system development as an important venue for protecting open space & wildlife corridors, and promoting smart growth, particularly clustered, transit-oriented development.
Enormous potential demand for local/regional food : Institutions--K-12 schools, colleges & universities, hospitals, senior living/long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, etc.--serve tens of thousands of meals each day Farm-to-school : F2S is maturing as a movement, as FINE and School Food FOCUS are demonstrating, and leading the way in developing the processes and infrastructure to bring healthy, fresh local/regional food to thousands of school children every day Emergence of strong NGOs in other institutional sectors and along the value chain : Health Care Without Harm, Real Food Challenge, Red Tomato, Wholesome Wave, et. al. Growing focus on F2I by state and federal agencies : In New England, each state has a planning process underway to expand agriculture and food systems development, and the six states are joining as a region to discuss the future of the New England food system. Farm-to-institution is a key strategy to expand agriculture/food production in virtually every state plan, and across the region as well.
Engage private philanthropy as a partner in regional food systems work from the beginning, if possible : Having funders at the table from the beginning allows them to learn about the challenges inherent in F2I/food systems change directly from practitioners Better educated, more involved funders make better funding decisions Better educated, more involved funders make better advocates : Funders who understand the complexity of F2I are better able to make the case for the strategic importance of pursuing this strategy and to encourage investment in the strategy from others Attracting other resources to F2I/food systems change : Private foundations have non-grant sources of support (PRI/MRI) and relationships with colleagues from other sectors (e.g., health, community/economic development, land conservation, environment), and can also use their grantmaking and investments to leverage public investment in F2I/food systems change efforts, i.e., from state government as in Vermont with Farm-to-Plate