Strategies
Our Key Strategies
Strategic Planning & Research Briefs
Learn more about the strategic planning process and community-driven research by downloading the strategic plan and research briefs.
Food Assistance
Veggie Prescription Programs
Coordinating with healthcare services to provide community members experiencing food insecurity or diet-related diseases vouchers for fresh, healthy and local food
Community Education
Providing workshops and resources on cooking, nutrition, gardening, and meal planning through state, federal, and county programs like Cooperative Extension
Supplemental Food Assistance
Providing food for community members experiencing food insecurity through state and federal food assistance, including SNAP, WIC, and Farmers Market vouchers.
Food Pantry/Food Bank Network
Connecting small scale food pantries at the county level to receive support and resources from regional food banks, including access to subsidized food for distribution.
Youth Backpack Meals
Providing backpacks with nutritious foods that are often non-perishable and easy-to-prepare provided to children for dinner, weekends, and holidays to avoid hunger when not accessing school meals
Farm to Institution
Community institutions (child care, schools, universities, senior centers) can provide nutritional meals and source ingredients from local farms.
Senior Food Vouchers
Providing older adults funds to shop at nearby farmers markets and farm stands through the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Growing Farmers
Youth Summer Camps
Supporting existing and new agriculture and community garden-focused summer camps to engage youth in food production, cooking education, and farm tours.
Youth Leader Jobs & Internships
Supporting farms and local businesses to offer paid jobs for high school, community college, or college students through hands-on experience to increase knowledge in production, agritourism, marketing, organizing, and advocacy.
Farmer Apprenticeships
Supporting existing farms to offer paid and certified on-farm apprentice positions to increase the number of farmers growing food, increase readiness for new and beginning farmers, and increase capacity at existing area farms.
Farm Incubators
Offering early-career farmers and military veterans affordable land, equipment, and training to start their own farming businesses.
Farmer Land Access, Finance, and Conservation
Supporting early-career farmers to access and finance land, and supporting policy and programs that conserve natural resources.
Farm Infrastructure
Financing infrastructure for existing farmers, especially in underserved communities, to extend seasonal production, diversify products, and increase revenue.
Farm Production and Markets
Increasing training for existing farmers in diversification, sustainability, food safety, and new market development to increase revenue.
Farm Health and Transitions
Funding mental health and transition and legacy planning for existing farmers to assist farm families and protect agricultural land.
Infrastructure & Innovation
Entrepreneurship Counseling
Providing one-on-one support to increase the readiness of new business owners that are addressing food system challenges, including Spanish-speaking business owners.
Food Policy Leadership Positions
Increasing skills in community members around community food organizing, awareness, and measuring accountability, funding leader positions and food council activities.
Food Processing Hub
Providing space and equipment for local food aggregation, distribution, and processing for farms, institutional buyers, and new small businesses
Rideshare/Food Delivery
Increasing ability of community members to purchase or access healthy food through expanding or developing new business for rideshare and food delivery.
Prepared Meals Infrastructure
Increasing access to convenient, prepared meals using local ingredients, supporting both consumers and local farmers.
Farmers Market Improvements
Enhancing existing farmers markets improves inclusivity, local food access, and local food economies.
Farm to Table Culinary Program
A Farm to Table program develops culinary skills in how to source and prepare fresh, local ingredients directly from farms.
Community Gardens
Sustaining community gardens promotes local food production, cultural traditions, and community relationships.
Mobile Markets
Mobile markets bring fresh, healthy local foods directly to communities, increasing food security especially for underserved populations.
Top 6 Strategies
Youth Leader Jobs & Internships
Supporting farms and community organizations to offer paid jobs for students through hands-on experience in production, marketing, organizing, and agriculture advocacy.
Prepared Meals Infrastructure
Increasing access to convenient, prepared meals using local ingredients, supporting both consumers and local farmers.
Farmers Market Improvements
Enhancing existing farmers markets improves inclusivity, local food access, and local food economies.
Farm to Table Culinary Program
A Farm to Table program develops culinary skills in how to source and prepare fresh, local ingredients directly from farms.
Community Gardens
Sustaining community gardens promotes local food production, cultural traditions, and community relationships.
Mobile Markets
Mobile markets bring fresh, healthy local foods directly to communities, increasing food security especially for underserved populations.