Get Support - Better Food Policy Fund

Supporting the Work of Food Policy Councils

The Better Food Policy Fund seeks to support inclusive civic engagement for better food policy.

The Fund invests in US-based food policy councils, empowering community and government collaboration for progressive food policy.

The Better Food Policy Fund uses participatory processes to enhance equity and redistribute power in the funding landscape.

We seek to celebrate and uplift the work of food policy councils, and believe every food policy council is worthy of financial support. We hope to grow and expand the field of food policy councils through funding and fostering shared learning.

Our support for food policy councils currently comes in three forms.

Financial Support

for food policy councils,
through our unrestricted
grantmaking pilot program

Communication Materials

that make the case
for supporting
food policy councils

Collective Sense-making

to enhance learning
through convenings and
interactive communications

2024-25 Grantmaking Program

Our debut grantmaking program is a 2-year pilot in which food policy councils will receive unrestricted funding to support their work in the ways they see as best. As part of this program, the Better Food Policy Fund will facilitate shared learning opportunities on issues which food policy council stakeholders have expressed interest, and to support grantees as they pursue their intended goals. The Fund will use shared learning opportunities and experiential stories arising from this pilot program to educate funders and expand funding opportunities that support food policy councils.

In April 2024, the Better Food Policy Fund will announce awards of $30,000 each for unrestricted use for 10 US-based groups working to effect better food policy through civic collaboration. The Fund intends to provide these same 10 grantees with a second round of $30,000 in unrestricted funding in April 2025.

Read more about this exciting opportunity here.

Communicating the Value of Food Policy Councils

Fundraising and donor engagement are vital for sustaining and expanding our funding of FPCs. We are creating materials that help with both fundraising and promoting food policy councils generally. Real Food Media and illustrator Fred Noland are crafting content that advocates for Food Policy Councils. We’re collaborating with stakeholders to develop these resources:

Four case studies, which will profile the thematic impacts of food policy councils
A handout/brochure/brief that covers what food policy councils are and why they matter
An animated video that accompanies the handout/brochure
A 3-4 slide pitch deck that makes the case for FPCs to complement the video and brief

Once completed in 2024, we’ll distribute this communication material to food policy councils for their use. We’re seeking input throughout to ensure broad relevance. Join our newsletter for updates and to contribute to the process.

Collective Sense-making to Advance the Work of Food Policy Councils

Collective sense-making:

Allows us to learn from each other, growing personally through sharing unique knowledge
Illuminates the big picture, seeing things from different angles
Helps us find better answers by considering different viewpoints and experiences
Strengthens connections between peers, making our collective voice stronger

Engaging food policy council stakeholders in collective sense-making currently involves:

Virtual meetings, workshops, and facilitated forums where stakeholders can freely share their thoughts and perspectives, to support the work of both the Fund and food policy councils
Continuous communication feedback loops between the Fund and stakeholders, encouraging feedback on ideas or conclusions drawn, allowing for iterative improvements for both the Fund and food policy councils

Join our newsletter to engage in learning more about the work of food policy councils, together.