While the Forum will continue to be a conference focused on building the funding field and funder learning, we recognize that the impact of funders is rooted in their connectivity and partnership with field leadership and advocates. Although it is impossible to fully eliminate power dynamics between funders and funding recipients, we are committed to ensuring that all participants feel welcomed, included, respected, and celebrated.

This year, SAFSF has a limited budget to support up to 20 community-based leaders as part of the plenary and program sessions. 

Please note: For plenary sessions, SAFSF staff will design the plenary sessions based on the ideas received through the RFI process, and then invite participants to collaborate and prepare for these sessions together.   

Funders who submit session proposals are expected to cover the registration, travel, and accommodations of their (non-funder) speakers, as well as a meaningful honoraria for their time and expertise. This requirement must be met for workshop proposals to be considered.

The Host Committee will play a crucial role in the selection and development of session ideas for the 2025 SAFSF Forum. Composed of local leaders, community members, and funders with deep knowledge of the region, the Host Committee will review submitted ideas in collaboration with SAFSF staff. They will provide insights and guidance to ensure that selected sessions reflect the diverse needs and perspectives of the Albuquerque and Santa Ana Pueblo communities. They will also provide overall guidance and insights about the local/regional community, and help promote the 2025 Forum. Their involvement is central to creating a Forum program that is relevant, impactful, and grounded in the local context.

We are seeking proposal ideas for the following session types:

1. Panel Discussions and Workshop (90-minute sessions, up to 14 sessions)
   These sessions should be interactive, collaborative, and focus on actionable strategies that engage participants in systems change. We encourage innovative formats and activities that invite engagement and offer practical outcomes.
2. Structured Networking (60-minute sessions, up to 8 sessions)
   These sessions offer a more casual setting for deeper conversations and connection—structured networking sessions are held during the day. We’re looking for ideas that encourage meaningful dialogue and help participants connect around shared interests.
3. Learning Dinners (60 minute sessions, up to 6 sessions) These are programmed small-group dinner events, curated for deeper connection around specific topics or affinity groups. The Learning Dinners will take place on site at Tamaya Resort in reserved rooms with hotel catering.
4. Field-Based Learning Experiences (3 half day, 4 full day)
   These sessions will take participants into the Albuquerque region to explore place-based solutions and challenges such as water rights, Indigenous agricultural practices, and climate resilience. We encourage concepts that benefit the work of on-the-ground hosts and are designed in collaboration with local communities. 
5. Integrated Capital Case Studies with Breakouts (25 min panel + Breakout, 3 Sessions) These sessions explore the use of diverse capital forms to advance systems change across culture, policy, markets, and tools. Sessions will start with a 25-minute panel featuring successful case studies, followed by breakouts that encourage practical application, collaborative problem-solving, and peer learning. 
6. Other Programming (for Annual Program Planning, not 2025 Forum)
   To collaborate on SAFSF virtual and in-person programs beyond the Forum, send us your idea for a session or program concept. Please provide as much detail as possible to help us understand your perspective on ways we can collaborate to advance systems change. Please indicate if you are submitting a forum idea that you also want to advance as a program idea.

• RFI Open House with SAFSF Team:
  • 11:00 -11:45 AM PT, December 10, 2024
  • 11:00 -11:45 AM PT, January 7, 2025
• RFI Submission Deadline: Sunday, January 12, 2025, at midnight PST
  • Please note that submissions will be reviewed and prioritized on a rolling basis.
• SAFSF Selection & Notification: January 31, 2025
• Forum Orientation with SAFSF Team (30 min meeting): February 1 – March 15, 2025
• Complete Proposals Due: March 15, 2025
• Program and Speaker Prep (1-2 hours, optional): March 15 – May 30, 2025
• Speakers & Agenda Finalized: April 14, 2025
• 2025 SAFSF Forum Santa Ana Pueblo, NM: June 9-12, 2025 

We are committed to making this process as inclusive and non-extractive as possible. As part of developing your proposal, please review SAFSF’s commitment to Social Justice and Racial Equity. We also encourage you to consider:

• Collaborative Co-Creation: As desired, SAFSF will partner with contributors to refine session concepts, help identify speakers, and ensure accessibility and impact in the context of the broader program.
• Mutual Benefit and Reciprocity: Especially for field-based learning experiences, sessions should provide tangible benefits for the local communities involved, ensuring a positive and reciprocal experience.
• Compensation for Community Partners: All non-funder speakers and facilitators must be fairly compensated, with their travel and accommodation covered by their funder sponsor.
• Accessibility and Inclusion: Sessions should prioritize inclusion for all participants, including people with disabilities and from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.

Concepts will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance and Strategy: Does the concept make sense in the context of the 2025 SAFSF Forum’s themes? Is the content connected to a theory of systems change? Does the content offer actionable tools and insights for diverse types of funders to be more impactful and effective? 
• Originality and Creativity: Does the session propose intentionally thoughtful formats? Does it incorporate diverse learning approaches, such as hands-on activities, storytelling, dialogue and participation, arts-based methods, or cultural practices that resonate within this setting?
• Ecosystem Collaboration and Systems Change Levers: Does the session highlight opportunities for collaboration across the ecosystem, connecting funders with organizations and movements driving change? Does it emphasize strategic engagement with critical levers of systems change, such as policy shifts, cultural transformation, market innovation, or developing essential tools and resources for long-term impact?
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility: Does it center marginalized voices and ensure fair participation? Does the session design prioritize inclusion for all participants, considering accessibility and diverse backgrounds?
• Impact: Does the session promote inclusive, community-led initiatives by locally rooted organizations – whether based in New Mexico or elsewhere? Will it help funders understand how to support and engage in efforts that empower communities to drive change in food and agriculture systems? Does it address power dynamics in a way that can open dialogue and cultivate more authentic relationships?