January 2023 Policy Connection
The Policy Connection is a regular digital publication for SAFSF members, providing insights into key policy issues for sustainable agriculture and food systems. Blog post will now be embedded within the recurring publication to provide space for deeper sharing of news and resources. Congressional News Republican Members of the House Agriculture Committee Confirmed House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) announced the Republican members that will sit on his committee, as recommended by the House Republican Steering Committee. Rep. David Scott (D-GA) will serve as ranking member on the committee but the Democrats have not yet announced their party’s committee…
2022 Network Update
The SAFSF Network Update call held on August 17, 2022 allowed us to share data points from across our member network. We compared data from new and renewing members across a 6-year period, which shows that our members’ funding has grown by 69% since 2017. In 2022, our 102 members collectively project making grants and investments of more than $221,317,000 to food systems and sustainable agriculture-related work. We were pleased to learn that 40% of members anticipate giving $1 million or more in 2022, compared to only 28% in 2017. Members represent many types of funding organizations. Private foundations make…
49 Signatories to White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Letter
Dear Mr. President, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders and Grantmakers In Health, along with, The Funders Network, Grantmakers for Education, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and the 49 other philanthropic signatories of this letter, commend the Biden-Harris Administration for convening the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health—the first convening of its kind in over 50 years. Our organizations serve and support hundreds of philanthropic organizations dedicated to bettering the nation and achieving equity for all communities, including rural and Native communities, and we firmly believe that this conference is an important opportunity to address nutrition security and its…
White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Sign-on Letter
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) and Grantmakers In Health (GIH) have been working with White House staff to engage philanthropy in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. As part of these efforts, our organizations have drafted a sign-on letter (included below) that expresses support for the conference and its goals; provides input on areas that we feel are missing from the conference’s five pillars; and affirms philanthropy’s commitment to working with the White House throughout the process and afterward. SAFSF and GIH collaborated with partners and members from both of our organizations to develop this letter. Foundations,…
“Digging In”: SAFSF Film Series Trailer
One Forum moment was unlike any other from past convenings: the debut of the trailer for the upcoming SAFSF short film series “Digging In” which will explore the issues of concentration and consolidation, land access, and climate change. The film project is underwritten by the Vatheuer Family Foundation and produced by Nathan.Works, a Kansas City-based documentary film and digital communications firm. Join series narrator Masika Henson as she introduces the journey we’ll take to learn more about these three critical issues and some of the promising solutions. Enjoy the trailer and stay tuned for the debut of the complete films later this year!…
Job Announcement: Finance Associate
Application Deadline: July 10, 2022, 11:59 pm PT Apply Online Position Summary The ideal candidate will be excited to join a small, growing organization where they can express and utilize their talents in a finance-focused role. The work requires handling highly sensitive and confidential information. This is a new position for SAFSF, the first solely focused on financial functions, and will be the third member of our small but mighty operations team. The operations team prides itself in being detail-oriented, data-loving, and energized by knowing that they are contributing to the collective success of a dynamic non-profit organization. The Finance…
Job Announcement: Public Policy Associate
The application period closed on August 10, 2022, 11:59 pm PT Position Summary Working with the Senior Director of Public Policy and the entire SAFSF team, the Public Policy Associate will play a critical role in developing policy-related content to engage our network of philanthropic and investment funders in opportunities to support sustainable agriculture and food systems policy work. This is a new role for SAFSF that will support and help shape our overall policy work, including membership engagement and learning, policy analysis and writing, planning and executing events, both virtual and in-person. Successful candidates will have a firm grasp…
Early-Bird Registration Open!
Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for, registration is LIVE for the 20th Annual SAFSF Forum: Commitment & Accountability! We will gather in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20-22, to connect in person and engage with a rich and exciting program. For three days participants will take part in dynamic funder-led workshops, strategic plenary sessions, regional site visits, and deep relationship-building. The Forum is designed to challenge participants to understand the need for grantmakers and investors to take on risks in order to co-create more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food systems—and at the same time, provides space to cultivate connections with peers so that no one organization…
Call for Nominations for Directors
I’m Jen Zuckerman, chair of the SAFSF Nominating Committee. I am so excited to share that the opportunity to nominate SAFSF members to serve on the SAFSF Board has been extended to May 6th. We are seeking nominations (both self-nominations and nominating other folks) for two open positions on the SAFSF Board of Directors. I have had the incredible experience of serving on both the SAFSF Steering Committee and on the Board of Directors for the past six years. As a result, I have gotten to know so many of our funders, had the opportunity to work closely with our…
New Speakers Confirmed as SAFSF Policy Convening: Commit to Action Shifts to Virtual Format
We are pleased to announce U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh, Senator Cory Booker, and Representative Abigail Spanberger as speakers for the 2022 SAFSF Policy Convening: Commit to Action. Considering the continued challenges with COVID, we have decided to move our 2022 SAFSF Policy Convening: Commit to Action to an online event. Together we will hear thoughtful remarks from our dynamic speakers and engage in strategic conversations as peers about funding base-building, narrative shift, and DC-based education and advocacy for the 2023 Farm Bill–and beyond! The convening will take place on the same dates as planned, but we are adjusting the times as follows: Monday, February 7 – 6:00-7:30 pm ET Hear from…