Growing a Healthy Economy with Local Foods 6 More Steps to Success Toolkit

Transcription

1 Growing a Healthy Economy with Local Foods 6 More Steps to Success Toolkit Navigating and Understanding the Toolkit Becky L. Bowen, J.D. Program Manager, CultivateNC

2 The Toolkit s Steps to Success 1. Increase Your Knowledge about Economic Development 2. Understand ED Strategies Pulver s CARE strategies 3. Know How to Measure ED 4. Be the Expert on Your LFS 5. Apply the CARE strategies to LFS Development 6. Build (and Spread) Your Message

3 A Little History... Getting Extension to the Economic Development Table Grew from... Stronger Economic Together (III) strategic planning in the Eastern Triangle and the Sandhills Regions Grew into... Growing a Healthy Economy with Local Foods

4 How does Agriculture impact your region s economy?

5 How do Local Foods contribute to your Economy?

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8 Common Startup Issues in Multi-stakeholder Causes Not getting everyone to the table Lack of a common vision Lack of a governance structure to aid in plan implementation

9 6 More Steps 1. Assemble your team. 2. Craft your vision. 3. Develop your goals. 4. Identify your strategies. 5. Assess your implementation needs. 6. Then, develop your pitch.

10 1. Assemble your Team Don t invite the same 10 people Be inclusive, not exclusive Cover all 6 elements of the food system Think of the planners and then think of the doers. Use the toolkit s Asset Inventory and Data handouts

11 2. Craft your Vision Use the logic model what is the longterm impact of your team s work? Are all parts of the food system considered in that work? Does your vision benefit all stakeholders?

12 3. Develop Your Goals Do your goals reflect your vision? Are they SMART goals? Do you know your baselines?

13 4. Define your Strategies Strategies are the tools you will use to achieve your goals Some strategies will result in short-term impacts, some in mid-term impacts, and some in long-term impacts Apply the CARE strategies to your LFS goals

14 5. Assess your Implementation Needs Who are the doers on your team? Where is the money coming from to implement your strategies? What structure needs to be put in place to keep the team moving forward?

15 6. Develop your Pitch Your pitch is 1-2 sentences that describe: Who you are (your Team) What you are doing (your Mission and Vision) Why you are doing it (your Challenge) How you are doing it (your Solutions short, mid, and long-term) When and Where you are doing it

16 How are Agriculture and Local Foods a part of your planning?

17 THE GREEN FIELDS INITIATIVE IS A PLAN TO SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SANDHILLS REGION. A vibrant agricultural sector is a critical component of a sustainable and self-reliant community. When more locally grown and produced food is available, consumers benefit from healthier options, fresher taste and more connection with local producers, creating strong community networks. Supporting local agriculture encourages and supports both food and non-food businesses including entrepreneurial agribusiness. Community support for local agriculture improves the profitability of farming, which in turn encourages more and younger people to enter agriculture, resulting in greater viability of rural lands and lifestyles over the long term.

18 FCFC is a multi-stakeholder collaborative that serves as a convener and catalyst for our regional food system and is guiding the implementation of key recommendations from Forsyth County s Community Food System: A Foundation to Grow, a 2013 study prepared by Forsyth Futures. This includes building relationships between stakeholders, fostering connections, and raising awareness in the community of food system issues and initiatives.

19 The FCFC Pitch We are seeking a strong backbone organization to: Provide us credibility; Act as our fiscal agent; and Match and catalyze our regional vision.

20 How can Extension help you do your job?

21 Thank you! Becky L. Bowen, J.D. Program Manager, CultivateNC NC Cooperative Extension North Carolina State University

22 This presentation was sponsored by: Thank you to our collaborators. Support for this webinar is provided in part by Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program, grant #ES and in part by NC Growing Together, a Center for Environmental Farming Systems-led initiative, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, grant #