Project Grant AM22RFSPAZ1050

THE PURPOSE OF THE IMPLEMENTING A VIBRANT, SUSTAINABLE, AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM ACROSS THE ARIZONA FOOD SYSTEMS NETWORK (AZFSN) RFSP IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPANSION PROJECT IS TO ADVANCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AZFSN STATEWIDE FOOD ACTION PLAN PRIORITIES, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES FOR ACTION. THE INTENDED PROJECT GOALS ARE TO 1) STRENGTHEN CAPACITY TO SUPPORT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, AND 2) DEEPEN CONNECTIONS ACROSS EXISTING PARTNERS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE STRATEGIES FOR EACH PLAN PRIORITY AREA. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: 1) CONVENING THE ADVISORY TEAM OF THE NETWORK TO GUIDE THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS ENSURING REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE DIVERSE GEOGRAPHY AND COMMUNITIES OF ARIZONA 2) ENGAGING NETWORK PARTNERS IN PARTICIPATING AND GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN THROUGH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON CONVENINGS 3) BUILDING CAPACITY OF PARTNERS TO ENGAGE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS OTHERWISE ISOLATED FROM THE LARGER FOOD SYSTEM EFFORTS IN PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS 4) DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH RURAL AND INDIGENOUS FOOD PRODUCERS AND COMMUNITIES WITH LIMITED LOCAL FOOD ACCESS BY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THAT ARE TRUSTED MEMBERS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES 5) HOSTING LISTENING SESSIONS WITH COMMUNITY VOICES FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND WITH LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND RETAILERS TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND CO-DESIGN THEIR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM RESPONSE TO INFORM INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO MEET THESE NEEDS 6) EVALUATION, SHARING, AND DISSEMINATING PROCESS OUTCOMES ACROSS THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS TO CO-DESIGN THE NEXT MULTI-YEAR FOOD ACTION PLAN 7) WORKING ITERATIVELY WITH LOCAL COALITIONS AND PARTNERS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPANSION WORK 8) ESTABLISHING SHARED MEASURES AND A PLATFORM TO MONITOR PROGRESS AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES AND WORK 9) SHARING PROJECT RESULTS AND BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATE AGENCIES, PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS, LOCAL COALITIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND PRIVATE SECTOR DECISION MAKERS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE ADOPTION OF PROCESSES AND PRACTICES AND, 10) IDENTIFYING, SHARING, AND SECURING CRITICAL RESOURCES TO SUSTAIN THE WORK. THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT ARE IMPROVED STATEWIDE COLLABORATION AND IMPROVED URBAN-RURAL-INDIGENOUS TRUST AND INTERDEPENDENCE RESULTING IN A STRONGER REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM ACROSS ARIZONA. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN REIMAGINED LOCAL FOOD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES LEADING TO THE LONG-TERM VISION OF A MORE VIBRANT, SUSTAINABLE, AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEM FOR ALL ARIZONANS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING NUTRITION INSECURITY, AND INSTITUTIONS IMPLEMENTING FOOD SYSTEM PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THIS GRANT WILL INCLUDE SUBCONTRACTS FOR FOOD ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT WITH EIGHT (8) ARIZONA-BASED REGIONAL FOOD COALITIONS INCLUDING: FLAGSTAFF FOODLINK, VERDE VALLEY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL, YUMA HEAL COALITION, PIMA COUNTY FOOD ALLIANCE, AJO CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, MARICOPA COUNTY FOOD SYSTEM COALITION, COALITION FOR FARMLAND PRESERVATION AND A TRIBAL COLLABORATIVE WORKGROUP.