About the Community Food Security Coalition

Click below to jump to the following sections:

• Summary of CFSC Programs and Services
• Join CFSC!
• Member Committees
• Staff Contact Information
• Board of Directors Contact Information
• Our Funders

The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North American coalition of diverse people and organizations working from the local to international levels to build community food security. We have a diverse membership with almost 300 organizations from social and economic justice, anti-hunger, environmental, community development, sustainable agriculture, community gardening and other fields. We are dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food to all people at all times. We seek to develop self-reliance among all communities in obtaining their food and to create a system of growing, manufacturing, processing, making available, and selling food that is regionally based and grounded in the principles of justice, democracy, and sustainability.

The Coalition achieves its goals through a comprehensive blend of training, networking, and advocacy to further the efforts of grassroots groups to create effective solutions from the ground up. We provide a variety of training and technical assistance programs for community food projects; support the development of farm to school and farm to college initiatives; advocate for federal policies to support community food security initiatives; and provide networking and educational resources.

Mission Statement

The Community Food Security Coalition catalyzes food systems that are healthy, sustainable, just, and democratic by building community voice and capacity for change.

Summary of CFSC Programs and Services

Policy Advocacy and Organizing

• National Legislation: CFSC advocates for federal policies that promote community food security and provide resources for community-based initiatives, including within the Federal Farm Bill and the Child Nutrition Act. Past successes include creation and increased funding of the Community Food Projects grants, as well as a Farm to School grant fund.
• Program Implementation: After policies are passed, CFSC works to ensure they are fully funded and implemented in accordance with their original vision.

Education and Networking

• Annual Conference: Every fall, the CFSC hosts a dynamic four- or five-day conference that brings together hundreds of people working on CFS issues. Conference activities include challenging keynotes, interactive workshops, how-to short courses, exciting field trips, and great local food.
• Newsletter & Publications: The Grapevine e-newsletter features profiles of innovative projects, tips and resources, and Coalition updates. Our website features numerous other innovative and informative publications and guidebooks, many of which can be downloaded for free.
• COMFOOD Listserve: This nationwide discussion list facilitates lively information sharing and networking between 4,000 subscribers.
• Healthy Corner Store Network: CFSC co-sponsors the Healthy Corner Store Network, a learning community of leaders involved in improving access to healthy products in underserved communities.

Training and Technical Assistance

• Assistance to Community Food Projects Grant Applicants: A planning guide is available on the CFSC website to assist organizations with preparing strong proposals. During the annual grant application process, CFSC offers free one-on-one technical assistance.
• Evaluation Program: CFP grantees and others interested in conducting effective and strong program evaluations may participate in workshops, and remote learning-based technical assistance.
• National Food Policy Council Program: Experienced staff provide one-on-one assistance and maintain a database of food policy councils and related resources.

National Farm to Cafeteria Program

• Farm to Cafeteria Conference: This event brings together people from around the country to network and learn from each other's experiences, emphasizing initiatives in schools and colleges.
• Regional Workshops and Organizing Meetings: Experienced organizers are available to help groups design effective farm to cafeteria projects, especially involving limited resource producers.
• National Farm to School Network: co-leads the National Farm to School Network, the country's leading voice for improving school meals through serving local food.
• Publications: We offer various reports in this arena. The Farm to College Research Report provides in-depth information on 18 programs. An information kit is available with surveys for farmers and food service directors. See www.farmtoschool.org and www.farmtocollege.org.
• Mentoring and One-on-One Assistance: CFSC staff can refer you to similar projects and help identify organizing strategies tailored to individual situations.

Join CFSC!

By becoming a Coalition member, you help build a dynamic national movement and provide valuable support for innovative CFS initiatives. Members also receive a subscription to the member e-newsletter, discounts on Coalition publications and events, and other benefits.
Read more and join today.

View a list of our organizational members

CFSC Member Committees

CFSC committees focus on various CFSC programs and other aspects of community food security work. Members are invited to join a committee and help shape this collective work.
Read more.

Staff Contact Information

2009-2010 Board Contact Information

Our Funders

Special thanks to the following groups for providing the funding that makes our work possible:

• Annie's Homegrown
• Applegate Farms
• Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality
• Clif Bar Family Foundation
• Compton Foundation
• Farm Aid
• George Gund Foundation
• Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence
• Heifer International
• Helianthus Fund
• Iowa Foundation for Education, Environment and the Arts
• Kaiser Permanente
• Leopold Center, Iowa State University
• The Lunchbox Project
• Mid-Iowa Health Foundation
• New World Foundation
• Organic Valley
• Osprey Foundation
• Presbyterian Hunger Foundation
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• United Parcel Service Foundation
• USDA Community Food Projects
• USDA Risk Management Agency
• USDA Southern SARE
• Wells Fargo
• Wallace Center at Winrock International
• WK Kellogg Foundation

And to the sponsors of our 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit, MI, May 2010:

And to the sponsors of our 13th Annual Conference in Des Moines IA, October 2009: