Food, What?! - Strategic Plan Development & Implementation

Food What?!, a youth empowerment and food justice organization in Santa Cruz, California, is strengthening its foundations. Known for its innovative approach to engage youth through organic farming and food justice initiatives, Food What?! is now focusing on internal improvements to sustain its impactful work.

Overview

With a $35,000 grant from Progressive Multiplier, Food, What?! implemented a comprehensive development infrastructure enhancement project. By working with specialized fundraising consultants and investing in staff training, the organization strengthened its fundraising capabilities to support a significant upcoming capital campaign. The project focused on creating sustainable revenue generation systems that would ensure long-term financial stability while maintaining alignment with their mission of youth empowerment and food justice.

Key Strategies & Tactics

• Strategic Consulting: Working with two specialized fundraising coaches who provided expertise in annual development planning, communications, and prospecting
• Staff Development: Investing in the Director of Development and Communications through IDEO's Storytelling for Influence training and CompassPoint trainings on management and wealth building for BIPOC people
• Systems Enhancement: Creating an annual report template and process that uses data to drive fundraising decisions
• Donor Engagement: Developing improved language and a concept paper to more effectively communicate their work to supporters
  
  

Lessons Learned

• Build on Existing Strengths: Strong data systems, processes, and work culture served as a springboard for imagining new ways of securing funding
• Value Staff Curiosity: Staff's teachability and openness to new approaches were key drivers of the project's success
• Coordinate Consultant Relationships: Working with multiple consultants simultaneously requires careful planning to avoid overlap and potential burnout
• Invest in Capacity Building: Continued investment in fundraising capabilities will be necessary to draw in higher dollar gifts and grants
  
  

Impact

Through this project, Food, What?! has positioned itself for a transformative next chapter in its organizational journey. The enhanced development infrastructure now serves as a solid foundation for their ambitious goal of purchasing their own farmland. This permanent homebase will allow them to deepen their impact on youth in Santa Cruz through expanded programming and increased capacity for paid youth job training.

The project has strengthened the organization's ability to tell its story effectively, connect with new funders, and implement data-driven fundraising strategies. By investing in both systems and people, Food, What?! has created a more sustainable and diversified funding structure that will support their mission for years to come.