Rev Gen 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.

Here’s the plan:

By investing in fundraising consultants, Food What?! is taking a proactive step towards increasing unrestricted revenue from individual donors and growing its engaged supporter base. 

To achieve this:

The consultants will support the organization in developing a comprehensive development plan that includes: 

1. Upgrading planning, tactics, and prospecting strategies 
2. Enhancing digital marketing efforts
3. Strengthening the link between fundraising and communications (newsletter, social media, website) 
4. Identifying innovative models for staffing, policy, and culture in their development department

Food What?! Is laying the groundwork for expanded programming, enhanced ability to address local food justice issues, increased capacity for paid youth job training, and strengthened community partnerships.  

Through these efforts, Food What?! Aims to create a more sustainable and diversified funding structure. This will ensure they can continue to provide meaningful spaces where youth can define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation, and well-being through organic farming, nourishing food, and community engagement. 

Independent revenue generation grants us more agency and capacity to respond directly and innovatively to emerging, acute needs expressed by the marginalized youth we serve. This kind of funding allows us to use our proximity, relationships, and expertise to employ community resources in ways that will be most effective because we are not tied to predetermined agreements that couldn't foresee the inevitable shifts, changes, or sharp increases of needs over time. 

Kayla Kumar, Development Director, Food, What?!

 

This initiative is made possible through a partnership with the Schmidt Foundation's N2 11th Hour Project.