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Workshops & Webinars

Our team along with several partners host workshops specific to food councils throughout the year.  Training through practical community-oriented courses, hands-on workshops, featuring localized content, expands community engagement capacity and enriches members’ strengths at analyzing food systems priorities and formulates effective strategies among the member network.
If you have a training or resource need, please let us know.

Explore Shared Gifting, an innovative model for grant decision making

Review resources to better understand the model. Discuss the potential benefits for the North Carolina food council network. Capture your questions and reactions.

Thursday, August 1, 3:00 – 4:15pm

We’ll hear from the Maine Network of Community Food Councils and the Minnesota Food Charter Network Action Seed Fund, how they have implemented and benefited from Shared Gifting Models. Then, we’ll lean on participants to help us develop the process, understand the questions, and learn from others already benefiting from this model.

Wednesday, June 19, 2019: 1:00 – 2:15pm

Community Food Strategies is exploring the concept of Shared Gifting for North Carolina, with a focus on piloting a participatory grants process in 2020 for food councils and networks.  Shared Gifting Circles can give ownership, distribution and allocation authority to the recipients of grants. By moving decision making power of grant funds from donors to organizations, trust, accountability, reciprocity and relationships are created in a way that moves beyond traditional philanthropic models.

“…transforming the field of philanthropy by bringing collaboration, transparency and community wisdom into the grant-making process and fostering relationships that will change the way the world works with money.”  – RSF Social Finance

2019 Facilitating for More Voices WorkshopsAfter three successful runs in 2018, we’re offering this interactive workshop again to help you lead effective meetings that are valuable for participants.  This all-day workshop is designed for food councils and their partners to learn and leave with tangible resources to facilitate meetings that foster strong group dynamics, engage all participants in conversation and decision making, stay focused, and use effective agendas. 

Thu, June 27, 8:30am – 4:00pm

  • Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
  • 121 W. Nash Street, Wilson NC 27893
  • RSVP
  • PARKING:  Map for free parking.

    There are also about 10 visitor spaces along the outside fence-line of a private fenced lot behind our building, access on left going down Pine Street – one way, from Nash Street.  If you look at the map, use the red letter “L” in location as an arrow that points at the lot behind the building.  That parking is first come, first serve.

    Public parking on the street is also free downtown including in front of our building on Nash street and on Pine Street.  Participants have to move their car every 2 hours or risk a ticket.

Tue, August 6, 8:30am – 4:00pm

  • Warren Wilson College, Kittredge Recital Center
  • RSVP

FREE. Mileage reimbursements are available for those traveling more than 35 miles and RSVP before the day of the event.

Contact gini_knight@ncsu.edu for more information.

Racial Equity in the Food Systems: Level 1 Training

February 5th & 6th, 2019

Community Food Strategies and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems’ Committee on Racial Equity are excited to host our first Level I Racial Equity Training of 2019 and first two-day Level 1 training! This is a FREE training. Due to limited space, we are prioritizing those who can commit to BOTH DAYS of the training.We will also prioritize those who HAVE NOT undergone an introductory racial equity training already.
Training will be conducted by CEFS CORE Training Team.
APPLY HERE:
Feel free to contact Shorlette Ammons if you have any questions or concerns asammons2@ncsu.edu.

2019: New Legislative Landscape

Wednesday, January 30, 2019, 12:00pm

On Facebook Live, join Llogan Walters and Jared Cates from Community Food Strategies to learn about the 2018 election results and about Committee changes in the North Carolina General Assembly and the US Congress. This Facebook Live event will also feature a short update on the federal farm bill and provide resources for more information on state and federal policy issues.

www.facebook.com/communityfoodstrategies/

Good Food Messaging Webinar

Friday, October 26th, 11:00am

During this webinar, the Spitfire Strategies team will share message guidance based on the results of focus groups and national polls conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and GBA Strategies to identify compelling food movement messages that will engage moderate constituencies.

The guidance will include research-based messaging recommendations to attract key constituencies, examples of how the messaging can be tailored to different issues, and overall guidance on language to use and avoid when communicating about Good Food policies.

Download the Good Food Message Guide.

Find links to the video recording and audio here.

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Facilitation Workshop22018 Facilitating for More Voices Workshops

Join us for an interactive workshop to gain skills to lead effective meetings that are valuable for participants.  This all-day workshop is designed for food councils and their partners to learn and leave with tangible resources to facilitate meetings that foster strong group dynamics, engage all participants in conversation and decision making, stay focused, and use effective agendas. 

Three Workshops: We’re offering three of the same workshop, just different locations and dates.

Thu, Aug 23, 8:30am – 4:00pm

  • Whitted Human Services Building, Hillsborough, NC
  • Agenda

Tue, Sep 25, 8:30am – 4:15pm

  • Rockingham Community College, Wentworth, NC
  • Agenda

Wed, Oct 24, 8:30am – 4:15pm

  • Warren County Armory Civic Center, Warrenton, NC

FREE. Mileage reimbursements are available for those traveling more than 35 miles and RSVP before the day of the event.

Contact gini_knight@ncsu.edu for more information.


In Between” Webinar Series: Facilitating Regular Discussions About Race and Food

Are you curious about finding ways to continue to talk about race and incorporate the practice of racial equity within your organizations/institutions? This webinar series shares how you can create, facilitate and implement a monthly discussion series on food, race and equity that we call an “In-Between” meeting. During this three part series, we will explore the purpose, goals and impacts of an “In-Between.” The series will walk you through a guide that you can use to facilitate your own discussion-based cohort!

Attendance for all webinars is not required, but encouraged. The first one will provide a basic overview and structure of these meetings and include a brief example of this type of meeting. Part 2 & Part 3 will provide brief overviews of the in-between structure followed by subject matter.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Prerequisite – Completion of a Level I / Introductory Racial Equity training.

Webinar 1 – June 20th, 11:30am – 1:00pm. Register by June 13th.

Part 1: Description: Stories can be a tool to create a more inclusive environment that interrupts the impact of racism and culture of white supremacy within our organizations or councils. Many food councils or networks acknowledge and express a desire to include more people of color in their make-up. We will explore how using story through the lens of racial equity informs our ability interrupt processes that prevent us from arriving at equitable outcomes and equal representation. We will build an understanding of how expanding our narrative to a more inclusive one can help us create a more diverse network that ultimately has greater impact and benefit for us all.

Register for Part 1 webinar on June 20th here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Registration will be required separately for each of the three webinars. 

  • Part 1: June 20, 11:30am – 1:00pm
  • Part 2: August 30
  • Part 3: September 26

Level 1 Racial Equity in the Food System Training, Central NC Region

Friday, May 11, 2018 9am – 4pm

Rutherford County Administration Offices, 289 N. Main Street, Rutherfordton, NC 28139

Monday, April 9, 2018 9am – 4pm

 ~Registration is full.~

Join us for a ONE DAY** workshop that will offer a shared language, a shared framework, and a shared history for understanding around structural racism and how barriers inhibit equity in the food system. Our goal is for this training to assist with setting meaningful goals and strategies to ensure racial equity in farm & food programs and policies. Join us! 

**This is a FULL ONE DAY workshop. Due to limited space, attendance for the entire day is expected. We may need to limit attendance per organization.
 
This free workshop is supported by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Please contact us for more info!

Monday, November 27, 2017 2:00pm

Organizational Structures Webinar Part 2: Food Councils with Fiscal Sponsors:

This is Part 2 of a webinar series exploring organizational structures for food councils. In this 45-minute webinar, you will learn about and discuss the benefits and challenges of structuring your food council with a fiscal agent.

Speakers, Neal Curran and Rochelle Sparko, will share experiences from the perspective of an acting fiscal agency and from a food council leadership team. Neal Curran is Bull City Cool Food Hub Coordinator at Reinvestment Partners, this fiscal agent for the Durham Farm and Food Network; and Rochelle Sparko serves as treasurer of Durham Farm and Food Network.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2017 10:00am

Organizational Structures Webinar Part 1: Food Councils as Non-profits

This webinar is a part of a webinar series exploring organizational structures for food councils. In this 30 minute webinar, you will learn about the benefits and challenges of structuring your council as a 501(c)3 non profit entity from David Heinen, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy for the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits. The webinar will share experiences from Katherine Metzo board chair of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council which is organized as a non-profit. Lastly, there will be an opportunity for dialogue with presenters and fellow attendees.

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Race Equity & Inclusion Webinar Watch Parties

  • June 26, 2017 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    Race Matters – Unpack Key Concepts to Advance Racial Equity
  • July 10, 2017 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  
    Get Your House in Order – Strategies to Advance Racial Equity Inside Your Organization
  • July 31, 2017 10 – 11:30 a.m.
    Data Matters – Disaggregating Data by Race and Ethnicity
  • August 14, 2017 1 – 2:30 p.m. 
    Health Equity in Action – Case Studies from the Carolinas

Read here for more details on locations, registration, and content.

Wednesday, June 7, 1:00pm

19-minute Webinar – How to use the Candidate’s Forum Toolkit

Food councils have hosted candidates forums with key policy makers to raise awareness of food and farm issues. Join members of the Community Food Strategies team as we walk you through our Candidates Forum Toolkit that explains how to successfully organize a candidates forum. In 19 minutes we will provide you with tools and information to help you to organize your very own farm- and food-themed candidates forum in your community.

Wednesday, April 12, 10:00am

Join this webinar to get a general overview of the Food Council Development Toolkit, how to navigate the toolkit, and tips and resources for food council development. The webinar will be presented by Community Food Strategies team member Gini Knight.

Friday, February 24, 12:00-1:00pm

NC Food Policy Update 

Learn what is on the horizon at the NC General Assembly around issues related to food and farming.  Join Carolina Farm Stewardship Policy Director Rochelle Sparko and Community Mobilizer Jared Cates to hear what to expect in this year’s long session and learn about upcoming advocacy opportunities at both the state and federal levels.
RSVP here, which includes webinar registration information.

Tuesday, January 31st, 11am 

Good Food Purchasing Program Webinar

Please join the Center for Good Food Purchasing and Community Food Strategies for an introductory webinar to the Good Food Purchasing Program. Join us and learn more about how this program is creating values-based food supply chains for public institutions.

The webinar will be provided by Christina Spach, National GFPP Campaign Coordinator with the Food Chain Workers Alliance. Jared Cates, with Community Food Strategies, will also join to share advocacy and planning support available for food councils in NC who want to work towards the establishment of Good Food Purchasing Programs in their communities.

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PAST WORKSHOPS

Monday, November 21st

2016_rbatraining_4x4Clear Impact – Priority Setting & Evaluation Training

  • 9:30am-4:00pm, Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 
  • Free, travel stipends available to those traveling 35+miles one way.
  • Register here

Learn excellent tools for strategic visioning, action planning, program evaluation, and community facilitation.  Extension agents involved in food councils, with a small team of community partners, will be trained in the Results Based Accountability framework to enhance program delivery through skill building in facilitation processes that are asset based, community focused, drive group decision-making, identify measurable impacts, and support a shared understanding of end goals.  This project directly addresses the need for developing facilitation and management skills within food councils and offers Extension Agents and their community partners new skills that are useful in many projects and settings.

Sunday, November 6th

Planning for Action: Creating Strategic Pathways Towards Local Food System Change
Join Jared Cates and other members of the Community Food Strategies team, as he speaks on the importance of strategic networking and action planning when it comes to advocacy and policy change. A new online toolkit for Strategic Policy Action and its tools offer a systematic method for effective action towards policy change. Join in this interactive workshop where you will learn how to use the new website and make your own plan for strategic policy action! Full description.

Saturday, November 5th

wheatfield_bladenconc_4x4Planning and Preservation: Influencing Food and Farmland in Your Community

The ways that we plan now for development, growth and land-use will greatly affect how future generations will live and interact with the world around them. By taking into consideration preservation of farmland and green space, healthy food accessibility for all residents, green infrastructure, conservation of natural resources, walkability, etc, counties and municipalities are planning for a healthier future. Join this panel of experts on land-use, conservation, food systems and planning as they talk about ways that you – as an individual and as communities – can do to influence the future of food and farmland through conservation and planning. Full description.

Cultivating the Community Voice in Food Systems Change: An Update on Food Councils in the Carolinas

Over the past several years, the network of food councils has grown significantly, and the organization and impacts of councils is taking traction across the Carolinas. Hear about how more than 37 food councils are raising the community voice and making change towards a more resilient food system; the success stories and challenges of this growing network as well as the Local Food Council of NC’s focus and support in North Carolina. We will also share tools and resources developed to support food councils, including: participatory toolkits [council development; baseline assessments; policy action; and collective impact]; organizational development of food councils, and tools for peer-to-peer networking. Full description.

Friday, November 4th

fsc-on-racial-equityA Primer on Race Equity in the Food System for Food Councils

This ½ day workshop is intended for people who are interested in developing a shared understanding, analysis and language as a critical step in creating a more racially equitable food system. This introductory racial equity workshop will create opportunities for participants to 1) develop a shared understanding of how structural racism has impacted our food system 2) develop a shared analysis of systemic disparity and 3) explore strategies that create more equitable food systems opportunities for all people.

The facilitation team will offer tools that will assist in developing a historical context and understanding of how structural racism impacts our food system. We will cover tools to work collectively with communities most affected by disparities to increase food systems access for all people. Attendees will leave with increased awareness of race equity as a useful lens, awareness of some frameworks that can be used to consider race equity, information on some reasons why a community organization, like a food council, would plan to engage in a more full racial equity training together, and information on opportunities to access future training.