Entries Open for Community Food Systems Fellowship (US)

Through these opportunities, the fellowship hopes to strengthen community engagement and leadership of caregivers/families, uplift strengths-based narratives and foster collaborative leadership that scales community identified solutions and cross sector partnerships. The Fellowship is a good fit for those who are committed to:

• working to develop resilient and equitable local food systems
• community leadership, engagement and the leadership of caregivers and families
• food justice, nutrition justice, racial equity and social transformation
• developing skills to measuring impact and success of local food systems
• developing collaborative leadership skills

The organization actively seeks to spotlight community-powered food systems and inform and advance community leadership in local food systems. They are committed to supporting self determination of communities of color and the advancement of diverse community leaders. They encourage prospective fellows committed to justice and equity and improving local food systems to promote child, family and community wellness to apply. They invite stakeholders representing diverse voices across the food system (e.g. agriculture, labor and food chain workers, food service, public health, environmental justice, economy and entrepreneurship, education, early care and education, immigration, and arts, culture), to apply.

Topic

• Examples of topics discussed in past fellowship meetings and sessions include but are not limited to:
  • Foundational program topics:
    • Participatory approaches to research, situated ethics and consent, data planning, collection, and analysis methods
    • Data storytelling for social change
  • Additional topics, identified based on fellows interest, such as:
    • Local food systems equity assessment tools
    • Community engagement strategies
    • Healing centered strategies
    • Parent and caregiver leadership
    • Collaborative leadership and sustainable leadership pathways
    • Digital media and narrative storytelling training

Program Structure 

• Participation in the Community Food Systems Fellowship is structured around two parts and includes the following requirements. While unforeseen circumstances arise, they ask that participation fellows commit to consistent participation in all fellowship activities to the best of their abilities to ensure a rich, collective learning experience for all fellows.
• Part 1: Intensive Peer Learning, Skill Building and Co-Design – January – December 2025:
  • In-Person Fellowship Program Launch (2 days): Formal kick off of the fellowship program, tentatively scheduled between February 11-13, 2025, final dates/times and location to be confirmed with finalists in December 2024. Fellows will have an opportunity to meet and get to know other fellows in the cohort and introduce the program goals, structure, and learning opportunities. Fellows will also participate in the first of two Community Design Labs, focused on an introduction to community co-design and engaging in a co-design process to shape the fellowship experience.
  • Community Design Labs: Participation in two sets of Community Design Labs in February 2025 and October 2025, focused on a facilitated co-design process to shape the fellowship experience and identify areas of collective action and momentum around key fellowship goals into a collective group project. These interactive sessions will build on the collective roadmap developed by the 2022-24 fellowship cohorts to develop a collaborative learning tool or resource to share with other leaders in the field. Meeting dates include:
    • Design Lab 1: During In-Person Fellowship Program Launch, February 2025
    • Design Lab 2: During Fellowship Fall Retreat ℅ 2025 National Community leadership Summit, October 2025
  • Monthly Group Learning Sessions: Three-hour virtual learning sessions will take place once a month and include active peer-led components to support learning, and capacity and knowledge building around key topics. Sessions will include generous breaks to support wellness and accessibility.
  • Bimonthly individual check ins: With members of the Vital Village Networks team. These regular 1-hr check in’s will be scheduled at a regular time block to be confirmed at the start of the fellowship.
  • In-Person Fellows Retreat and National Convening (3 days): Participation in a community leader convening and project presentation or session during the 2025 National Community Leadership Summit, planned for October 2025 in Boston, MA. The convening will focus on key areas of community capacity building. Fellows will also participate in the second of two Community Design Labs, focused on identifying areas of collective action and momentum around key fellowship goals to develop a collective group project.
  • Peer Groups with Alumni Mentors: Fellows will be grouped by shared interest, geography, or focus, and matched with an alumni mentor. Groups and alumni mentors are encouraged to meet quarterly to deepen connections and learning with one another.
• Part 2: Self-Directed Project Implementation with Individualized Coaching/TA Support – January – June 2026:
  • Individualized coaching and technical assistance support: for innovation pilot grant and collective project implementation, to take place during the final 6-month of the fellowship program.
  • End of Fellowship Cross-Cohort Showcase: Fellows will present their final cohort’s collective project, and share reflections and learnings, in June 2026 in a final session joined by alumni, partners, and other invited stakeholders.
• There will be optional opportunities for connections with fellowship alumni and other informal group gatherings that emerge due to interest and capacity from each fellowship cohort.

Funding Information

• Community Fellows will receive a $2,500 stipend to honor time for participating in fellowship meetings and activities, including participation and presentations at Vital Village’s annual National Community Leadership Summit. Fellows also have the ability to apply for $2,500 of innovation pilot project funds, which would be dispersed after the first 12-month of the fellowship program, after a proposal development and action planning period that will take place in the first half of the program.

Outcomes 

• Through this 18-month program, participating Community Food System Fellows will:
  • Build meaningful relationships, foster connections, and co-create a peer learning space with other food systems leaders across the country
  • Gain knowledge, skills, and resources in telling the story of your local food systems impact through narrative change and participatory storytelling
  • Strengthen ability to use healing-centered, trauma-informed and resilience frameworks to advance local food systems work
  • Build capacity to leverage data to tell the story of your work and impact, including developing and implementing a participatory research plan
  • Build and strengthen engagement with local stakeholders, including parent and caregiver leaders in your local community
  • Together, work collaboratively with the fellowship cohort to refine a roadmap of collective actions to advance community powered food systems.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applications will be screened for eligibility prior to their review:
  • The fellow must be based in the United States or one of the US territories
  • The fellow must have an established partnership with a nonprofit organization, coalition, network, group, cooperative, business, or institution that has a strategic focus on local food systems.

Application Requirements

• Applicants will advance to the final round of the application process based upon how clearly their application and recommendation can articulate details of the categories outlined below:
  • Commitment to developing resilient and equitable local food systems
  • Commitment to community leadership, engagement, and the leadership of caregivers and families
  • Commitment to food justice, nutrition justice, racial equity and social transformation
  • Commitment to addressing inequities, e.g. racial, ethnic, geographic and economic, in your community or state.
  • Interest in developing skills to measure impact and success of local food systems
  • Interest in developing collaborative leadership skills
  • Ability to leverage the Fellowship Cohort experience to build community capacity
  • History of effective collaboration and partnership with organizations, groups, or cooperatives within local food ss.

For more information, visit Vital Village Network.