Seed Change Strategies

🌻 🌼 🌷 It's spring! Which means it's time for our second ever seasonal newsletter! We have had a busy few months and are eager to tell you about what we’ve been working on, and to share a taste of what we’ve been eating, reading, and listening to. Check out our Spring Newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/eYHCSMnm Since we last graced your LinkedIn feed in January, it’s been a time of planting, sprouting, and rooting. We have launched a lot of exciting work, traveled for work and play to Telluride, CO, Pisgah National Forest, NC, Spokane, WA, Charlottesville and Warrenton, VA and all over our respective hometowns. We coordinated the first Eastern Food Hub Collaborative Convening since 2020, facilitated connections between food hubs in New Mexico, learned a ton about food rescue in Boston, helped some creative food systems stakeholders in Virginia envision their future, are about to facilitate a gathering of food systems policy movers and shakers in Eastern North Carolina (see you tomorrow, Raleigh!), and had dozens of meaningful, inspiring, and informative conversations with old and new friends. Whew! It’s been a fun and jam-packed couple of months and we can’t wait to see what these green shoots grow into. Read on to learn more, check-out our springtime Spotify playlist, and grab our favorite seasonal recipes!

It's been a busy and strange season since we last sent out a newsletter. We're struggling to wrap our heads around the alarming potential impacts of the recent election, while also enjoying the pleasure of working with some truly fantastic people on some really meaningful work. Many things can be true at once. In the midst of this uncertain moment, we are excited to share our Fall Newsletter- https://lnkd.in/eHX4_PmV. It's full of the things we love most- our work, music, food, dogs, books, and each other. Feels like a pretty good packing list for whatever comes next. Take a look, and as always, please reach out with what's inspiring you, comforting you, and filling your belly these days!

🥳 Check out this amazing news from USDA! We are beyond thrilled to see USDA commit to increasing funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program. This funding will enable food hubs, community based organizations, and their partners to buy food from marginalized farmers to feed their communities. LFPA is near and dear to our hearts- Seed Change's founding partners Ellie Bomstein and Elizabeth Atwell helped spearhead national research into the incredible promise of this program, and facilitated a national community of practice to help people funded by it learn together. There's more work to do to get it into the Farm Bill but this is HUGE. Congrats to everyone who has fought for this program!!

I consider it one of the greatest blessings of my life that I got to grow up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. My family has deep roots in Applachia and I can't imagine loving any place more. I am at a loss for words this past week, watching the devestation that Hurricane Helene wrought in Western NC and elsewhere. But I am deeply inspired by how Carolinians are coming together to mobilize mutual aid and distaster relief. There are so many immediate needs - to help folks get water, food, gasoline, shelter, and emergency support. But we know that it will take months - and even years - to rebuild. If you are able to, please consider setting up a recurring donation to one of the many mutual aid efforts, disaster relief programs, and non-profits that are supporting these communities. Thank you to Carolina Farm Stewardship Association for putting together this list of resources and places where you can plug in to donate, volunteer and support. https://lnkd.in/eBmiF6-F

Not quite ready to let go of summer? Neither are we. Our newsletter is a little on the late side this season, but only because we've been busy having fun in the sun and doing some truly exciting projects. 🌞 But before we all trade in our swimsuits for sweaters, we hope you'll dive into some of what we've been doing, learning, and loving: Summer 2024 edition. https://lnkd.in/eKCm8FV7 Come for the curated playlist and recipe recommendations. Stay for co-founder Elizabeth Atwell's reflections on the surprising parallels between entrepreneurship and thru-hiking.

Elizabeth Atwell and Ellie Bomstein had a truly excellent time facilitating at the Tri-COG FEEDS Regional Convening in Raleigh today. It was wonderful to connect with old friends, make new connections, and lead the group in conversation about how interdependence and collaborations are necessary for growing resilient regional food systems and thriving rural/urban value chains. Thank you to Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments for having us! Hopefully our facilitation was better than our photography...

Will Gray had the chance to present in Spokane, WA last week at the Northwest Food Hub Network Summit!

📣Tell your friends! This spring, Seed Change Strategies is piloting an effort to help organizations design, write, and win grants from the three opportunities within the USDA Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP) - the Local Food Promotion Program, Farmers Market Promotion Program, and Regional Food Systems Partnership program. 🌱About Seed Change Strategies: Seed Change Strategies is a mission-driven consulting firm co-founded by Ellie Bomstein, Elizabeth Atwell, and Will Gray. Our goal is to help organizations and networks working to build resilient regional food systems connect to the people, ideas, and resources they need to spark and sustain transformative change. 🤓Why we are such nerds about USDA LAMP Grants  Resilient and equitable regional food systems are a public good. So public funding – like LAMP Grants – has a major role to play in growing and sustaining the work that builds a better food system. But, these grants are no cake walk, and their complexity can discourage grassroots organizations from applying – even when those organizations are well-placed to do the most good in their communities. Together, the team at Seed Change Strategies has designed, written, won and managed over $3M in LAMP Grants. We’ve also provided technical support and training to dozens of organizations applying for these grants. What we’ve learned is that LAMP grants are kind of like those tests in high school where your teacher gave you a study guide with exactly what you were going to be tested on. When you prepare the right way, you’ll be set up for success; and those grant reviewers will want to give you an A. 🤝Our offering  This spring we are partnering with a handful of organizations that want support designing, writing, and winning LAMP Grants. We will provide expert guidance and tailored coaching paired with comprehensive tools and support to help your team from project conception all the way through to grant submission. Our process focuses on helping you:  - Design a project that is aligned with your organization’s vision and values  - Collaborate with partners in a way that prioritizes trust and transparency  - Write a proposal that meets all the requirements that reviewers will be looking for - Build a budget that reflects your project’s needs and your organization’s capacity  - Create an effective system for monitoring and evaluation  - Gather feedback and edits through a comprehensive review and coaching process  - Do it all while minimizing stress and building skills that will make you a better grant writer and program designer Go to https://lnkd.in/eKEebs_W to learn more! 🚀Ready to go?  Fill out this short form at: https://lnkd.in/eQcxedE8 and someone from our team will get back to you soon.

Hey world! As we begin a new year, we are excited to share with you the very first edition of the Seed Change Strategies seasonal newsletter. This is our first attempt to share a taste of what we’re cooking up, getting excited about, and learning along the way. We even made you a very special playlist to get you grooving as you get into 2024. We’ll be sending one out each season. We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed creating it. → Click the link in the comments ← to read the whole thing. 🌱 Elizabeth, Ellie and Will

Hey world! As we begin a new year, we are excited to share with you the very first edition of the Seed Change Strategies seasonal newsletter. This is our first attempt to share a taste of what we’re cooking up, getting excited about, and learning along the way. We even made you a very special playlist to get you grooving as you get into 2024. We’ll be sending one out each season. We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed creating it. → Click the link in the comments ← to read the whole thing. 🌱 Elizabeth, Ellie and Will