Ten Organizations Chosen for Diversifying Leadership Initiative

Publication: Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation in partnership with W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Published: 10/19/2006

The following organizations have been chosen for an initiative aimed at diversifying leadership for sustainable food policy:

• Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association
• AnewAmerica Community Corporation
• Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agricolas
• Mississippi Association of Cooperatives
• Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative
• National Hmong-American Farmers
• New Mexico Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance
• North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers’ Land Loss Prevention Project
• Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste
• West Harlem Environmental Action

These organizations are led by and serve African American, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans. They work in the Southeast, Southwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest, and in California, New York City and nationally. Eight are in rural areas and two serve urban communities. Five have budgets under $500,000 and three over $1 million. The focus of their policy work includes issues related to limited-resource farming, food access and affordability, conditions facing farmworkers, and opportunities for food entrepreneurship.

The three-year Food Policy Initiative is a partnership between the Jessie Smith Noyes and W.K. Kellogg foundations. Fifty-two organizations responded to a request for proposals issued this summer. A three-person review committee recommended ten organizations out of an outstanding pool of applicants. The Noyes Board of Directors approved the grants on October 3rd.

One thing we learned was that in every region of the country good and important work is being done to bring the benefits of a more environmentally sustainable and socially just food system to people of color communities. Any grantmaker or activist interested in learning more about the work of these organizations should contact Kolu Zigbi, Program Officer for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems.

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