BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders - ECPv6.18.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20270314T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20271107T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261119T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261119T140000 DTSTAMP:20260903T155508Z CREATED:20260727T175419Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T155508Z UID:10000775-1795093200-1795096800@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:Gather Round Monthly Membership Call DESCRIPTION:The Gather Round Monthly Membership Calls\, held on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm PST / 4 pm EST\, serve as a regular “drop in” space for SAFSF members. These calls are focused on connection and continuing dialogue on topics explored in virtual learning events and other programs hosted by SAFSF during the month.  \n\n\n\nWe want to hear what’s top of mind for you\, what you are wrestling with\, and what topics you want to explore deeper. Each call will have a different topic. \n\n\n\nCome share what you are hearing and reflecting on with your peers. This is a space to connect\, listen\, and learn from one another—all SAFSF members are welcome! \n\n\n\nThis event is designed for SAFSF members. Registering below will automatically register you for Gather Round each month. \n\n\nTo register for Gather Round\, you must be logged in and a member of SAFSF. \nPlease log in or register for an account. URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/gather-round-monthly-membership-call-5/ CATEGORIES:Gather Round,Member Only,Webinars ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gather-Round.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261120T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261120T121500 DTSTAMP:20261005T161802Z CREATED:20261005T161717Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T161802Z UID:10000786-1795172400-1795176900@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:SNAP Funder Working Group: Advocacy Opportunities Post-Election DESCRIPTION:Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders and Grantmakers In Health have formed a funder Working Group to coordinate a strategic response to the SNAP cuts in H.R. 1. Recognizing the far-reaching implications of SNAP for food security\, health\, and economic equity\, this Working Group serves as an information hub and a strategic coordination space\, designed to help funders act quickly\, effectively\, and in alignment with one another.  \n\n\n\nThis Working Group call will create a space for funders to discuss strategic SNAP advocacy and relationship building opportunities at the federal and state levels following November’s election results.  \n\n\n\nThis Working Group is open to all funders currently responding to or actively considering a response to SNAP cuts. Funders do not need to be members of SAFSF or GIH. If you are wrestling with the impact of SNAP cuts on the communities you serve\, this space is for you. \n\n\n\n\n \n \n Funder-Only Registration\n \n "*" indicates required fields \n \n NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.RegisterName*\n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Last\n \n \n \n Organization*Title*Email*\n \n Are you a funder?*\n \n Yes\, I am affiliated with a funding organization.\n SAFSF defines funders as staff\, board members\, trustees\, donors\, program officers\, and other professionals from organizations using grantmaking or investments as a core strategy to fulfill their mission.\nEvent Name\nIt may take longer than expected to process your submission\, please only click submit once.\n Submit URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/snapwg1/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/food-access.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261202T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261202T120000 DTSTAMP:20261020T194805Z CREATED:20260907T221638Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261020T194805Z UID:10000784-1796209200-1796212800@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:The Future of Agriculture in a Time of Crisis Part 3: Back from the Edge: Rethinking American Agriculture from the Ground Up DESCRIPTION:American agriculture is in crisis\, and to date systems have not been put in place to sustain agricultural communities and family farms. This series – The Future of Agriculture in a Time of Crisis – will provide analysis of the current agricultural crisis and insight into real solutions that will not only help farmers today but assist in preventing an agricultural crisis like this from happening again. The series will feature agricultural leaders who worked firsthand in the farm financial crisis of the 1980s\, former USDA officials\, and more. \n\n\n\nPart 3: Back from the Edge: Rethinking American Agriculture from the Ground Up\n\n\n\nSome experts argue that the farm financial crisis of the 1980s never truly ended\, as Federal agricultural policy has repeatedly failed to drive systemic change. In this series finale\, we will examine the deep structural weaknesses in modern agriculture and highlight how strategic investment in forward-thinking technical solutions and policies can support rural communities as we rethink American agriculture from the ground up. \n\n\n\nThis series is open to all. We encourage participation in all three sessions\, but this is not required. By signing up for one part\, you will be automatically added to all three. Speakers coming soon! \n\n\n\nSpeakers\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeanicaa Edwards Herron\, Founder & CEO\, Freedmen Heirs Foundation\, Inc\nSeanicaa Edwards Herron is a respected agricultural economist with 20 years of experience spanning across the academic\, private\, and government sectors. Pioneer and trailblazer\, Seanicaa was the first Black woman to serve in the capacity of agricultural economist for the USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board\, University of Missouri-Columbia Commercial Agriculture Program\, and Informa Economics. Seanicaa is also a former USDA radio contributor on livestock markets and weekly briefings to USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture\, Chief Economist\, and top officials. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by Black farmers\, Seanicaa now serves as Founder and Executive Director of Freedmen Heirs Foundation Inc\, a nonprofit organization with a laser focus on transforming U.S. agriculture by bridging the gap between two worlds: Black farmers and the marketplace. Dedicated to a vision of eliminating inequities in agriculture\, Freedmen Heirs Foundation’s mission is to provide Black farmers access to technical assistance\, capital\, and new market opportunities. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nScott Marlow\, CEO\, Long Rows Consulting\nScott Marlow is the CEO of Long Rows Consulting\, providing education and policy analysis on farm financial crisis\, credit\, risk management\, and disaster assistance\, and their role in building global and community resilience. Scott previously worked with RAFI-USA\, providing financial counseling to farmers in crisis\, education on disaster assistance and credit programs\, and policy initiatives addressing farm financial and environmental resilience. He has 10 years of experience as an operator on farm survival hotlines and has provided producer education and advising of nonprofit organizations on 18 hurricanes and multiple other natural disasters. He was a co-organizer of Farm Advocate Link\, a network of farm crisis advisors based at Farm Aid. Winona Dorris is a business consultant with over 20 years of experience advising business owners on accounting\, tax\, and insurance with a focus on empowering communities who are more at risk for injustice. She is the great niece of Ed Scott\, a Mississippi sharecropper and successful claimant of the Pigford lawsuit. Through her family history she understands the effect injustices have on generations of people stripped of their livelihood. Her cousins are now re-building the family farm legacy\, and Winona is working to help farmers understand the importance of business knowledge and infrastructure in accessing opportunities. Her current work includes providing farm business trainings for California FarmLink and the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture Veteran Farmer Training Program. She has a BA in Economics and Accounting from Claremont McKenna College\, a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix\, and a Graduate Masters Certificate in Taxation from Golden Gate University. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Please fill out this form once to register for this three part series. \n "*" indicates required fields \n \n URLThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.RegisterName*\n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Last\n \n \n \n Organization*Title*Email*\n \n Are you are funder?*\n \n Yes\, I am affiliated with a funding organization.\n \n \n No\, I am not.\n SAFSF defines funders as staff\, board members\, trustees\, donors\, program officers\, and other professionals from organizations using grantmaking or investments as a core strategy to fulfill their mission.\nEvent Name\nIt may take longer than expected to process your submission\, please only click submit once.\n Submit URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/the-future-of-agriculture-in-a-time-of-crisis-part-3-back-from-the-edge-rethinking-american-agriculture-from-the-ground-up/ CATEGORIES:The Future of Ag Series,Webinars ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/farmlands-conservation.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261209T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261209T121500 DTSTAMP:20261019T145522Z CREATED:20261008T150825Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T145522Z UID:10000787-1796814000-1796818500@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:Beyond the 501(c)(3): Understanding Power-Building Through 501(c)(4) Strategies DESCRIPTION:501(c)(4) organizations are uniquely positioned to drive social change and advance policy goals because they can use a broader array of advocacy tools than 501(c)(3)s. Unlike c3s\, c4s have no lobbying limits and can engage in certain forms of partisan political activity and electoral work — enabling them to build productive relationships with decisionmakers through legislative advocacy and election campaigns. \n\n\n\nThis is an educational webinar open to all funders about the fundamentals of c3 vs. c4 work and how c4 activity is a powerful and complementary lever to build durable power and policy change. Speakers will share examples of what they have been able to accomplish through c4 work. We’ll also explore how foundations can legally resource c4 work and considerations on how funders and movement partners can establish affiliate c4s. \n\n\n\nSustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The presentations in this webinar will not include any candidate endorsements\, other partisan campaign activity\, or any calls to action to support specific c4s that are lobbying on specific pending or proposed legislation or any specific 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations. \n\n\n\nThis webinar is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about compliance with federal\, state\, or local law that may apply to your organization\, you should consult experienced legal counsel. \n\n\n\nSpeakers\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSophie Ackoff\, Environmental Advocacy Project\nBio coming soon \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSean Carroll\, Policy Director\, Land Stewardship Project (LSP)\nWith close to 20 years of organizing experience\, Sean has worked on a broad range of social justice issues\, including with the labor movement\, on environmental issues\, in faith communities\, on elections\, and on food systems. In that time\, he has organized campaigns with teachers to keep their rural public school from closing\, to register thousands of students to vote\, and to pass leading policies on solar power. Since 2018\, he has served on the board of CURE (Clean Up the River Environment)\, a rural-based organization based in western Minnesota. As policy director for the Land Stewardship Project\, Sean manages a team of organizers building grassroots power for a just food and farming system. Biking\, music\, art\, his cats\, and his family keep a smile on his face. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSarah Hackney\, Coalition Director\, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)\nSarah (she/her) oversees NSAC’s overall organizational strategic direction\, administration\, management\, and capacity-building. Previously\, she served as NSAC’s Grassroots Director for nearly 8 years\, working with NSAC’s member organizations and allies to empower and mobilize grassroots food and farm voices nationwide. Raised in rural Florida\, her prior work has included community-led efforts to improve small farm viability\, increase fresh food access\, and build leadership in rural communities in the Pacific Northwest. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJosh McNeil\, Deputy Director\, Walton Conservation Coalition\nBio coming soon \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJoe Shultz\, Executive Director\, The Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation (PACT)\nAs The Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation Executive Director\, Joe draws on more than 15 years of leading food and agriculture policy in the U.S. Senate and his work on the past three bipartisan Farm Bills. A graduate of The Ohio State University and Cornell University\, Joe is active in the management of his family’s fourth-generation farm. Joe is based in Washington\, D.C. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Funder-Only Registration\n \n "*" indicates required fields \n \n CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.RegisterName*\n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Last\n \n \n \n Organization*Title*Email*\n \n Are you a funder?*\n \n Yes\, I am affiliated with a funding organization.\n SAFSF defines funders as staff\, board members\, trustees\, donors\, program officers\, and other professionals from organizations using grantmaking or investments as a core strategy to fulfill their mission.\nEvent Name\nIt may take longer than expected to process your submission\, please only click submit once.\n Submit URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/beyond-the-501c3-understanding-power-building/ CATEGORIES:Webinars ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/istockphoto-1210772380-612x612-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261210T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261210T110000 DTSTAMP:20251211T192232Z CREATED:20251210T193226Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T192232Z UID:10000729-1796896800-1796900400@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:Movement-Aligned Funding Learning Community DESCRIPTION:Systems change requires a deliberate shift in power. In a landscape where the industrial\, consolidated\, and corporate food system is well-funded\, deeply entrenched\, and politically coordinated\, community-led movements must be equally robust—supported with consistent resources\, strong social infrastructure\, and long-term investment. \n\n\n\nShifting power means centering and following the leadership of those most affected by injustice—Black\, Indigenous\, and People of Color; immigrants; workers; 2SLGBTQIA+ people; women; disabled\, low-income\, poor\, and other urban and rural marginalized communities. Movements for food justice and food sovereignty need sustained investment in the organizing\, coalition-building\, and leadership development that enable communities to build and wield power over time. \n\n\n\nThis requires resources that are distributed nationally\, regionally\, and locally to support base building\, advocacy\, and community-led interventions across local\, state\, Tribal\, and national scales. Social and structural change is only possible when communities have the time\, infrastructure\, and capacity to organize—not just react. \n\n\n\nFunders play a critical role in supporting this work. To be “movement-aligned\,” funders must adapt practices and priorities to the values and leadership of frontline communities. This includes trusting community governance\, supporting grassroots leadership\, sharing decision-making power\, and shifting traditional funder prerogatives—even when it is uncomfortable. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWho Is This For?\n\n\n\nThis quarterly\, peer-led Learning Community is open to all SAFSF members. It is a space for honest dialogue\, where funders can share practices\, mistakes\, uncertainties\, and lessons learned with a shared intention of improving accountability to the communities most impacted by food system injustice. \n\n\n\nWe will read short pieces together and periodically invite movement leaders to ground the conversation. However\, this is not a curriculum-based or exhaustive learning space\, and we recognize that funders must seek learning directly\, in non-extractive ways\, from grassroots organizations and frontline leaders beyond this setting. Rather\, this Learning Community is designed to help funders learn about the principles and mechanics of movement building and do the internal work to be an effective ally.  \n\n\n\nAll SAFSF members are welcome\, and we especially encourage funders who are newer to movement-building or movement-aligned grantmaking or investing to participate. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhy a Funder-Only Learning Community on Movement-Aligned Funding?\n\n\n\nThis space is intentionally designed for funders because: \n\n\n\n\nFunders need a place to build internal discipline and accountability without placing additional burdens on movement leaders to constantly educate them.\n\n\n\nFunders must examine their own power\, habits\, and practices—work that often requires internal organizing and strategy alignment.\n\n\n\nFunders need to be prepared before meaningfully engaging with movement partners\, so that conversations with frontline leaders are not extractive\, repetitive\, or centering funder needs.\n\n\n\nThis learning community complements—not replaces—direct engagement with movement organizations. The core purpose is to strengthen funders’ readiness to show up better in those relationships.\n\n\n\n\nOur intention is to help funders transform their practices to be accountable partners in multiracial\, frontline-led movements\, not to create a bubble where funders only talk to funders. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLearning Community Goals\n\n\n\n\nLearn about principles of long-term movement building for systems change from experienced practitioners and through the examination of successful examples in food systems context.\n\n\n\nBetter understand investment needs and funding practices that center the leadership of impacted communities\, support movement building\, and community-led food systems transformation.\n\n\n\nLearn and exchange best practices to increase frontline and grassroots organizations’ capacity (e.g.\, time\, financial resources\, communications infrastructure) so they can build leadership and power within the broader movement ecosystem.\n\n\n\nExplore the importance of organizing across the capital spectrum and across different issue areas (e.g.\, health\, food\, climate\, environment) in alignment with frontline communities of color and movement organizations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBackground and Details \n\n\n\n\nThe idea for this new Learning Community came from two SAFSF Members— Chicago Food Policy Action Council and Michigan State University’s Center for Regional Food Systems—and follows a networking session with both funders and practitioners at the SAFSF Forum in 2025. \n\n\n\n\n\nCalls will not be recorded to facilitate more transparent conversations. \n\n\n\n\n\nPre-meeting reading materials will be shared in advance. \n\n\n\n\n\nWe highly encourage you to attend all sessions in the series to stay connected with your colleagues and incorporate learnings into your work throughout the year\, but you are welcome to join at any point. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a SAFSF member-only series. If you are interested in exploring membership\, please contact our membership team. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo register for this learning community\, you must be logged in and a member of SAFSF. \nPlease log in or register for an account. URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/movement-aligned-funding-learning-community-5/ CATEGORIES:Learning Community,Member Only ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/SAFSF-20250511-3100-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261216T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261216T140000 DTSTAMP:20260922T213637Z CREATED:20260225T200119Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T213637Z UID:10000752-1797426000-1797429600@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:Maximize Your Membership DESCRIPTION:Maximize Your Membership is an orientation webinar for SAFSF members\, new and veteran! If you are new staff at a new or long-time SAFSF member organization\, have not engaged in SAFSF programming or member benefits yet yourself\, want a refresher on all that is available to you as a SAFSF member organization\, or just want to connect\, join us! \n\n\n\nThis quarterly membership call features our newest SAFSF members  – help us welcome them into this community. Join Clare Fox\, Executive Director\, and Holly Hanes\, Senior Membership Associate\, for a deep dive into all things SAFSF\, including: \n\n\n\n\nCelebrating & sharing your membership internally and externally;\n\n\n\nMember Perks – including the annual Forum\, exclusive offerings\, and Learning Communities; \n\n\n\nHow to access your SAFSF benefits; \n\n\n\nSAFSF Professional and Leadership Development Pathways; \n\n\n\nTools and resources available to you; \n\n\n\nEvent Preview \n\n\n\n\nThis energizing conversation will excite you for the quarter ahead and expose you to one (or many!) benefits of membership that you were not utilizing to help in maximizing your SAFSF experience. Meet other members\, learn the SAFSF processes\, and get engaged! This event is a free\, SAFSF member only event. Interested in SAFSF membership? Email us. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo register for this program\, you must be logged in and a member of SAFSF. \nPlease log in or register for an account. URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/maximize-your-membership-6/ CATEGORIES:Maximize Your Membership,Member Only,Webinars ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/315796b3-2f37-e31b-b026-37d8c833ffa5-1-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261217T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261217T140000 DTSTAMP:20260903T155726Z CREATED:20260727T175523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T155726Z UID:10000776-1797512400-1797516000@www.agandfoodfunders.org SUMMARY:Gather Round Monthly Membership Call DESCRIPTION:The Gather Round Monthly Membership Calls\, held on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm PST / 4 pm EST\, serve as a regular “drop in” space for SAFSF members. These calls are focused on connection and continuing dialogue on topics explored in virtual learning events and other programs hosted by SAFSF during the month.  \n\n\n\nWe want to hear what’s top of mind for you\, what you are wrestling with\, and what topics you want to explore deeper. Each call will have a different topic. \n\n\n\nCome share what you are hearing and reflecting on with your peers. This is a space to connect\, listen\, and learn from one another—all SAFSF members are welcome! \n\n\n\nThis event is designed for SAFSF members. Registering below will automatically register you for Gather Round each month. \n\n\nTo register for Gather Round\, you must be logged in and a member of SAFSF. \nPlease log in or register for an account. URL:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/event/gather-round-monthly-membership-call-6/ CATEGORIES:Gather Round,Member Only,Webinars ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gather-Round.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR