FSLN Activation grants

Funds for catalyzing member-to-member collaborations in service of the broader network.

Applications closed.

Have you been wanting to create an offering for the network? Do you have an idea or skill that can help weave the network together or strengthen the knowledge and expertise of your peers?

The Network Activation Grants might be for you!

The Food Systems Leadership Network’s Activation Grants provide financial resources to enable you to work with fellow FSLN members and food systems leaders to create activities, workshops, and other learning experiences that strengthen the connections, knowledge, and expertise of network members. They provide an opportunity to honor and amplify the creativity, expertise, and innovation present across this network. All proposed activities will be delivered to and/or created in service of the FSLN.

We hope these Grants offer you a chance to partner with someone you might not otherwise/typically work with to bring an idea you’ve had to life. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through June but we encourage you to submit sooner rather than later!

Some questions to get you thinking are:
What do you want to share with the network? What needs have you noticed amongst food systems leaders and food-focused organizations that aren’t being met? Is there something you wanted to deliver at a conference but were unable to?

The goals of the Activation Grants Program are to:

Strengthen and develop relationships between network members
Activate the expertise, skills, and creativity of network members
Increase the number and diversity of network members who are contributing to and leading network activities
Provide network members with new opportunities for learning, connection, and self-care that align with the FSLN’s mission of: connecting current and emerging leaders, strengthening individual and collective leadership capacity, or fostering collaboration across communities.

Guidelines for Applying

Activation Grants must be used to support FSLN members working together to create something that will benefit the FSLN community. FSLN members do not have to be part of the same organization – in fact, it’s encouraged to collaborate with someone you do not typically/regularly work with!

Proposals should be in service to the network and help the network through one or more of these strategies:

Foster relationships between members,
Strengthen systems leadership capacity and food systems knowledge,
Advance equity and anti-racism, and/or
Inspire action across communities.

Grant size: A limited amount of funds are available in the Innovation Grants, totaling $22,000. Grant sizes will be proportional to the scale of the service, effort it takes to create it, and whether applicants have access to other resources to produce the activity. Because of this limitation, we anticipate funding projects between $1,000-$4,000 but will consider larger and smaller budgets. Applicants are asked to use this template to upload their budget when applying.

Funds may be used to support member’s time towards the creation of an activity and/or to support an existing project, as long as that project will benefit network members.

Potential Activities: The Innovation Grants are a great opportunity to think outside of the box and get creative in how you might bring your ideas to life. We encourage projects that can be delivered in a virtual capacity to increase accessibility for network members.

Examples of potential projects include:

Short course or training via webinar
Panel-style conversation
Topical call (coffee chat, open-space, etc.)
Podcast
Virtual Poster Campaign
Arts and culture activity
Self-care opportunity
Written article or thought piece
Research project
Creation of a tool, template, or framework
Networking opportunity
Affinity groups
Enter your ideas here….

Examples of possible topics might include:

Strategies for operationalizing racial equity in your organization
Ways to increase organizational effectiveness
Storytelling, communications, and fundraising
Activities to promote and make space for self-care in your organizational culture
Emergence of new partnerships, alliances, and networks to support food systems development
Activities for members meet and connect with each other and become more familiar with the diversity of work within the network

Interested, but not sure what you might propose? Reach out to Annalina or Andrew for a brainstorming session: [email protected] and [email protected]

Activation Grants Timeline

February 10 – June 2022: Rolling application period
April – June 2022: Activation Grants decisions are being made on a rolling basis
July- September 2022: Activities occur

Eligibility Requirements

This opportunity is available to staff of nonprofit 501 (c)3 organizations, fiscally sponsored projects under a 501 (c)3, and mission-driven food and farm businesses.
Applicants must be verified members of the FSLN (sign up here).

Questions? Email [email protected] with ‘Activation Grants’ in the subject line.