HOW WE’RE CREATING CHANGE
As a collective impact organization, the Blueprint acts as a hub for network partners working to address hunger in Colorado communities, with equity incorporated throughout our collaborative work.
In our role as a convener, facilitator, and connector, we bring people together to create social and systems-level change around hunger and food access. We can only achieve this by shifting policies, practices, power dynamics, mindsets, and flow of funding and other resources to community-focused organizations doing the local work, day in and day out.
Our collective efforts align directly with these goals and our shared vision, which are laid in our five-year plan. They’re accomplished by multiple committees, workgroups, and associated project teams, in addition to direct community investments.
The Governing Council serves as the governing body and provides high-level oversight for the Blueprint, with staff of the Blueprint’s program office supporting the collective impact work and network partners serving as co-chairs, project team leads, and participants. Trailhead Institute serves as the Blueprint’s fiscal sponsor.
HOW WE WORK
Here’s an overview of the Blueprint’s work:
Directly investing in Colorado communities, with the following annual funding opportunities led by the Blueprint:
Workgroup 1: Public & Political Will to End Hunger that’s currently focused on:
Language and messaging, including language justice and accessibility
Connecting with community and creating welcoming spaces
Workgroup 2/3: Healthy Food Access in Communities that’s currently focused on:
Evaluation of healthy food incentive programs like Double Up Food Bucks through the lens of community participants
Support for grassroots leaders and community-led initiatives advancing food access, such as a workshop series
Microgrant opportunities for small, grassroots projects
Small grocer and retailer certification for accepting SNAP and WIC
Workgroup 4: Enrollment in SNAP & WIC that’s currently focused on:
Cross-program alignment between Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC
Removing barriers to SNAP for those without stable housing
Connecting food and health
Workgroup 5: Access to Child Nutrition Programs that’s currently focused on:
Acceptance, marketing, and awareness like a statewide marketing and outreach campaign for Healthy School Meals for All in public schools
Advocacy and support for systems-level change like ensuring students have enough time to eat during the school day
Outreach and community acceptance
Committees focused on:
State policy, including state legislative and rulemaking priorities, along with exploring the formation of a state-level Farm Equity Office
Federal policy, including collective priorities around federal funding and support for programs like SNAP, WIC, and produce incentives
Data and evaluation, including a comprehensive dashboard with publicly available data and an in-development local procurement map
Other efforts like:
Hosting a yearlong Equity Challenge and peer-to-peer learning series to support organizations beginning or continuing their own equity journey
Facilitating quarterly food access update meetings to create space for sharing updates, building connections, and minimizing silos between state agencies and partners across the state
Forming the Food Justice Funders’ Collaborative to bring together philanthropic organizations for learning, connections, and exploration of collaborative opportunities to impact food systems in Colorado