Donor's Guide to Food Funding in Greater Philadelphia (2011)

From the introduction: "Children and adults who have access to nutritious food are able to grow, learn, work and maintain better health. The issue of food access goes much deeper than simply feeding the hungry. Whether your lens is urban agriculture, health and nutrition, economic development, environmental stewardship and sustainability, or emergency services, that there are many channels through which resources can be directed in order to improve food access and strengthen our food system.

"The greater Philadelphia area is gaining a national reputation for being at the forefront of food access issues. In February 2010, the Fairhill Elementary School received a visit from First Lady Michelle Obama, who is a passionate advocate for better access to healthier food choices for children and families. The First Lady praised the work being done in Philadelphia to ensure that all families have better access to healthy, affordable food in their communities, saying: 'If anyone thinks it can’t be done, I urge them to come to Philadelphia and see what can be done.'

"Since 2009, a local group of funders affiliated through Delaware Valley Grantmakers (DVG) (now Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia) has been meeting to learn together about critical food-related issues in our region and share ideas for ways to support each other’s grantmaking efforts. DVG created this booklet to offer concrete guidance for donors and foundation trustees to get started or build on their current food-related philanthropy.

"This guide is not meant to be a comprehensive listing, but rather a sampling of organizations addressing various aspects of food system issues in our region, and a resource for connecting donors with funders who are already engaged in food-related grantmaking.

"We hope this booklet helps you learn about some of the key organizations – both funders and nonprofits – who are actively addressing food access in our region, and informs and inspires your philanthropic support for food-related purposes."