Our collaborative has been years in the making. With the support of the NY Health Foundation we began gathering in 2022 with the goal of connecting to begin to understand where our work overlapped and how we could uplift one another. Moving forward with trust and admiration for each others work, we formed our collaborative. We are a network of Local Food Councils and food system partners.

In person gatherings

Since 2023 we have been gathering in person once a year to connect more deeply, build trust and to bridge the gap of our siloed statewide work.

Collective Advocacy

Many Local Food Councils have an advocacy platform- some are more local to their communities, while others have a wider voice in Albany and even D.C. As a network we work to champion the advocacy work of each council by sharing educational opportunities and attending in person advocacy events.

Read more here

Monthly virtual meetings

Each month we gather to share knowledge, ask questions, collaborate and build relationships with one another

Investing in a Statewide Network of Local Food Councils: $2 Million in the FY27 NY State Budget

New York currently benefits from 13 active LFCs serving diverse geographies from the Adirondacks to NYC to the Southern Tier. However, these LFCs are independently funded and do not have equal access to sustainable funding sources.

Questions

  • The purpose of this statewide collaboration is foremost about building trust and communication. From this base we hope to amplify the work that each group is doing in their communities and further that voice at the state level. Learn more about our impact here

  • New York State benefits from the Council on Hunger and Food Policy, a formally appointed body that brings together senior agency leadership, statewide organizations, and institutional stakeholders to advise on policy priorities and program alignment. This council plays an important role in statewide coordination and high-level policy discussion.

    Our collaborative centers local, grassroots efforts to uplift lived experience and give voice to our communities across the state through our regional councils. The State Council operates primarily through formal appointments and statewide representation, while LFCs operate through distributed, local leadership and lived experience, with consistent presence in communities. Notably, there is currently no formal representation of Local Food Councils within the State Council, and regional representation is uneven – for example, the North Country/Adirondacks, which accounts for roughly 20% of New York’s agricultural production, does not have direct representation.

  • We welcome new folks to the table!

    Please use our contact form to get in touch and we can loop you in to our upcoming meetings.

  • There is currently no fee for joining our collaborative.

  • Right here!

    Or you can email us directly at nyscommunityfoodcollaborative@gmail.com