Food Security Equity Impact Fund Improves Lives and Economies

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund is making a tangible difference in the lives of people and economies around the world. By providing critical support to small-scale farmers and food producers, the Fund is helping to increase food availability and accessibility.

One of the Fund's key initiatives is to improve access to finance for marginalized communities. This is being achieved through the provision of affordable and flexible loans, which are allowing farmers to invest in their businesses and improve their productivity.

The Fund's approach is having a ripple effect, with many farmers reporting significant increases in their income and livelihoods. For example, a recent study found that farmers who received support from the Fund saw their incomes increase by an average of 25%.

As a result of the Fund's efforts, entire communities are being uplifted and empowered to break the cycle of poverty.

Take a look at this: Cat Food

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund is a game-changer in the fight against hunger. It fuels community-driven solutions to hunger by partnering with food banks and organizations led by people of color, trusting their vision and investing in their success.

A fresh viewpoint: What Kind of Food Is Pap?

This fund believes that communities hold the key to their own food security, and it's a refreshing approach. By supporting community-led initiatives, the fund is able to reach the people who need it most.

The fund focuses on people who have been marginalized due to their race, ethnicity, and/or gender, providing them with vital nourishment, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship. This is a much-needed shift in the way we approach food security.

Michigan Good Food Fund is a statewide lending network that invests in food and farm entrepreneurs, offering flexible financing and tailored business assistance to grow a more resilient, inclusive local food system in Michigan.

We've made a significant investment in food security, pouring over $20 million into 35 partner food banks and 75 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico since 2021.

These organizations are led by people of color, with 90% of them bringing diverse perspectives to the table and shaping our work.

Every dollar we've invested has generated nearly $9 in community benefits, including jobs and local purchasing that circulates resources in the local economy.

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund is a game-changer for communities of color and rural areas disproportionately impacted by food insecurity. The fund was created in March 2021 with a $20 million donation from MacKenzie Scott.

Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, is behind this initiative. They believe that communities hold the key to their food security and partner with food banks and organizations led by people of color, trusting their vision and investing in their success.

Farms to Families is one of the recipients of the Food Security Equity Impact Fund grant. This collaborative fund by Roots4Change and REAP Food Group was co-created during the pandemic in 2020 to directly support Latino/indigenous families with access to healthy, sustainable food, health and housing assistance, and employment opportunities.

The grant will allow Roots4Change and REAP to continue funding Farms to Families for two more years. A total of 85% of the grant goes to Roots4Change and REAP Food Group, while Second Harvest receives 15%.

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund's trust-based grantmaking approach is truly innovative. They trust communities, not dictate solutions, allowing local leaders to innovate and build long-term solutions.

Their multi-year grants give communities the freedom to tackle systemic barriers like racial and economic inequalities. This approach recognizes that communities hold the key to their own food security.

They go beyond emergency food assistance, tackling the root causes of hunger. This means supporting projects like Black farmer cooperatives, economic mobility programs, and developing equitable food systems.

Here are some key aspects of their trust-based grantmaking:

Their trust-based approach is a breath of fresh air, empowering communities to take charge of their own food security. By investing in community-led initiatives, they're creating lasting change.

We're making progress in the fight against hunger, thanks to innovative solutions from community-driven food projects. Our investments in farm-to-table community caterers are working to increase healthy food access.

From entrepreneurs on the frontier of sustainable aquaculture to food banks and organizations led by people of color, we're partnering with visionaries who understand the importance of community-led food security.

The Fair Food Fund's Quarterly Update shares the latest investments and stories of impact, showcasing the difference we're making in the field. Check it out for a closer look.

We're also working with Place-Based Funds, which provide results, stories about food businesses, and more. It's a great way to stay up-to-date on our progress.

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund is all about trusting community leaders and investing in their success. We believe that communities hold the key to their own food security.

The Food Security Equity Impact Fund is committed to supporting local communities through its investments in food entrepreneurs. By providing catalytic capital, wrap-around business services, and a commitment to place-based impact investing collectives, they're helping to build thriving communities and a more inclusive economy.

The Fund believes that communities hold the key to their own food security, and they partner with organizations led by people of color to invest in their success. This approach is reflected in their Michigan Good Food Fund, which invests in food and farm entrepreneurs across the state.

Through its place-based funds, the Fund convenes and develops local impact investing collectives that work at the intersection of food, health, and economic justice. This approach ensures that investments respond to community-identified needs and promote a more resilient, inclusive local food system.

Our organization believes that communities hold the key to their own food security, and we partner with food banks and organizations led by people of color to trust their vision and invest in their success.

We work at the intersection of food, health, and economic justice to support local food entrepreneurs through catalytic capital, wrap-around business assistance, and a commitment to place-based impact investing collectives. This approach helps build thriving communities and a more inclusive economy.

While our vision is national, our work and impact are always local. We convene and develop place-based impact investing collectives that work at the intersection of food, health, and economic justice.

We focus our investments on people who are often overlooked by traditional investors, particularly those who have been marginalized due to their race, ethnicity, and/or gender. This includes farmers, grocers, and other local food entrepreneurs who provide vital nourishment, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship to their communities.

Mental health and food security improved for participants in the Austin pilot program, thanks to the monthly stipend.

Participants' mental health reached the highest level of improvement at the six-month mark, with a notable gain of substantial relief from depression for 12% of participants.

The share of participants reporting that they couldn't "stop worrying" increased by 6% above the baseline by the end of the pilot, due to concerns about making ends meet once the program ended.

Reductions in food insecurity were significant during the 12-month pilot, and participants were more likely to afford balanced meals because of the cash payments.

Most families had faced food insecurity before receiving their first stipend, highlighting the importance of programs like this in supporting local communities.

People's mental health improved because they weren't as stressed worrying about how they would make ends meet, and this had a positive impact on their family life.