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Strategic Planning

CFSC's Road Map for 2009-2013 [PDF]


Letter to Members from CFSC's Executive Director and Board President, September 2009 [PDF]

Related Documents

Progress Updates:

August 2009 • May 2009 • February 2009 • November 2008 • August 2008 • May 2008 • February 2008

August 1, 2009 - Strategic Road Map Approved

CFSC's strategic plan has been approved! This plan will guide our work over the next four years, based on eight strategic goals that include building political voice and power, increasing community-based capacity building, and improving membership engagement. Staff, board, members, and consultants worked hard over the past year to develop this plan, and many others provided input to the process.

'Action teams' fleshed out plans for each strategic goal this spring, and a complete draft plan was developed in early June. At a board-staff retreat in North Carolina, we reviewed this draft and made a few changes, most importantly adding a goal focused on social justice, inclusivity, and anti-racism. (Earlier the group had decided to integrate this goal throughout the plan rather than separating out, but we later agreed that making it a distinct goal would give it more emphasis.) We also drafted a new mission statement:

The Community Food Security Coalition catalyzes food systems that are healthy, sustainable, just, and democratic by building community voice and capacity for change.

The board formally approved the plan at the retreat, and staff and board identified priorities for implementation. CFSC is still completing the action plan details for the social justice goal and developing a communications strategy for the new plan, which will be shared with members soon.

May 1, 2009 - Completing Our Strategic Road Map

CFSC's Strategic Planning Committee is continuing its work to develop a ‘strategic road map’ based on seven goals aimed at building political voice and power, improving communications and collaboration, increasing community-based capacity building, improving membership engagement, and strengthening the organizational structure.

CFSC Staff and Board held a face-to-face meeting in March to start fleshing out specific action plans for the strategic goals and objectives. Follow-up work to refine the plan is continuing through three action teams that include board, staff, and members. The draft plan builds on extensive stakeholder feedback compiled through the last two annual meetings, a member survey, and one-on-one interviews.

We plan to complete the 'road map' before a board and staff retreat in June, discuss implementation of the plan at the retreat, and share the full plan with members later this summer. We look forward to engaging you in bringing the plan to life over the coming four years.

February 1, 2009 - Developing a Strategic Road Map

CFSC's Strategic Planning work has taken a great leap forward with development of key elements of a 'strategic road map.' The Strategic Planning Committee held a working meeting in November in Chicago. They reviewed extensive stakeholder feedback compiled through a member survey, a town hall meeting at the annual conference, and 26 one-on-one interviews. They also engaged in a series of exercises focused on vision, outcomes to attain the vision, and key activities and stakeholders.

Based on this foundation, the Committee identified eight strategic goals and specific objectives for each goal. The goals include building political voice and power, improving communications and collaborations, increasing community-based capacity building, improving membership engagement, and several aimed at strengthening the organizational structure.

Three action teams (including board, staff and members) have been organized to flesh out more specific plans to accomplish these goals. A fourth, cross-cutting team will review the action team drafts with an anti-racism/social justice lens and consider how to integrate the drafts. We plan to complete a draft 'strategic road map' and invite member comments later this spring.

November 1, 2008 - Key Issues Identified for the Strategic Plan

CFSC is moving forward with addressing the eight core issues identified at our July strategic planning retreat. The external issues are: the need for food system infrastructure; building capacity to promote a just and sustainable food system; the food crisis; and systemic inequalities in the food system. The internal issues are: the purpose of CFSC; staff and Board structures aligned with our values and purpose; membership structures aligned with our values and purpose; and structures that deepen our commitment to diversity and inclusion. These issues were chosen by Strategic Planning Committee members, board, and staff in July, based on the opportunities and challenges identified at the CFSC membership meeting in November.

CFSC sought member input on these topics at our recent conference through a variety of methods, including individual interviews, an on-line survey, and a town hall meeting. The Strategic Planning Committee will be meeting in Chicago Nov. 17-18 to flesh out these issue areas. We welcome your feedback on this plan as it develops.

August 1, 2008 - Moving Forward With Strategic Planning

CFSC's strategic planning process made some significant progress in July, when we held a strategic planning retreat in Keystone, CO with 26 board, staff, and members participating. We reflected on CFSC's past accomplishments and challenges and what we wanted to carry forward into the future. We also decided on some initial priorities for our draft strategic plan, which were drawn from the opportunities and challenges identified at the CFSC membership meeting in November and a board meeting in April. And we enjoyed cooking and sharing our meals together family-style (with Will Allen as the master barbeque chef!)

The retreat was skillfully facilitated by Gita Gulati-Partee and Evangeline Polly Weiss from OpenSource Leadership Strategies. Their consulting team was chosen by CFSC's strategic planning committee after a national search (see the committee member list below). They specialize in building "organizational and leadership capacity for breakthrough social change" and bring a strong social justice, anti-oppression lens to their work.

We'll be sending a more complete update on the meeting to our members soon, and asking for your input as we move forward with developing the plan, including at our annual conference in October.

May 1, 2008 - Member Input to Strategic Planning Process

CFSC wants your input! We will be moving ahead with a new four-year strategic plan this summer and fall, and we want to hear from you. The process will be guided by the Strategic Planning Committee (which includes board, staff, committee representatives, and members) and will be facilitated by a professional consultant. (We've received a number of proposals from qualified consultants and expect to make a decision this month.) CFSC will hold a strategic planning retreat in Colorado in July, and will be asking our members for advice on CFSC's proposed strategic directions throughout the summer and fall. The Annual Conference will create additional opportunities for participants to provide feedback. And the Member Forum in this newsletter offers a quick opportunity to weigh in.

February 1, 2008 - Strategic Planning Process Kickoff

CFSC began its long-awaited strategic planning process with the November membership meeting. At that event, members identified some of the key challenges and opportunities facing the community food security movement and CFSC, and developed recommendations for future directions. These ideas will provide an important foundation for the strategic planning process, which will generate a four-year strategic plan for the Coalition, hopefully by the October annual conference.

The strategic planning process will be led by a joint committee of CFSC members, board, and staff. We will seek membership input into various aspects of the plan via our website and e-mail announcements. This is a crucial time to determine the future of the Coalition and how it can best support the growing movement. We hope you'll participate in shaping our collective direction.

Strategic Planning Process Documents

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