What’s in a Name? Understanding the Differences in Food System Plans
Food System Plan, Food Action Plan, Food and Nutrition Security Plan, Food Access Plan—these terms are often used interchangeably, but do they mean the same thing? In many cases, a plan’s title reflects the unique priorities, values, and vision of the community it...
Case History: Maui County Food & Nutrition Security Plan
Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lānaʻi, has a rich history of sustainable food production and Native Hawaiian innovation. While many of these practices continue to flourish, the county’s food system also faces challenges related to...
“Food Is Medicine” vs “Food As Medicine”: Why the Distinction Matters for Local Food Systems
When we discuss using food to prevent, treat, or manage health conditions, two phrases dominate the conversation: "food is medicine" and "food as medicine." While they might seem interchangeable, their subtle differences carry implications for how we design programs,...
A Guide to USDA LAMP Grants for Food System Projects
Local Agriculture Market Programs (LAMP) are transformative grants in the good food sector. They provide an influx of money for large-scale projects that support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional...
Case History: The Mill Street Market
Based in Hastings, Michigan, Barry Community Foundation bridges community needs with donor interests, granting dollars to programs, projects and organizations that align with its vision to be a trusted resource for positive change in Barry County, leveraging assets in...
Case History: Kent County Food System Plan
Throughout 2023 and 2024, the food system planning team at New Venture Advisors had the privilege of collaborating with the Kent County Food Policy Council in a comprehensive planning process to advance the food system in the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan region....
Building Funding Resilience: Funding Development Planning at New Venture Advisors
In today's funding landscape, New Venture Advisors has witnessed firsthand how financial limitations can severely restrict an organization's forward momentum. We frequently engage with organizations at transformative moments—particularly when they're pursuing...
Beyond Buildings: Place-Based People-Powered Infrastructure
When "infrastructure" topped Merriam-Webster's most significant words of 2021, it signaled more than just a trending term – it marked the beginning of a transformative era in America's food system. As the federal government poured unprecedented investments into...
Good Food Glossary: Food Club
Food Clubs, member-based grocery stores designed to enhance food security, are reimagining the traditional grocery store model to address multiple challenges in our food system while emphasizing consumer choice and dignity. At its core, a Food Club is a nonprofit...
Case History: Newark Food Network Feasibility Study
Newark Alliance is a civic leadership organization dedicated to ongoing economic revitalization across the city of Newark. It is working to develop a collaborative food network to support the development of an equitable, healthy, and prosperous Newark food system. The...
USDA Regional Food Business Centers: Strengthening Local Food Systems
News Update: On July 16, 2026, the USDA announced the termination of the Regional Food Business Centers initiative. No information has been provided about the future of other related efforts. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has launched an innovative...
A Guide to HFFI FARE Fund for Food System Projects
The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund was established through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and is designed to support healthy food access in both rural and urban communities across the U.S. New Venture...
Community Fridges: Give Some, Take Some
Food insecurity is the inability of citizens to have reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food. It is present in every county in the United States. The solutions range from federal initiatives such as free lunch and after-school snack programs at public...
Case History: Faith in Place
Faith in Place empowers people of diverse faiths and spiritualities to be leaders in advancing environmental and racial justice, providing resources to educate, connect, and advocate for healthier communities. The organization has a history of working with sustainable...
Good Food Glossary: Gleaning
Gleaning is simply the act of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, or any other source to provide them to those in need. In ancient times, farmers would leave portions of their fields unharvested so that the poor...
Food Systems are Evolving and We Are Too
The story of New Venture Advisors' inception in 2010 coincides with a pivotal moment in the United States' local food movement. At that time, awareness was gradually dawning on the connections between hunger, health issues like obesity, and the availability of...
Case History: RG Foods Cooperative Food Hub
A collaboration between RG Foods, Food on the Move, FreshRx, the Tulsa Farmers’ Market, and Oasis Fresh Market identified that supply chain challenges present significant obstacles for small grocery stores and food outlets in and around Tulsa County, Oklahoma. These...
Feasibility Studies Made Easy: Navigating Your Role in a Food Business Feasibility Study
In a previous blog post, we reviewed the purpose and power of a food business feasibility study. In this follow-up, we will explore what to expect once you embark on the journey– the important role you play, building expectations for a reasonable timeline, how to...
Case History: Southeast Nebraska Development District
Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD) represents nearly 150 jurisdictions ranging in population size from 30 to 10,000 residents across 16 counties. Recognizing that many rural communities have limited economic development support, SENDD set out to create a...
Before Building: 3 Ideas for Boosting Regional Meat Processing Capacity
The global processed meat market is valued at $3.3 trillion, with global meat consumption projected to grow by 14% from 2020 to 2030 (FAO). Most meat, including beef, pork, ruminants, and poultry, is produced and processed at scale by larger commercial farms or...
Feasibility Studies: Their Purpose and Power in Food System Developments
A feasibility study is an analytical tool used during the development of a new project to evaluate how it would operate under a set of assumptions. It explores an idea's viability and helps determine whether to invest further time and money. A feasibility study is not...
Case History: Manchester, New Hampshire’s Healthy Food Access Plan
Manchester is the most populous city in New Hampshire and northern New England (which includes Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont). As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 115,644 people. In 2022, the Manchester Health Department conducted a community health...
Food Systems as Economic Development
The field of economic development utilizes programs, policies, and commercial activities to improve a community's economic well-being and quality of life. The field of food system planning can bring together diverse stakeholders from across the food system who are...
Good Food Glossary: Food System
The “food system” is all the steps to get food from farm to table. It encompasses production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management. This system can work collaboratively to enhance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Ecosystems,...
