Mission:

The Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) is a project of Community Partners. SAFSF was formed in 1991 by funders with a shared interest in economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible systems of food production, processing, distribution and consumption. Originally named the Sustainable Agriculture Grantmakers, SAFSF functioned as a working group of the Environmental Grantmakers Association from 1991 until October 2005.

SAFSF became a project of Community Partners (www.communitypartners.org) as of November 1, 2005. SAFSF is a national group that works to foster communication, shared learning and information exchange about issues connected to sustainable agriculture and food systems. SAFSF seeks to carry out its mission by providing opportunities for collaboration, increasing awareness of the issues as well as funding needs, and expanding beyond the current membership to increase support and funding for organizations that (i) promote sustainable food production; (ii) link to concerns about sustainability of our food system; and/or (iii) connect food production with issues of environmental stewardship, diet and health, and viability of rural communities.

SAFSF is governed by a Steering Committee (nine person maximum), the members of which share a deep commitment to the mission of the organization. Each SC member demonstrates this commitment in the context of her/his own food systems field. Steering Committee members are individuals who have volunteered to provide leadership to the working group and on-going support to the staff Coordinator. The Steering Committee meets on a monthly basis (via conference call) and holds in-person meetings approximately twice a year. For those interested in more information about serving on the Steering Committee, please contact the SAFSF Coordinator.

The SAFSF Coordinator initiates, manages and administers all day-to-day activities of the funders group.

Purpose:

Agriculture is one of the key environmental issues of our time, yet it is not receiving the attention or the funding necessary to build an effective movement for and practice of sustainable agriculture and food systems in the United States and around the world. Such a coordinated and collaborative movement is needed in order to move toward reversing the negative impacts of industrial agriculture and unsustainable food systems currently at work. The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders is working expand the awareness and knowledge of these important issues as they relate to other areas - health, human services, education, and beyond.

SAFSF seeks to work with its members and others to strengthen and diversify the sustainable agriculture and food systems grantmaking community, provide new and expanded programming, and keep funders on the cutting edge of the movement.