SAFSF envisions a world in which food and agricultural systems contribute to personal, environmental, community and cultural health. We envision our organization as an expanding community of funders working to increase support and funding for programs and organizations that (i) increase the supply, demand, quality, and accessibility of sustainably produced foods; (ii) make our food system more sustainable and/or (iii) improve environmental stewardship, diet and health, and viability of communities.
SAFSF is guided by the following shared set of values:
1.1 Collaboration
The SAFSF values members who:
- Use their philanthropic resources to effect systemic change;
- Strive to learn from their experiences and those of their colleagues;
- Support their work and the work of their colleagues through open, honest and respectful sharing of experience and knowledge;
- Build relationships among and between colleagues that lead to more effective work by all;
- Enjoy contributing to the body of knowledge around food and food-related grantmaking;
- Believe in collaboration as a necessary condition for advancing the common goals of organization members and
- Believe in active involvement and participation in an organization to make it successful.
- Play an active role in moving the deliberations forward, helping to ensure all voices are heard.
1.2 Diversity
The SAFSF values food systems that encourage and enable:
- Biological diversity;
- Diversity of farm and food enterprises, including diversity of their ownership structures, scale and locations;
- Diverse production practices adapted to the local ecology, producers' interests and community needs; and
- Economic and leadership opportunities for those working at all points in food and agriculture systems regardless of racial, ethnic, cultural and economic background.
1.3 Regionalization and localization
The SAFSF values food systems that:
- Foster significant increases in the production, availability and demand for sustainably produced foods;
- Capture and multiply economic, social and ecological benefits within locales and regions;
- Reduce the distance food travels from field to fork, and
- Enable closer and more transparent connections between consumers, producers and other workers in the food and agriculture supply chain.
1.4 Environmental Integrity and Stewardship
The SAFSF values food systems that benefit the environment through:
- The reduction of chemical and fossil fuel use;
- The promotion of biological diversity;
- The humane treatment of animals;
- The improvement of soil health;
- Practices that create cleaner water and air; and
- Systems that contribute less to climate change.
1.5 Community
The SAFSF values food systems that enhance the viability of communities, particularly low-income communities, in rural and urban areas by:
- Providing a fair return to farmers;
- Providing just and fair working conditions for farm workers and laborers along all points in the farm and food value chain;
- Supporting community-based food enterprises;
- Supporting small, family, and independently producing farmers; and
- Providing accessible, affordable, culturally appropriate food.
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