Thank you to everyone who has submitted an RFP! All submitted RFPs will be kept on file and reviewed for the December conference. If you submitted an RFP and are no longer able to attend, please let us know by emailing passion@farmtoschool.org.
RFP submissions are now closed.
Goals
We acknowledge that inequities in our food system affect certain communities more profoundly. This year’s conference aims to highlight, include, and positively impact the following:
- Farms, producers, and food businesses: With an emphasis on those historically excluded from funding, resources, and decision-making. This includes BIPOC-led organizations, Tribal and Indigenous-led food initiatives, and immigrant- and refugee-led food businesses.
- Communities and eaters dependent on institutional food systems: Especially those facing systemic barriers, with a focus on dismantling food apartheid and promoting culturally relevant nutrition.
- School food directors and institutional food and health leaders: Those working to transform school food, institutional meal programs, and community health initiatives into equitable, culturally relevant, and community-centered movements.
Proposal Formats
We welcome proposals across three engaging session types:
- Posters for visual presentations
- Workshops (90 minutes) for interactive and in-depth exploration
- Lightning talks (5 minutes) for concise, impactful sharing of ideas
What does Farm to Cafeteria encompass?
Farm to Cafeteria spans a wide range of programs and settings, including:
- Farm to school (K-12)
- Farm to early care and education (ECE)
- Farm to college
- Farm to hospital
- Farm to corrections
- Farm to summer
- Farm to afterschool
And more!
Audience
The National Farm to Cafeteria Conference has grown into a powerful gathering place where diverse communities come together to transform food systems into models of justice and sustainability across the nation and territories. Our network spans all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the five U.S. Territories, and Sovereign Nations and includes:
- Communities most impacted by institutional food systems and decisions
- Leaders leveraging the power of cafeterias, schools, and other institutions to drive systemic change in the food system
- Those with resources and decision-making power within institutional value chains and food systems
This year we are gathering in Albuquerque, New Mexico—therefore, we particularly want to uplift our local partnerships in New Mexico and surrounding states including Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Potential Topic Areas
We welcome a wide range of topics in our request for proposals—this is your opportunity to share your or your organization's expertise and/or experience. Sample topics may include:
- Community-building and partnerships
- Local and sustainable procurement
- Farmers, food hubs, and supply chains
- School gardens and on-site farms + school food forests
- Education, training, and professional development
- Connecting organizations within the farm to cafeteria (F2C) and farm to institution (F2I) movements
- Policy / coalition-building
- Measuring impact, fundraising, and reporting
- Farm to early care and education (ECE)
- Food and nutrition education
- Cafeteria
- Innovation
- Youth leadership and/or engagement
- Native and Indigenous foods in schools and programs
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