Approach
Outcomes
We work to help partners and clients solve complicated problems in the food and farming sector. Our goal is to ensure that everyone’s energy, time and money are spent wisely. Our core metrics of success are both efficacy and impact.
Simplicity
The industry is complicated, so our job is to simplify complex concepts so others can quickly get up-to-speed and get things done. Let’s flatten the learning curve – whether for farmers, practitioners, researchers, consumers or funders – to address the most time-sensitive issues.
Systems & Design Thinking
In order for a food system initiative to be effective, stakeholders should have an unbiased understanding of the system in which they’re working or would like to work.
We work to help partners and clients solve complicated problems in the food and farming sector. Our goal is to ensure that everyone’s energy, time and money are spent wisely. Our core metrics of success are both efficacy and impact.
Simplicity
The industry is complicated, so our job is to simplify complex concepts so others can quickly get up-to-speed and get things done. Let’s flatten the learning curve – whether for farmers, practitioners, researchers, consumers or funders – to address the most time-sensitive issues.
Systems & Design Thinking
In order for a food system initiative to be effective, stakeholders should have an unbiased understanding of the system in which they’re working or would like to work.
We invest the time to more deeply understand who else is working in a space, what has and hasn't worked, and what the fundamental issues are. In designing solutions, we focus on creative ways that leverage the collective energy and brainpower of the broad-based community. The ultimate goal is to “raise the tide to lift all boats.”
Collaboration
All of our projects are based on shared learning, co-creative strategy, and collective impact. Our sweet spot involves multi-stakeholder engagement – bridging organizations with overlapping missions, nonprofits and for-profits, funders and those seeking funding, or diverse communities served and those who seek to serve them.
Community Voice, Monitoring & Evaluation
Some of the most successful agriculture programs (1, 2, 3, 4) attribute their success to empowering their constituents to provide ongoing honest feedback and to guide their own self-mobilization strategies. Regardless of how target constituents are involved, collecting data and appropriate indicators across all stakeholders ensures that efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable.
Lean Technology
Both farmers and the nonprofit community seek to share all types of information with each other. Both are also notoriously “technologically challenged.” We design practical learning toolkits and online platforms using both free/open-source tools and new proprietary software.
Smart Money Flow
Organizations can’t accomplish much if they’re not financially sustainable. And, the movement can’t move very fast if funders don’t know where the most impactful opportunities are. We work with partners to identify ways to minimize overhead and fundraise together, and are increasingly helping funders learn about levers of change and innovators.
Mindfulness
We value open-mindedness, fairness, cultural sensitivity and transparency when working with our diverse partners and diverse audiences.