Resources
Deepen your knowledge and practice of EFOD work.
EFOD + Duke World Food Policy Center
A series of talks hosted in collaboration with the Duke World Food Policy Center, diving deep into building equitable food systems.
Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap
In his keynote address, Dr. Henry McKoy discusses the need to give communities autonomous power to address their own needs. He documents the racial wealth gap in the U.S., introduces the concept of “poverteering” as it relates to entrepreneurial ownership and wealth, and trends for Black-owned businesses. He makes the case for entrepreneurial and economic equity in development as the necessary precursor to educational, health, and workforce equity.
Research Justice: Shifting from Extractive Study to Humanized Relationship
This panel discussion looks at how research institutions interact with communities before, during and after conducting research. The goal of the discussion was to: 1) identify who benefits from the current system (how academics most often interact with communities in extractive ways), and how we might think differently about these models and who is doing this well. 2) discuss how think tanks could become more rooted in the communities they are serving; 3) describe whose thoughts/values/needs are being centered in think tanks; and 4) set the stage to uplift the community expertise and undo some of the damage when academic institutions co-opt work. Panelists give examples of how typical research practices are dehumanizing and extractive for communities, and make recommendations on how to change this dynamic.
Reframing the Role of CDFIs in Building Equitable Economic Ecosystems
Panelists share examples of how some CDFIs do not serve the communities they are intended to serve, and what to do about it. The goal of the discussion was to explain how to change the CDFI operational narrative from one of risk to relationship, and to shift power and decision-making from a deficit model towards a reparative one. Dialogue focused on why and how funding often doesn’t get allocated towards collective wealth-building strategies for communities. Panelists make recommendations for how CDFIs can achieve greater equity in their work by shifting to relationship-based decision making. Speakers discuss strategies of several innovative CDFIs who are having deep impact.
LEARN MORE
EFOD Evaluation principles
Equitable food-oriented development (EFOD) is both a development strategy and a growing movement that uses food and agriculture as a pathway to increased economic opportunity and better community health outcomes. It prioritizes community-driven and -owned solutions to deepen power and agency in historically marginalized communities.
In partnership with Equal Measure, the EFOD Collaborative has identified evaluation principles for EFOD-specific work. These principles draw attention to the unique purposes, audiences, approaches, and methods relevant to the evaluation of EFOD work. They provide a tool for internal evaluation activities led by EFOD organizations and for external interactions with funders, as well as with other partners and stakeholders.
WHY WE CAME TOGETHER
EFOD: The Origin Story
EFOD was born out of a desire and need by community-based organizations and leaders around the country to have a stronger movement for justice-based food systems work. But it also came from our collective work navigating systemic barriers to accessing capital and seeking to increase the flow of capital to EFOD projects, and ultimately, to our people in low-income communities of color.
This report, created in partnership with Equal Measure, details the steps EFOD leaders took towards creating the Collaborative, and why we’ve come together to build the field.
BUILDING COMMUNITY POWER
EFOD Brown Paper
Food is central to the health, well-being, economic resilience, cultural heritage, and self-preservation of communities – and EFOD organizations are using the food system to build power and wealth in our communities.
Learn more about our vision of healthier and more just community development in this original field scan research.
EFOD IN PRACTICE
Case Studies
EFOD organizations are doing amazing work around the country, but often struggle to obtain necessary financing.
Here are some practical examples of how these organizations must innovate to build equitable community food systems.
CDFI CASE STUDIES
How Innovative CDFIs Fund Equitable Food Oriented Development
This report, prepared by the Duke World Food Policy Center, explores how three Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) drive economic growth in low-income and historically marginalized communities through Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD), a community development model that supports locally owned food-based economies (EFOD Collaborative, 2019).
This research seeks to understand the practices of CDFIs that are effective funders of EFOD in their communities.
