4 ORGS · 77 ACTIVITIES ← all strategies ·
theory of action →

Local Food Systems Strengthening

By building direct, inclusive, and sustainable connections between local producers and consumers, we strengthen regional food systems and community resilience, because localized food economies enhance economic opportunity, reduce environmental impact, and improve equitable access to nutritious food. This strategy centers on reinforcing the entire local food ecosystem through coordinated mechanisms that support small-scale farmers, expand access for underserved populations, and promote environmentally sound practices. It distinguishes itself from broader economic development or education strategies by integrating producer support, consumer engagement, and systemic sustainability—creating a feedback loop where local economic health, food security, and ecological stewardship reinforce one another. Unlike isolated programs, this approach treats the food system as an interconnected network where changes in procurement, market structure, and consumer behavior collectively drive systemic res

4
orgs running it
77
activities of those orgs
12
clusters touched
who runs it

organizations running this strategy · 4

what it looks like in practice

activities of orgs running this strategy

A sample of programmatic activities from the orgs above. These are what the strategy looks like on the ground.

  • Advocacy for sustainable and local food procurement in city nutrition standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    advocacy
    Contributed sustainability recommendations to Philadelphia’s Comprehensive Nutrition Standards, promoting the purchase of locally-sourced foods by City agencies to support public health and local economies.
  • Advocacy for sustainable and local food procurement in city nutrition standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    advocacy
    Contributed sustainability recommendations to Philadelphia’s Comprehensive Nutrition Standards, promoting the purchase of locally-sourced foods by city agencies.
  • Advocacy for sustainable and local food procurement in city nutrition standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    advocacy
    Contributed sustainability recommendations to Philadelphia’s Comprehensive Nutrition Standards, advocating for City agencies to prioritize the purchase of locally-sourced foods.
  • Advocating for local food purchasing in city nutrition standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    advocacy
    Rainbow Defense Fund Inc. contributed to sustainability recommendations in Philadelphia’s Comprehensive Nutrition Standards, encouraging City agencies to purchase local foods.
  • Development and dissemination of Good Food Caterer Guide Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Released the Philadelphia Good Food Caterer Guide, which identifies catering businesses that meet criteria for healthy menus, sustainably-sourced food, fair labor practices, and local ownership.
  • Development and dissemination of Good Food Caterer Guide Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Released the Philadelphia Good Food Caterer Guide, which identifies catering businesses that meet specific criteria including healthy menus, sustainably-sourced food, fair labor practices, and local ownership.
  • Development and dissemination of the Philadelphia Good Food Caterer Guide Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Published the Philadelphia Good Food Caterer Guide, which identifies catering businesses that meet specific criteria including healthy menus, sustainably-sourced ingredients, fair labor practices, and local ownership, to promote equitable and sustainable food procurement.
  • Educating food vendors on nutrition standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    capacity building
    Rainbow Defense Fund Inc. partnered with Get Healthy Philly to host the Healthy Food Vendor Forum, educating vendors on citywide nutrition standards and gathering feedback on local sourcing.
  • Healthy Food Vendor Forum facilitation Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    capacity building
    Partnered with Get Healthy Philly in July 2014 to host the Healthy Food Vendor Forum, which educated vendors on citywide nutrition standards and gathered feedback on challenges and opportunities related to local sourcing.
  • Healthy Food Vendor Forum for vendor education and engagement Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    capacity building
    Co-hosted the Healthy Food Vendor Forum with Get Healthy Philly in July 2014 to educate food vendors on citywide nutrition standards and gather input on challenges and opportunities related to local sourcing.
  • Healthy Food Vendor Forum for vendor education and engagement Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    capacity building
    Partnered with Get Healthy Philly in July 2014 to host the Healthy Food Vendor Forum, which educated vendors on citywide nutrition standards and collected feedback on local sourcing practices.
  • Local food systems mapping and procurement guidance Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Conducted a local food mapping exercise to identify regionally available food products in Philadelphia and contributed to the development of the local foods list in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Food Standards and Implementation Guide.
  • Local food systems mapping and sourcing guidance Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Conducted a local food mapping exercise to identify regionally available food products and contributed to the development of the local foods list in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Food Standards and Implementation Guide.
  • Local food systems mapping and standards development Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Conducted a local food mapping exercise to identify regionally available food products in Philadelphia and contributed to the development of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Food Standards and Implementation Guide, including a list of local foods.
  • Mapping local food products and contributing to food standards Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    The organization conducted a local food mapping exercise to identify locally available food products in Philadelphia and helped develop a list of local foods included in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Comprehensive Food Standards and Implementation Guide.
  • Publishing healthy and sustainable catering guides Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Rainbow Defense Fund Inc. released the Philadelphia Good Food Caterer Guide, which identifies catering businesses meeting criteria for healthy menus, sustainably-sourced food, fair labor practices, and local ownership.
  • Research on city department catering practices Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Conducted outreach to Philadelphia City departments in fall 2014 to collect data on small catering orders, including food types, event occasions, and spending patterns, to inform sustainable procurement strategies.
  • Research on city department catering practices Rainbow Defense Fund Inc
    research
    Conducted outreach to Philadelphia City departments in fall 2014 to gather data on small catering orders, including food types, event occasions, and spending patterns.