Maine Food Plan Request for Applications PURPOSE: To select the organization to serve as the administrative entity for

a statewide effort to accelerate and amplify Maines current food system efforts. Specifically, the administrative entity will coordinate, organize, and strengthen the growing network of the Maine food system. The administrative entity will also support the formation of a comprehensive, multi-year Maine Food Plan with immediate and ongoing actions and initiatives that are guided by a unified vision created by the network of stakeholders. BACKGROUND: A group of leaders representing many sectors and organizations from across the state has initiated a process to establish a food plan and supporting network for the state of Maine. We envision a strong, abundant, and resilient food system that is rooted in our communities; provides quality jobs; contributes to a vibrant economy; utilizes, enriches, and sustainably manages our states natural resources, and supplies healthy, affordable, and accessible food for all Maine people. The group, including several funders, plans to secure funding for this initiative. Simultaneously, we seek to identify an organization or entity to facilitate the project and to provide the administrative functions, including managing staff and subcontracting to partnering organizations. The initiative will include statewide outreach where communication is accentuated. It will target activists, investors, businesses, public officials, policy makers, and others positioned to lead food system changes. It will highlight best practices, provide missing data, identify gaps, prioritize solutions, link work underway for a northeast food system, and make policy recommendations. The effort will address economic development and jobs, health and nutrition, access and equity, and the environment and natural resources. Goals of the initiative include: y To analyze, learn from, and build upon past efforts; y To engage multiple partners across various sectors (government, agriculture, economic development, public health and healthcare, etc.) in a coordinated effort to change the food system; and engage as many Mainers as possible in the conversation. This is both network and movement building, as well as ensuring political buy-in; y To promote, support, and facilitate community organizing and capacity building strategies that empower a broad-based, grassroots network to implement the overarching vision in every region of the state; y To develop a strategic action plan that includes steps (policies, investments, strategies, recommendations, priorities) with short and long term objectives informed by practice based

evidence through a continuous feedback loop that consistently advances network objectives and moves Maine cumulatively closer to the overall vision; and To create a set of metrics to measure progress over time from an established baseline.

STRUCTURE: The administrative entity will seek guidance and take direction from a steering committee that will be established according to criteria established by an interim advisory/planning committee. The steering committee will be accountable to the wider stakeholder network, comprised of both working and issue groups. The process will involve intentional and strategic commitment to relationship building between sectors and groups that are not yet effectively connected. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: y y y A recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization Associations/Collaboratives using a fiscal agent (include a letter signed by an authorized organizational representative of the fiscal agent) Institutions of higher education

PROJECT PERIOD (suggested): Phase I (maximum 6 months): y Confirm/Secure personnel and partners y Establish steering committee y Draft work plan and budget for the initiative y Develop funding plan for Phases II and III y Develop communications and media plan for in-reach to the network and outreach to the public y Develop online web platform, as first step of implementing the communications and media plan Phase II (approximately one year): y Develop metrics/indicators and collect baseline data y Assess current food system efforts and analyze gaps y Develop maps to show baseline data and extent of current food system development work y Conduct outreach to network, including community forums and conversations with key informants, with intention of creating Work Groups to support the efforts y Develop action agenda with a few specific activities selected (may already be in motion) to accelerate and amplify existing efforts y Develop a policy agenda Phase III y Write, print, publish, and distribute the plan. y Continue work to strengthen and build the network y Establish a structure to support ongoing movement building y Implement the plan with ongoing coordination and management (e.g., communicate across efforts, collect indicator data to monitor progress, publish report cards of progress toward plan goals, update plan regularly).

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS: The successful applicant will receive funding for Phase I. A budget for Phase I is anticipated to be $50,000-$100,000. Future funding is contingent upon meeting stated objectives. Organizational information: A list of the applicant organizations board of directors or advisory committee, including occupations and city/town Narrative: Provide a (8 pages max.) narrative that addresses the following elements: y Applicants organizational history (founding date, mission, region served, populations served, current programs, etc.) y Key project personnel roles, qualifications, experience/relationship with diverse food sectors y Collaborative partners capacity, roles, and responsibilities y Steps necessary to establish baseline data, develop the plan, and ensure implementation y Outputs and outcomes short, medium, and long term impacts y Evaluation - plan and methodology y Sustainability a process for distribution of the plan and for future collaboration and funding y Work plan activities and time line Budget: Outline and justification for expenses incurred during the initial planning period (Phase I) Letters of agreement: Provide a letter or MOU (each 1 page max.) signed by an authorized representative of participating organizations that explain their level of involvement Where to submit: Please submit materials electronically to andrea@broadreachfund.org. Please write in the subject line: Maine Food Plan RFP. If possible, we would appreciate placing items into one document and saving/transmitting as a pdf file. Thank you. Applications are due March 1. Questions about the RFP should be directed to Andrea Perry: andrea@broadreachfund.org EVALUATION CRITERIA: y Proposal is clear, well written, and follows the requirements, including page limits (5 pts); y Personnel (including those involved in sub-contracts) are qualified to ensure the success of the project (with experience in community organizing, food system development, analysis, GIS mapping, and communications strategies) are committed (15 pts); y Demonstrated experience with collaborations and partnerships with commitment from other organizations involved as partners; and demonstrated ability to involve producers, researchers, policymakers, community organizations, and other relevant stakeholders; and demonstrated capacity for constituency building and policy formation (20 pts) ; y Presentation of a realistic timetable outlining the project's activities (10 pts); y Inclusion of criteria and process for selecting indicators and measuring progress toward plan implementation over time; and identification of how a baseline will be established, how accomplishments will be measured and evaluated, and a process for revisiting the plan over time (20 pts); y Familiarity with state and regional food planning processes and their role for creating social change (15 pts); y A well-justified and detailed budget appropriate to carrying out the project's objectives, showing any matching funds applied for or already secured (15 pts).

Maine Food Plan Vision, Values, Goals The following is intended to serve as a starting point and to evolve as more people are brought into the initiative.

Vision
We envision a strong, resilient and abundant food system that is rooted in our local communities, provides good jobs, contributes to a vibrant economy, utilizes and enriches our natural resources, and supplies healthy, affordable, and accessible food for all Maine people.

Values
Economic Development and Jobs: A Maine food system that builds a vibrant economy and provides good jobs Opportunity Fair treatment for workers Appropriate scales Health and Nutrition: A Maine food system that provides nourishment, is accessible and affordable, and enables people to thrive Equity Culture & Age Appropriate Meets dietary requirements Environment and Natural Resources: A Maine food system that is harvested and produced in a manner that protects and enriches the environment and natural resources Interdependent and sustainable Stewardship Diverse and durable

Goals
1. To develop a plan that includes action steps (policies, investments, strategies, recommendations, priorities to be taken over the next (few) years to move closer to our vision; 2. To create a set of metrics to measure progress over time; 3. To conduct various community organizing and capacity building strategies throughout the planning process that support partners' capacity to implement the plan 4. To engage multiple partners across various sectors (government, agriculture, economic development, public health and healthcare, etc) in changing the food system; and engage as many Mainers as possible in the conversation so that all might contribute to the solution.