Working Groups

What is a Working Group?

A Working Group brings together individuals from across the food system to collaborate on projects that result in the activation of one or more Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan (SBCFAP) goals.

View Active Working Groups

Individuals are part of the food system or a “food system actor” if they are growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, distributing, disposing of, or eating food in Santa Barbara County. Working Groups offer an opportunity to pull together diverse perspectives and skill sets to facilitate successful projects and meet goals that benefit and build a more equitable and resilient food system.

© Andrew Hill
© Andrew Hill
© Andrew Hill

Working Groups drive the work of SBCFAN and were derived from the SBCFAP. Based on listening sessions in 2019, the following categories were indicated as priorities to activate:

Community-scale food hub development

Create accessible “hubs” or centralized locations throughout Santa Barbara County for food aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, marketing, education, and/or demonstration to ensure healthy and affordable food is accessible to all residents.

Advocacy and policy change

Identify, propose, and advocate for policies and innovative solutions that support an equitable and resilient food system by advancing economic development, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Environmental regeneration

Develop systems of growing food that reclaim carbon and nutrients on the land by increasing biodiversity, building soil health, and improving watersheds to produce healthier food and lessen the impacts of climate change.

Local product infrastructure and market development

Invest in existing and new avenues of processing, packaging, and distribution to expand the market, sales, and consumption of locally produced food products in Santa Barbara County.

Foodways education and demonstration

Develop programs that educate and connect the public to “foodways” or customs of food production, preservation, preparation, presentation, gathering, marketing, and uses of food products by the diverse peoples and regions of Santa Barbara County.

How is a Working Group formed?

SBCFAN facilitates the launch and maintenance of Working Groups, but their creation, goals, objectives, and actions are driven by food system actors.

Any food system actor can request to join an existing Working Group or start a new Working Group by taking the following steps:

Become an SBCFAN Working Group Member

Once you’re a member, you have access to the membership portal where you can connect, align, and activate with other members through one-on-one and group chat, messaging, and shared resources. Learn more.

Join an existing Working Group.

Review the list of existing Working Groups in the membership portal and request access to join any that are relevant to your interests or project. The Working Group lead will process your request and add you to the Working Group or recommend that you activate a new one.

Submit a request to start a Working Group

If there is not an existing Working Group that is relevant to your interests or project, submit a request to start a new Working Group. SBCFAN will process your request and help facilitate the launch of your new Working Group.

How do Working Groups drive the work of SBCFAN?

Working Groups
commit to:

  • Identify a project/s that results in the activation of one or more SBCFAP goals.
  • Set objectives to launch the project/s and meet the goal/s.
  • Work together to meet these objectives.
  • Include at least three members who represent different areas of the food system, offering an opportunity to pull together diverse perspectives and skill sets to projects. Anyone with relevant experience and/or interest in the focus of the Working Group should be welcomed to participate.
  • Identify 1-2 individuals to lead the Working Group as chair/co-chairs so responsibilities can be shared.

Working Group
co-chairs
commit to:

  • Schedule and facilitate Working Group meetings quarterly (or more often if necessary) and provide regular updates on the Working Group’s progress to Working Group members.
  • Manage shared resources including meeting notes, work plans, budgets, and other documents that support the success of the Working Group’s projects and goals.
  • Track progress of the Working Group and assist SBCFAN with reporting on outcomes.
  • Facilitate member engagement and participation and promote an open and safe environment.
  • Engage SBCFAN as needed to ensure Working Group projects and goals are moving forward.
  • Attend SBCFAN bi-annual member listening and learning sessions to share and receive feedback on the Working Group’s progress, successes, failures, and challenges.

Working Group members
commit to:

  • Regularly engage with other Working Group members by attending meetings, contributing to meeting objectives, and providing knowledge and/or resources.
  • Be respectful of other Working Group members, their ideas, and perspectives.

How does SBCFAN support Working Groups?

SBCFAN commits to:

  • Facilitate launch of the Working Group, in collaboration with the chair/co-chairs, including providing guidance on identifying goals, objectives, and potential Working Group members.
  • Attend and/or facilitate first one to three Working Group meetings to ensure the Working Group has support to launch successfully.
  • Provide support when Working Group leadership changes. Step in to facilitate meetings and/or transfer of information, tools, and resources to the new chair/co-chairs.
  • Provide shared virtual workspace and Working Group Toolkit, including meeting agenda, workplan, and project budget templates.
  • Notify about relevant funding opportunities.
  • Facilitate bi-annual member listening and learning sessions where Working Group leads will have an opportunity to share and receive feedback on the Working Group’s progress, successes, failures, and challenges.
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