Food Catalyst Fellowship – Apply now!

Food Catalyst Fellowship – Apply now!

Community Food Sustainability, Events, Trainings & Opportunities
The Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition(SAWC), and Spruce Root are thrilled to launch a six month-long fellowship designed to bring together Southeast Alaskans who are interested in catalyzing projects to promote food security and food sovereignty in rural Alaska Native communities. A cohort of up to six fellows will receive training in business and project planning, form connections with regional experts, and will be eligible to receive up to $15,000 in funding to support their projects. Click here for more details.
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Transportation Challenges

Transportation Challenges

Community Food Sustainability
In more than three years we have planned and executed a food hub in Southeast Alaska as a way to solve the most critical challenge in order for food producers, especially vegetable farmers, to grow their operations and access larger urban markets. Here are our lessons learned regarding the challenges that transportation continues to pose for a regional food economy. While other regional studies address general transportation options, this white paper uses the food hub’s experiences as a case study to examine the specific barriers, costs, and recommendations for improving transportation options for the region’s vegetable producers.   [gview file="https://www.alaskawatershedcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Transportation-Whitepaper-SAWC-2020.pdf"]
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Path to Prosperity focuses on Local Foods:  Twelve Entrepreneurs Compete for Award to Grow Business

Path to Prosperity focuses on Local Foods: Twelve Entrepreneurs Compete for Award to Grow Business

Community Food Sustainability
The Path to Prosperity (P2P) business development competition has selected 12 finalists to advance to the second round of the 2017 program. P2P aims to identify and support new and growing small businesses in Southeast Alaska, especially those implementing sustainable practices into their business models.  These businesses’ leadership is key to building social, economic, and environmental resiliency in Southeast Alaskan communities. READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE!  Focused on Food For the 2017 competition, P2P is focused exclusively on Southeast Alaska food businesses. Eligible applicants must be involved in the growing, harvesting, processing, aggregation, preparation or distribution of food. Local food systems and community food security are of critical importance to the region, Spruce Root, TNC, and new P2P sponsor Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition (SAWC).  "Creating access to local foods…
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Growing Produce in Southeast Alaska: Economic Opportunities in the Last Frontier

Growing Produce in Southeast Alaska: Economic Opportunities in the Last Frontier

Community Food Sustainability
Most of us know that supporting local business and localizing our food system is important, but just how big of an impact could a local food economy have for Southeast Alaska? Members of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Spruce Root Community Development, Grow Southeast, and the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition partnered to produce a study on the economic impacts of localizing vegetable production in Southeast Alaska. Check out the handy infographic below, and read the full report here!      
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Localizing the Food System: Developing a Food Hub for SE Alaska

Localizing the Food System: Developing a Food Hub for SE Alaska

Community Food Sustainability, Community Watershed Stewardship
In Southeast Alaska, improved access to local foods and a more reliable food supply are critical components of self-reliance and community resiliency. Residents of the region's rural communities face high and rising costs of living, a declining state economy, and dependence upon air and water transport for delivery of basic commodities including food and petroleum products. According to a report commissioned by the Alaska Dept. of Health and Social Services, 95% of the food purchased in Alaska is imported, often shipped through extensive supply chains arriving by truck, airplane, and barge.  The high cost of imported foods and lengthy supply chain make Southeast Alaska communities vulnerable to unforeseen disruptions in larger national food and transport systems, and send local dollars outside of the state. Many communities throughout the region have begun prioritizing…
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