Funded Projects
Self-Determination, Resilience, and Community Governance
Accelerating Food Systems Change
Across Northern BC
Delivered in partnership with Food Banks BC and supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the Community Food Systems Development (CFSD) program is a multi-year effort to strengthen and reimagine community food systems across Northern BC.
Guided by foundational studies into the region’s unique food security challenges, CFSD invested in community-led innovation through three interconnected funding streams: the Rapid Stimulus Grant, the Ideas Lab for Food Systems Transformation, and Large-Scale Innovations.
Together, these streams supported communities at every stage of their journey, from early relationship-building to systems-level change, helping communities shift away from charity-based approaches toward food systems grounded in self-determination, resilience, and community governance.
Featured Partners
The following partners are featured on the webpage video banner.
Please click on the logos to visit their websites.
Rapid Stimulus
Low-barrier, trust-based, and equity serving.
The Rapid Stimulus Grant provided one-time, low-barrier funding to non-profit organizations and Indigenous communities across Northern BC, supporting 36 initiatives working to strengthen local food systems.
Grounded in a trust-based, equity-serving approach, RSG met communities where they were, funding everything from community gardens and food banks to traditional food harvesting and food systems planning, while offering sustained staff support and guidance throughout the grant period.
Ideas Lab
Collaborative, peer-driven, and equity-driven.
The Ideas Lab brought together food systems actors from across Northern BC in a 17-month collaborative program, combining virtual learning, regional gatherings, and peer-driven design to spark new ideas for food systems change.
Through this community of practice, 39 participants co-created 13 collaborative, equity-driven initiatives that received seed funding for implementation, culminating in the Northern Harvest Food Summit.
Large-Scale
Strengthening governance, partnerships and long-term sustainability.
Large-Scale Innovations invested in seven transformative community-led projects ready to drive systems-level change across Northern BC.
Through flexible, relationship-based funding paired with sustained guidance, this stream helped communities build lasting infrastructure, from a regional food distribution network to a meat processing facility, while strengthening governance, partnerships, and long-term sustainability well beyond the grant period.
Interactive Map
Use the interactive map below to see who we funded across the north.
You can filter according to project type: Large-Scale, Ideas Lab, and Rapid Stimulus.
Posters
A project poster presentation was featured as part of the Summit, providing an opportunity to showcase 48 initiatives from the Rapid Stimulus, Ideas Lab, and Large-Scale grant streams.
All posters are downloadable in print format. Original posters were designed at 3ft by 4ft; as such, we advise you to print at a similar ratio to ensure text and images are as accessible as possible.
Community Food Systems Development in BC:
Accelerating Food Systems Change across Northern BC
Supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and delivered in partnership with Food Banks BC, this report brings together three years of work across the Rapid Stimulus Grant, the Ideas Lab for Food Systems Transformations, and Large-Scale Innovations, sharing the stories, data, and lessons behind Northern BC’s food systems transformation.
From community gardens and meat processing facilities to regional food distribution networks and Indigenous-led food sovereignty initiatives, it traces how 56 community-led initiatives took shape across the region, what they achieved, and the barriers they navigated along the way.
Drawing on survey data, conversational interviews, and firsthand stories from grantees, the report offers a look at what worked, what shifted along the way, and what still needs to happen to help this transformation take root for the long term. It closes with reflections and priorities to guide the next chapter of this work