Indigenous Food System Planning & Design Program Tier 1

Executive Summary:

The Indigenous Food System Planning & Design Program is a capacity-building initiative designed to addresses the critical need for quality, self-determined food system planning and design that is both accessible and sustainable for all communities. Rather than relying on external firms, this program empowers local champions to lead a distinctions-based planning and design process that ensures cultural alignment and long-term project resilience.

The Economic Advantage:

Hiring a private firm to develop a food system master plan can cost a community between $30,000 and $75,000+, often resulting in a static document. This program provides the same functional outcomes— site assessments, concept designs, and implementation workplans—for a fraction of the cost (starting at $4,500). However, unlike a one-time consulting contract, this program offers a permanent support network and ensures the knowledge, skills, and design-thinking remains within the community.

Key Program Pillars: A New Model for Food Sovereignty

1. Collaborative Consulting & Functional Outcomes This program is a first-of-its-kind hybrid that replaces the external consultant with a community-led mentorship model. Participants are trained to lead their own community engagement and site assessments following a proven consulting framework. This process ensures high-quality results without the external price tag, resulting in a “grant-ready” project package. By the end of the program, communities possess an attainable, site-specific design and the detailed budgeting required to secure immediate infrastructure and operational funding.

2. Self-Determination through Distinctions-Based Planning True food sovereignty requires moving away from generalized, one-size-fits-all models. Our approach prioritizes self-determination by emphasizing designs that are culturally and contextually relevant to the unique identity of each community and its specific ecological conditions. By empowering local champions to lead the research and visioning, we ensure that the resulting food system is a direct reflection of the people and the land it serves.

3. Project-Centric Resilience & Institutional Memory To ensure lasting success and protect the community’s investment, our support network is attached to the project, not just the individual. This project-centric model creates vital institutional memory; if a staff member moves on, the project remains in the program and continues to receive the same level of guidance. Standard registration includes up to two participants per project, building internal redundancy and fostering the collaborative environment necessary to move a project forward.

4. Continuous Mentorship & The Stewardship Network Project success is a long-term journey that extends far beyond the initial design. We fill a critical gap in project survival by offering continuous mentorship and long-term touchpoints to help community champions navigate the complexities of implementation. Through our Community of Practice and the available Stewardship & Management extension, we provide the ongoing support needed to overcome the common “two-year slump,” helping projects navigate staff transitions, capacity shifts, and the search for sustained funding.

Investment Tiers & Strategic Extensions

Program Tiers

• Tier 1: Community Partnership ($4,500): The 17-week core program, digital/physical Toolkit, lifetime Community of Practice access, quarterly Alumni Connection calls, and ongoing Grant Alerts.
• Tier 2: Technical Mentorship ($6,500): Tier 1 plus 4 hours of private 1-on-1 mentorship, a professional “Ready-to-Build” Implementation Audit, and grant application support for one 2027 application.
• Tier 3: Long-Term Legacy ($9,500): Tier 1 & 2 plus “Slump Insurance” (10 total hours of mentorship usable over 5 years), expanded grant support (3 applications), and annual Priority Planning calls for the first 5 years.

High-Touch Add-Ons

• In-Person “Catalyst” Partnership (Approx. $2,300–$9,200): Includes a 2-day on-site intensive visit to your community to ground-truth designs, assist with site assessments, or help facilitate engagement. Please email us for pricing and availability.
• Food System Stewardship & Management (Jan–June 2027): A 24-module operational masterclass focused on the technical “how-to” of running the garden.
• Bundle Discount: Save 25% on the Stewardship program when purchased with the Planning & Design program ($5,625 total for base tiers).

1 Year Access: Participants will have unlimited access to the curriculum, recorded sessions, and digital toolkits for one full year from the program start date to ensure they can revisit materials during the implementation phase.