On March 14, 2025, CFF partnered with Philanthropy New York, Sustainable Agriculture & Food System Funders, and Funders for Regenerative Agriculture to host a briefing titled Seeding Power: Food Justice Leadership & Movement Building.
The focus of the briefing was the Seeding Power Fellowship. Program staff and recent alumni discussed the design and impacts of the program, and what is planned for the next cohort. CFF has designed a fellowship experience where funders and food justice leaders come together to learn, build relationships, and envision the collaborations needed to create a more equitable food system for all. You can read a summary of the prior cohort’s experience here.
Kellie Terry, North Star Fund’s Philanthropy Programs Director, opened the meeting by acknowledging the political time we are in. She spoke of North Star Fund’s commitment to investing in grassroots organizing and movement building, and how Seeding Power fits in with that.
“We invest in Seeding Power because we believe in people power. We believe investing in people is how we create transformational change, how we safeguard our democracy, and how we build lasting solidarity to withstand the threats our most vulnerable communities face.” – Kellie Terry
Next up was Lisa Cowan, Vice President at Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, who helps support the Seeding Power Fellowship. Lisa spoke about her foundation’s commitment to supporting leadership development as an equity strategy.
“We think about leadership as a practice, not an identity. We don’t believe in leadership development for a select few, we don’t believe in superheroes, we see it is a practice that can be strengthened and honed through a variety of means” – Lisa Cowan
CFF Director Adam Liebowitz then gave a presentation providing context for the Seeding Power Fellowship. He started with a description of our current food system, and how Seeding Power works to make it more just. He also spoke about the importance of having funders as part of the cohort in order to shift power, and break down silos across the sectors.
“Through this process, the fellows form a shared analysis of the issues plaguing our food system. With that shared analysis, and new relationships, that is how partnerships form, new collaborations emerge, and ultimately movements can grow.” – Adam Liebowitz
Adam was joined in his presentation by Tina Vasquez, Director of Emerging Equity. Tina shared details of the Seeding Power curriculum, emphasizing the Equity Development Framework her firm has created.
“In equity work, a lot of people are motivated by unexamined values, and also unexamined fears. When we are able to compare those fears with the challenge in front of us, and understand our threshold for risk, we are able to have those conversations more clearly.” – Tina Vasquez
A panel discussion with Seeding Power alumni followed the formal presentation. They shared what drew them to the fellowship, and what impacts it had on them. A common theme was the importance of having a space to show up as your full self, connect authentically with others, and be afforded the gift of rest.
Panel members:
- Akirah Hlatshwako, Ubuntu Permaculture Mission
- Reggy St. Fortcolin, Liberated Land Cooperative & Sovereign Land Trust
- Sparkle Wells, United Way of Rochester and the Finger Lakes
- Francus Yu, Catskills Agrarian Alliance
“Beyond this particular political moment, but especially because of it, these kinds of spaces are really important for us to strategize in comprehensive ways versus sticking to our silos and lanes” – Francis Yu
“Having these spaces to rest, to recuperate, to experience joy in this work is essential to this work’s longevity. And we don’t have other spaces like this, they don’t exist. ” – Akirah Hlatshwako
Applications for the Seeding Power Fellowship are open until April 30, 2025. Read more about the opportunity, how to apply, and help spread the word by clicking the link above.
Slides used are visible in the recodring below, but you can also download the presentation here. The following time markers can be used to jump to different sections of the video:
- Start – Welcome and intro by Adam Liebowitz, CFF Director
- 3:30 – Kellie Terry, North Star Fund
- 9:40 – Lisa Cowan, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
- 12:20 – Adam Liebowitz & Tina Vasquez present the Seeding Power Fellowship
- 40:55 – Seeding Power alumni panel
- 1:20:45– Q&A
“The vastness of the food system, and all of the different sectors and silos within it, is both a challenge to overcome, and a tremendous opportunity. If we could wield the power of all those who are impacted by and operate in the food system as a cohesive movement, it would probably be one of the strongest forces that we have” – Adam Liebowitz
Resources
- Kellie mentioned this article from Nonprofit Quarterly, Hope Is a Practice and a Discipline: Building a Path to a Counterculture of Care
- Seeding Power flier
- Seeding Power page and FAQ’s
- Seeding Power outreach guide to help spread the word
More about Seeding Power
The Seeding Power Fellowship is a nine-month cohort-based food justice fellowship program for experienced leaders working across sectors to build equitable food systems. The program is designed for movement leaders and philanthropic partners in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Seeding Power is unique in both the region it serves and the focus on effective collaborations and equitable relationships, while including fellows from philanthropy and government. Racial equity, social justice, active communication, and collaboration form the core of a tested yet tailored curriculum designed by Emerging Equity.
By creating a community of practice that develops a shared analysis of the issues plaguing our food system, the Seeding Power cohort will graduate with strengthened cross-sector relationships and skills, and the opportunity to develop projects together.
Each fellow will receive at least three hours of individualized coaching. Movement fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend, and philanthropic fellows will be asked to make a financial contribution.