As food insecurity continues to affect communities nationwide, organizations like the Vermont Foodbank are evolving not just how they distribute food, but how they support the wider network of local partners that serve people in need. In a recent feature by Food Bank News, Vermont Foodbank’s approach to grant-making was highlighted for its emphasis on community feedback and peer learning, signaling a strategic shift that aims to strengthen local food access efforts through collaboration and informed decision-making.
Shifting Toward Community-Centered Funding
Historically, many food banks have distributed grant funds primarily based on organizational capacity or direct service output. While these are important measures, Vermont Foodbank’s leadership recognized that ground-level insights—from community members and local agencies—provide essential guidance for where resources are most needed. To that end, the Foodbank has reshaped parts of its grant-making framework to prioritize programs that gather authentic community input and foster shared learning among partners.
At the core of this shift are two grant initiatives that elevate these principles: the Community Conversations Project and the Catalyst Cohort program.
Community Conversations: Listening to Local Voices
One of the most notable new funding opportunities is the Community Conversations Project, designed to directly engage neighborhood residents in discussions about their experiences with food assistance programs. Instead of assuming what clients need most, this initiative equips partner agencies with the resources—and the mandate—to ask the people they serve.
Selected partners receive funding to host structured listening sessions with community members. These funds help cover the costs of outreach, facilitation, and compensation for participants, ensuring that the voices heard are representative and valued. After gathering feedback, agencies are supported to implement recommended changes, giving community members more influence over the design and delivery of services. Throughout this process, Vermont Foodbank provides technical assistance to guide partners, creating a supportive feedback loop between front-line insights and operational improvements.
The underlying philosophy is simple yet powerful: people who rely on food programs are experts in their own experiences. By funding intentional dialogue and integrating community feedback into planning, the Foodbank is helping local partners build services that better reflect the needs and preferences of the people they serve.
Catalyst Cohort: Learning Together
The second cornerstone of this strategy is the Catalyst Cohort, a peer-learning initiative aimed at building organizational resilience among network partners. Instead of traditional grant cycles where partners write proposals and wait to hear back, the Catalyst Cohort brings agencies together in an ongoing process of learning and shared growth.
Selected participants engage in organizational self-assessments and attend monthly learning sessions that focus on strengthening leadership, adapting to challenges, and implementing sustainable practices. The cohort culminates in an in-person gathering where participants share insights, best practices, and lessons learned from their work. Each participating organization receives grant funds to support internal improvements, with an emphasis on resilience and adaptive capacity rather than solely on direct service outputs.
This model positions peer learning as a key driver of long-term impact. In addition to financial support, agencies benefit from a community of practice where innovation can spread organically. For smaller organizations or those with limited capacity, this kind of collaborative learning can dramatically increase their effectiveness and sustainability.
A Strategic Response to Complex Needs
The shift toward community feedback and peer learning comes at a crucial moment. Across Vermont, rising food insecurity and economic pressures have increased demand on food assistance providers. At the same time, funding landscapes remain unpredictable due to changes in federal nutrition programs and varied local economic conditions. By embedding listening and learning into its grant processes, Vermont Foodbank is positioning itself and its partners to be more responsive and adaptive in the face of these challenges.
Rather than distributing funds based on static criteria, the Foodbank is encouraging partners to reflect on what works, what doesn’t, and why—using data from lived experiences to drive improvements. This represents a shift from transactional to transformative support, where grants are part of a broader ecosystem for capacity building and community empowerment.
Benefits Beyond the Dollar Amount
The value of this approach extends beyond the dollars awarded. Community Conversations encourages trust between clients and service providers, fosters a sense of ownership over local programs, and helps uncover barriers that might otherwise go unnoticed. The Catalyst Cohort helps organizations build internal strength, encouraging them to think strategically about the future and fostering connections that can lead to collaboration on other initiatives.
Importantly, these models align with broader trends in the nonprofit sector that prioritize equity, inclusion, and shared leadership. By centering the experiences of those most affected by food insecurity and promoting peer learning among agencies, Vermont Foodbank is embracing a more holistic strategy for hunger relief—one that acknowledges that helping communities thrive requires more than food alone.
Looking Ahead
As Vermont Foodbank continues to refine its grant programs, its emphasis on community feedback and peer learning serves as a model worth watching for food banks and nonprofit networks nationwide. By listening deeply, investing in people and organizations, and fostering shared learning, the Foodbank is steering its partners toward resilience, relevance, and impact. And in doing so, it’s strengthening not just its network—but the very communities it exists to serve.