ABSTRACT
Most people working to make positive change in the food system are not connected to – or even aware of – a very important stakeholder group: capital providers. No matter how effective Food Policy Councils (FPCs) are at advocating for policy change, advocacy alone will not lead to the local food systems their members envision. That will take the building of infrastructure – properly scaled processing, aggregation, distribution, and more. Getting infrastructure built requires substantial capital. FPCs can be lynchpins in securing the financial resources these projects need. This chapter identifies three major types of food systems lenders (community development finance institutions, development finance agencies, and social impact investors) and introduces ways to assess the potential interest of local lenders and investors in making loans to your priority food systems infrastructure projects. It suggests strategies for reaching out to lenders and investors and introducing them to local and regional food systems as an “asset class.” It shares resources designed to be compelling for lenders and investors as they consider their potential role in shaping more just and resilient food systems.
