ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how to start a Food Policy Council with emphasis on how each Food Policy Council (FPC) is unique. A central point is made that, despite this, FPCs have important commonalities in terms of their needs during the period of their initial formation. The Food System Leaders concept is introduced as are a set of strategic tasks for any Food System Leader who decides to establish an FPC. The chapter guides the Food System Leaders in (1) getting clear about their own motivations, values, vision, and goals; (2) holding formational conversations with other leaders; (3) setting a Core Team for organizing; and (4) establishing processes for the Core Team to set shared motivations, values, vision, and goals. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of two foundational choices FPCs must make about their organizational and membership structures.
