Join the 2024 Racial Equity Learning Lab Cohort

In partnership with the U.S Department of Agriculture Food Nutrition Service, the National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is implementing the Racial Equity Learning Lab (the “Lab”) to advance racial equity within the farm to school movement. The Lab is a collaborative and virtual space designed for small groups to foster an intensive dialogue and co-creation experience focused on equity in farm to school.

NFSN convened the first Lab cohort and participated in the Lab experience from September 2023 through February 2024. To see the Lab process in action, please visit the following blog series: 🌱 April 2024| January 2024 | November 2023 | September 2023 🌱

The Lab’s work is one of the ways we further NFSN’s Call to Action: 100% of Communities will hold power in a racially just food system.

Lab Cohort Member Overview

The Lab cohort will consist of 13 participants from across farm to school sectors as well as varied geographic locations and impacted communities who are committed to advancing equity in the farm to school movement.

Cohort members are expected to:

  • Attend seven sessions (once a month) starting August 2024 through March 2025; 6 out of the 7 sessions will be 120-minutes held virtually over Zoom; one of the sessions will be held in-person for a full day retreat style convening.

  • Integrate learnings from the Lab sessions in your own work by utilizing support from mentors and peers; this includes sharing concepts from the Lab and highlighting stories from their experience within your own communities using a variety of modes such as program planning, webinars, blogs, social media posts, and meeting facilitation.

  • Be prepared to identify a focus area in your work to strengthen (i.e. practice you want to change, program evaluation design, partnership building approach); leverage resources and relationships acquired through your Lab experience.

  • Participate (by helping plan, present, and/or coordinate activities) in the culminating public webinar at the end of the sessions in June 2025. The public webinar will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the Lab and share learnings from the experience with a wider audience.

Stipend

Cohort members will receive a total of $3,500 to cover both time committed and travel expenses. Travel expenses to the in-person meeting may include transportation, lodging, and other accommodations needed. 

Application timeline

  • Interest form closes on July 15, 2024

  • NFSN will review interest forms and invite semi-final candidates to submit a secondary application by July 24, 2024

  • Selected individuals who expressed interest to join the Lab cohort will be invited to submit a brief application. Deadline to submit an application is August 2, 2024

  • Final cohort members will be announced on August 19, 2024

  • First Day of the Lab on August 30, 2024