The Better Food Policy Fund piloted a new model of participatory grantmaking. I facilitated a process that reduced burden, built trust, and shifted the tone of philanthropy toward fairness, joy, and shared ownership.
The Better Food Policy Fund launched as a participatory grantmaking fund, with inclusive governance at its core. This case study shows how I designed board development and facilitated the Independent Advisory Committee, building trust, shared leadership, and decision-making practices that reflected the fund’s values.
The Wave Effect was a seven-month collaborative leadership development program. With reflective practice, trauma-aware facilitation, and emergent design, participants shifted from cautious leadership to collaborative, adaptive approaches, building resilience, confronting power, and embracing systems thinking to shape healthier community patterns.