Our social impact programme champions the role of environmentally focused, small-scale food and farming enterprises in creating social change, a fundamental element of agroecology. We provide funding for projects that disrupt power imbalances in the food system, and we conduct research and evaluation to challenge narratives that perpetuate these imbalances.

Social impact is the effect that a project or activity has on individuals and communities. We have identified 3 main areas of impact for community food enterprises:

• Health
• Community
• Livelihoods

Why measure social impact?

To help drive the mission: If social impact is at the centre of what a community food enterprise does, then measuring it can help with monitoring success, working out how to do more of it, or to do it better. Measuring social impact can be a key part of the strategic planning process.

To communicate better: Having evidence of impact is a powerful way to communicate with funders, customers, policymakers and others. It can also help to engage more people.