Plan Information
| Category | Database entry |
| Plan Region | Allegheny County |
| Publication Date | 2020 |
| Entry reviewed by original author | Yes |
| PDF attachment | View Full Report |
| Plan Title | Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan |
| Webpage | https://foodactionplan.org/ |
| Author(s) | Pittsburgh Food Policy Council (PFPC) – organized by PFPC project core, with the help of a 23-person project team of stakeholders and affiliates |
| Author Type | Network; Food Policy Council |
| Region Type | County |
| Funding Sources | Foundations |
| Funders | 2020 Plan development: Heinz Foundation (primary funder) 2020 – 2021 funding partners: Aetna Foundation, Allegheny County Health Department, American Public Health Association, Closing the Hunger Gap & Why Hunger, Food & Farm Communications Fund, Panta Rhea Foundation, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, The Opportunity Fund, The Sampson Foundation, USDA Farm to School Grant Program & Grow Pittsburgh |
| Total Project Budget | 2020 Plan: Budget Unspecified |
| Plan Goals | The vision of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is articulated on the website as “A regional food system, rooted in collaborative, community-based decisions, that prioritizes equity and supports the health of our people, our natural resources and our economy” (2022). Within the Food Action Plan, the Food Policy Council outlines their core values to be at the heart of this vision as follows: • “A just food system counters systemic economic, racial and gender-based disparities.• An equitable food system is one in which healthy, culturally-appropriate foods are accessible and affordable for all.• A sustainable food system operates with care for human beings, the environment, and the financial well-being of everyone throughout the system” (p. 4). The central purpose of the food action plan is to identify relevant stakeholders/networks and to detail strategies for transformation, implementation, and evaluation. This plan outlines five central goals to use as a structure for this document. The goals are as follows:1. “Enhance coordination and communication among existing food systems’ resources and agencies,2. Center the roles of equity, sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship in a healthy food system,3. Support a robust regional food economy that benefits all,4. Improve food security and public health by increasing availability and accessibility of nutritious, high-quality, affordable and locally sourced food,5. Build community power based on the principle of food sovereignty for all residents” (p. 5). |
| Intended Audience | The Food Action Plan is written for an audience ranging from policymakers, to stakeholders, funders, and consumers. |
| Plan Recommendation Structure | The Food Action Plan is structured around the 5 broad goals (see “Plan Goals” above). Each goal includes recommendations and sub-strategies. In total, the GPFAP includes 143 strategies. Within each strategy, the plan identifies: i) relevant stakeholders; ii) current status; iii) next steps; and iv) potential evaluation measures. |
| Catalyst for Plan | This plan was created from the “recognized need for a shared vision and greater coordination among the many entities working to create food systems change across Southwestern Pennsylvania” (p. 4). |
| Creation Process | The creation process took places between October 2017 – July 2020 (p. 7) and is articulated in three stages: 1. Information gathering/research: Food Policy Audit, including the input from 24 municipalities (attached); State of the Food System report (attached); engagement sessions with 140 participants in total, and surveys with 450 responses (findings detailed at https://foodactionplan.org/data/). 2. Recommendation development: Stakeholder roundtables including 70 participants; project team review, discussion, decision-making, etc. 3. Recommendation review: Public comment period A summary of these findings is found on pages 8-15 in the Food Action Plan. Leadership/oversight (p. 5): 1. Project Core: PFPC staff, 2 consultants, 2 Fellows, 1 intern (dedicated staff). 2. Project Team: PFPC Steering Committee members and representatives from government and academic sectors (met monthly). 3. Advisory Committee: elected officials/decision makers from public health, economic development, environment, and planning sectors (met annually). 4. Sub-committees: Engagement sessions; Policy pathway; Data team; Strategy inventory; Evaluation (from https://foodactionplan.org/team/). |
| Theoretical Framework(s) Employed | N/A |
| Theoretical Framework(s): Additional Literature | Within the introduction of the Food Action Plan, the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council describes themselves “as a member based, collective impact organization” (p. 4). The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is guided by a collective impact framework, however, this is not specific to the plan itself. |
| Development Timeline | 3 years |
| Implementation Strategy | Every recommendation offers clear, specific strategies for implementation. As mentioned in the “Plan Recommendation Structure,” the GPFAP breaks down each recommendation with specific strategies that include: i) relevant stakeholders to inform the audience who is involved, or needs to be involved in the strategy; ii) current status of what has been explored to date; iii) next steps for stakeholders to take to reach the strategy; and iv) potential evaluation measures as a suggestion for measurement. Additionally, once the Plan was completed, PFPC, Steering Committee, and the working group members worked to identify nine priority areas to implement. Annual progress and impact reports are published to track process of implementation. |
| Implementation Timeline | Unspecified |
| Evaluation Strategy | Each recommendation offers around two potential evaluation measures. These evaluation measures range in specificity, such as “Does an inclusive Communications Committee exist? [Yes/No]” (p. 25), or “Develop a targeted increase in preserved farmland in Allegheny County” (p. 28). Additionally, the GPFAP continues to publish an “Annual Report,” which includes a Progress Report and Impact report (see 2020-2021 Report attached). |
| International Development Framework(s) | None |
| Current Plan Status | Active |
| Government Adoption Status | Not Adopted |
| Government Adoption Status (Notes) | This project is actively partnering with government agencies, however, no government entity has adopted the framework as a formal guide. |
| Supplemental Documents (to be attached within the AirTable) | View Supplemental Documents |