Spokane Food Policy Council
After setting their strategy in 2022, SFPC wanted help further defining the role of their board to increase progress on initiatives and grow participation.
The Need
Spokane Food Policy Council works to advance policies and initiatives that foster a resilient food system in the Spokane area: one that is healthy and equitable for its citizens, economy, and environment. They are a collaborative of local organizations that advise Spokane City and County governments on food-related issues. After setting their strategy in 2022, they wanted help further defining the role of their board to increase progress on initiatives and grow participation.
The Work
We facilitated a 3-hour session during a board retreat in early 2023. During the meeting, we realized the project had been scoped incorrectly and we were focused on the wrong topics. Working with the Board, we quickly adjusted the focus and approach to ensure we met SFPC’s needs. Throughout the discussion, we checked in with each Board Member to ensure they had a chance to share their perspective and used meetings during the break to further align our approach.
The Impact
The Board described the current state of the structure and volunteer participation, highlighting what was working well and where opportunities existed. Through the discussion, they realized their structure could be evolved to take advantage of the varying degrees other organizations were willing to participate. Everyone on the Board was engaged during the session and had the opportunity to share their opinions and debate ideas while working towards an aligned vision. We left SFPC with a summary of the retreat, an outline of the proposed role for the Board, and recommendations on how to proceed.
