Roots of Change Fund

Problem
In 2001, the Funders for Sustainable Food Systems (FSFS) commissioned a report on the environmental and health effects of conventional agriculture in California. The report, Roots of Change: Agriculture, Ecology, and Health in California, concluded that multiple environmental, social, and economic problems in California could be addressed simultaneously by a systemic transition to sustainable food systems. However, there was a pressing need for a strategic and collaborative vehicle to pool financial and intellectual resources.

Solution
CEA provided direction and staffing to the funders to create the Roots of Change Fund (ROC), a new entity designed to identify and fund key, high-leverage opportunities. CEA helped ROC identify funding priorities and managed the development of the fund’s governance structure, communications framework, and tools for project collaboration.

Result
The Roots of Change Fund was launched and became an independent entity in January 2003. It continues to expand as additional funders, businesspeople, advisors, and public interest leaders assist in accelerating the transition to sustainable food systems in California.