For his final capstone project, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and concurrent UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health student Alex Handfinger of Holland, PA partnered with the Arkansas Local Food Network (ALFN) to develop a strategic plan.
ALFN is a small, grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit with two part-time staff and a nine-member executive board that did not previously have a strategic plan in place. Like many non-profits, they have extremely limited resources and thus enlisted Handfinger, their Director of Operations, to develop a strategic plan to ensure those resources are being used effectively and efficiently.
Tasks performed included forming a strategic planning committee, re-clarifying ALFN’s mission and vision, performing a SWOT analysis, determining strategic priorities, and developing an action plan for implementation and review moving forward.
Handfinger worked with Round Table Consulting to develop participatory and inclusive facilitation techniques that ensured ALFN’s diverse stakeholders of board members, staff, volunteers, farmers, customers, funders, and partner organizations all had a voice throughout the planning process. Handfinger conducted the SWOT analysis by developing and conducting 109 surveys, three focus groups, and 20 qualitative interviews with these diverse stakeholders. He then analyzed this data and presented it to the board and strategic planning committee to determine their strategic priorities and then develop an action plan based on those priorities.
“With Alex’s help, we’ve been able to take into account multiple stakeholder perspectives while really bringing to light our priorities and clarifying our goals,” said Sarah Donaghy, ALFN Board member and project advisor.
The strategic plan will function as a guiding document for future decision-making at ALFN.
About the Arkansas Local Food Network (ALFN)
ALFN has spent the last eight years working to strengthen Arkansas farmers, promote the local food system, and support community food endeavors. They do this through a variety of programs including the Little Rock Local Food Club, their year-round, online farmer’s market; the Green Groceries food pantry that gets fresh, locally-produced food to low-income families through a partnership with Christ Episcopal Church; a FRESH comprehensive directory of the Central Arkansas local food system; and through community fund grants for small farms and gardens.
More information on their year-round, online farmer’s market can be found at www.littlerock.locallygrown.net. More information on their other programs can be found at www.arlocalfoodnetwork.org.
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