News, Systems Thinking

Global Alliance welcomes the Woodcock Foundation as a new member

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is delighted to welcome the Woodcock Foundation to its strategic alliance of philanthropic foundations working together to effect positive change and urgently transform global food systems. 

As the calls for food systems transformation become ever more urgent — not least with the UN Food Systems Summit and COP26 taking place within just weeks of one another this year — the Woodcock Foundation joins the GA at a crucial time. Not only do we need global leaders to act boldly, we must stimulate transformative action across communities. The Woodcock Foundation’s experience supporting community development, with a focus on encouraging leadership, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting constructive systemic change, will bring valuable insight and perspective to the GA’s mission to advance food systems transformation on the political, economic, and social agenda, whilst also helping to further inform its efforts stimulate local and global action.

Having originally focused on food security, access to food, and under-resourced communities, today the Woodcock Foundation’s food systems program has expanded to create change in food chain workers’ livelihoods, climate, and biodiversity impacts of farming and fishing. In this commitment to equity, inclusion, resilience, and renewability, there are many synergies between the work of the Foundation and the GA’s guiding principles and its focus on transformative solutions like agroecology and regenerative practices. 

Commenting on the new partnership, Stacey Faella, Executive Director, Woodcock Foundation, said: “We are attuned to principles of regenerative and restorative agriculture and food systems in our sourcing and decision making. Our mission and goals for our food systems program speak to our commitment to the Global Alliance’s principles in that we aim to take a holistic view of initiatives that support food systems transformation.”

“Through the Global Alliance, we are eager to engage in a deeper way, supporting its leadership with the financial commitment that membership entails while also experiencing richer engagement through committee participation and dialogue with other members. As members, we hope to be active with both staff and some board involvement, learning from the mix of funders engaged in the network to further inform our work.” 

 Ruth Richardson, Executive Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, said: “The Global Alliance is thrilled to welcome the Woodcock Foundation to the alliance of philanthropic foundations. Together, and with our other members, we can leverage our resources and networks to help transform food systems.”

-Ends