2020 Annual Chapter + Working Group Report

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Welcome to the 2020 Annual Report


Purpose of Report
This report takes effort to complete and we appreciate the work. The three main purposes of this report are:
  1. Collect Vital Data
  2. Annual Goals Setting
  3. Improve Network Support and Collaboration
Thank you for taking the time to successfully complete this. In the past, the report seemed more like a performance report where chapters were evaluated on their activities. That was not the case and that is definitely not the case now. The new format of this report emphasizes the intent beneath each question. As much as we can, without writing a novel, we include explanations on how we hope this will help you and our entire network support each other and collaborate more. 

New Format
We rewrote this report to be easier to complete— with the hope that both the final product and the process of completing it is useful to you and your leadership team. There are three main sections of this report: 1. Data, 2. Year in Review Evaluation 3. Annual Goals and Action Steps for the Upcoming Year. 

The first section can be easily filled out by one or two leaders. We highly recommend that your leadership team should collaborate on completing sections 2 and 3 together. 

A Note on COVID-19
2020 has presented unique challenges and difficulties for us all. We completely understand that your chapter's plans, goals, or events may not have come to fruition and many of you may have paused operations completely. This is totally understandable and expected. So while much of the report asks for details and data from the previous year—and maybe there isn't much to report—we hope that the final section on goal setting can get you excited for the year to come! 


Section 1: Data

This section is intended to collect critical information. We begin with section 1.1 and 1.2 where we are collecting current best chapter contacts and leadership team contacts.

1.1 Contact Information


This is the person who we may contact with questions about this report.


This is the person who we may contact with questions about this report.

ie- Slow Food Urban San Diego, or Food and Farming Policy Group

This is the main email contact that the public, other chapters, or Slow Food USA should use to contact the chapter. ***NOTE: all chapter and working groups have a free official Slow Food USA email account. If you do not have access to this email account, you are most likely missing critical information and connections. Plus, it's a free organizational email. Please email chapters@slowfoodusa.org for access if needed.

This is the main email contact that the public, other chapters, or Slow Food USA should use to contact the chapter.

A website is a key asset for the public, members, and leaders to use. If you do not have a website, please email comms@ slowfoodusa.org in order to get support to create one.

Please provide a URL link where people, other chapters, other groups, and Slow Food USA leaders can follow your newsletter. 

If applicable. It is highly recommended to have at least one active social media account. It is not necessary to be on multiple or "all of them". One effective social media account is arguably more engaging and valuable than a website. 

If applicable. It is highly recommended to have at least one active social media account. It is not necessary to be on multiple or "all of them". One effective social media account is arguably more engaging and valuable than a website. 

If applicable. It is highly recommended to have at least one active social media account. It is not necessary to be on multiple or "all of them". One effective social media account is arguably more engaging and valuable than a website. 

Please be sure to include any unit numbers or PO box numbers. This address will be used for official correspondence such as IRS info and to locate your chapter/group on any maps or directories.



1.2 Chapter or Working Group Leadership

Please indicate the representation on your current board and leadership team:




Please provide a list of your current leadership team. Be sure to indicate the role they play, best email contact, and best phone contact for each leader
Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




Chapter/Group Leader




1.3 Financials

2020 was of course a difficult year. Many fundraising events, membership drives and other revenue-generating opportunities were simply not possible. Many chapters have been put on hold entirely. This is totally okay, reasonable, and expected! If you had the opportunity to carry on, even for a month or two, please describe any revenue and expenses. If you were completely on pause, input 0.00 where applicable. 
1.3.1 Revenue
Please input all values without any dollar signs. For example 1322.50 or 0.00






This should be the total of previous rows
1.3.2 Expenses
Please input all values without any dollar signs. For example 1322.50

Administrative expenses include subscriptions to apps, fees for services, rent, utility bills

These include salaries paid, stipends, consulting fees

These are all the costs paid to support your initiatives, events, actions, and programs

These are donations and grants you have given out to support other organizations or individuals. This is an expense item-- not to be confused with any revenue from grants, donations, and sponsorship you have received and reported in Revenue.


This should be the total of previous rows
1.3.3. Bank Balance
Please input all values without any dollar signs. For example 1322.50

1.4 Engagement

This has been a difficult year— especially in regard to staying engaged and connected to each other.  Really everything that has occurred this year created conditions that separated and isolated us. Despite all of this, our network stayed networked. We are continually impressed with the ingenuity and grit from chapters and groups across the country.

So if you were able to engage with individuals, organizations, and businesses and able to host programming, we would like to hear about it. But, if there isn't much to report, that is completely understandable. Anything being done this year is a feat!


1.4.1. Virtual Platforms and Press
This has been a difficult year to host events or meet in person. But, at least we had the opportunity to use online resources to stay in touch.

How many people follow your email newsletter? Please write "0" if you do not have a newsletter.

You can find this information on your account page. Please write "0" if you do not have an account.

You can find this information on your account page. Please write "0" if you do not have an account.

You can find this information on your account page. Please write "0" if you do not have an account.



1.4.2  Individual Engagement
Of course, this year has proven difficult or unsafe to host any in-person gatherings. But some of us were able to host some gatherings- either in person or distanced or virtual. Please count any engagement even if it occurred online. Understandably, if you were not able to host any in-person events or meetings, please write "0".
People

How many volunteers supported you and your activities this year? If you did not make use of any volunteers this year, please write "0"

How many current members do you have?

How many people attended any in-person events, meetings, or gatherings this year? Of course, this has not been the year for in-person gatherings. If there were not gatherings this year, please write "0"




1.4.3 Partnerships
Again, this year was an incredibly difficult year to connect with anyone. To maintain or make new connections is quite an accomplishment.

We ask your partnerships with organizations and businesses separately. This way we can get insight about how many partner organizations and separately how many food businesses you had the opportunity to engage with. 
Partner Organizations
Partnerships with like-minded organizations are crucial to thriving and to mission fulfillment. Our shared dedication to a better food system- is a shared aspiration that takes many different approaches and many varied skills. Partnerships with organizations provides advice, support, technical assistance, programming assistance, financial support, and more. 

Partnership is critical for chapter function. This includes any organizations that leaders have contact with that is on behalf of your chapter/group, organizations that you collaborated with for programs/initiatives, organizations that provided advice/support, and more.

Partnership is critical for chapter function. This includes any organizations that leaders are in contact with in any way on behalf of your chapter/group, organizations that you collaborated with for programs/initiatives, organizations that provided advice/support, and more.
Partner businesses
Engaging with vital food businesses is a direct and rewarding way to effect change in food systems. Much like working with like-minded organizations, partnership with businesses is a two- way support street. At times, we can give support through recognition, programming, and marketing. And at other times, those businesses can support us the same ways.

This has been an especially challenging year for small and independent businesses. Your valuable support of businesses is a significant support to the diversity and  resilience of food systems and local economies. Please let us know how many businesses you have partnered with or supported this year!

Please list your partner businesses or supported businesses, and briefly describe your relationship.
Partner businesses
Engaging with vital food businesses is a direct and rewarding way to effect change in food systems. Much like working with like-minded organizations, partnership with businesses is a two- way support street. At times, we can give support through recognition, programming, and marketing. And at other times, those businesses can support us the same ways.

This has been an especially challenging year for small and independent businesses. Your valuable support of businesses is a significant support to the diversity and  resilience of food systems and local economies. Please let us know how many businesses you have partnered with or supported this year!

Please list your partner businesses or supported businesses, and briefly describe your relationship.


1.4.4 Programs, Initiatives, and Events
Again, this year was an incredibly difficult year to organize anything. We are so inspired by the new, re-invented, and renewed actions chapters and working groups across the country were able to organize. If you had the capacity to organize anything- bravo!

Please check any that your chapter, group, or any leaders took part
Programs, Campaigns, + Initiatives

This unusual year inspired so many to take action. Please give us a total number of these campaigns, actions, or programs you organized. This includes social media campaigns, advocacy campaigns, trainings, resource sharing, or any other programs. .

We are so impressed with the amount of activities that happened despite a challenging year. If you were able to host any events- virtual or otherwise- please let us know how many you hosted. If you hosted three sessions of the same type of event (such as three webinars) please count all three in your total.
Events
This may be the most difficult of things to do this year. But amazingly there were events! If you were able to host events, let's quantify and briefly describe them- both in-person or virtual events. Understandably, many events may be associated or part of the campaigns or programs you described above. No worries- we would love to simply know how many events/gatherings you hosted. Even though we may not have been able to do any big parties, there were still book club discussions, meetings, webinars, speaker presentations-- possibly mostly virtual. 

We are so impressed with the amount of activities that happened despite a challenging year. If you were able to host any events- virtual or otherwise- please let us know how many you hosted. If you hosted three sessions of the same type of event (such as three webinars) please count all three in your total.

We are so impressed with the amount of activities that happened despite a challenging year. If you were able to host any events- virtual or otherwise- please let us know how many you hosted. If you hosted three sessions of the same type of event (such as three webinars) please count all three in your total.

Section 2: Year in Review

This section is intended to be a tool to give insight into the past year. We all have had our unique and common challenges in 2020. There is no doubt that this past year has been the most difficult year for many of us. With that in mind, this section is not a report card. This is not a performance review that is indicative of any valuation of your chapter or group.

This section is a tool that offers insight into the last year so that we can be equipped to set our sights onto the coming year. An open and honest appraisal will yield the most value. We are a connected network. The patterns that emerge from this section will inform resource allocations, programming, and collaboration that can benefit all of us.  

Although all chapters and working groups are unique and do a myriad of things, in order to preserve time and effort, this section focuses on five fundamental themes
  1. Fundraising
  2. Programming
  3. Partnerships
  4. Communications and Marketing
  5. Leadership Engagement

We understand that for many of you, the questions in this section may not apply, or you may not have much to report due to it being 2020. "N/A due to COVID-19 shutdown" is a completely okay and understandable response!

2.1 Fundraising Review

We can reflect on your fundraising efforts by looking at why you wanted to fundraise, how you attempted to do so, who was involved, and the result. 

Of course, fundraising efforts may have been paused or significantly slowed this year with in-person events nearly impossible. Where applicable, let us know what you would have done had 2020 not been...2020.

Why were you fundraising? In the most simple statement possible, please state the goal/purpose for fundraising. ie- Our fundraising main purpose was to support our programs- mainly our XX program and our YY program that supported local food businesses. Maybe this was not clearly expressed, but in retrospect can you now state the purpose or goals for your fundraising? If you did not get a chance to fundraise this year due to it being 2020, please list any purpose you would have fundraised for if you had the chance/capacity.

What did you do to meet your fundraising purpose? Please describe your general strategy. And,  please list and briefly describe the actions you took.  ie-  We took mainly an online campaign strategy along with seeking grants. We updated our website to accept donations, organized two major fundraising campaigns with emails, social media.... If you were unable to fundraise this year, what would have been or have been your traditional process?

Who were the key people who drove this process and these actions. Please list and briefly describe their role. This is not limited to chapter/group leaders. Please list volunteers, members, partners, etc

What was the actual outcome of these efforts? Were there unexpected outcomes?   

This is not a comparison of your fundraising from years past to this year necessarily. This is not a comparison of your fundraising efforts versus another chapter's or another organization's. This is an evaluation of what your purpose was compared to the actual outcomes of your fundraising. This is also an evaluation of the execution of your process. 

2.2  Programming Review

In this section, we ask about your Programming, again by looking at why you chose to focus on certain programs, how you attempted to do so, who was involved, and the result.

Programming may include community advocacy, local education or one of our network-wide initiatives, like National Resilience Fund or Plant a Seed. Though it was difficult to support certain programs with in-person events or trainings, maybe you were able to implement programs virtually, or work on coalition-building and networking online. We completely understand if programming was not a possibility for your chapter this year, due to COVID-19. If that was the case (which for many it was), just indicate so below. 
2.2 Programming

Please select all choices that apply 

Why did you organize programming? What was the intent or goals? Programming is not just events- this includes campaigns, trainings, networking, coalition building etc. Again, maybe this was not clearly expressed. Some programs may be traditional annual things. But in retrospect can you now state the purpose or goals for your programming?

Please list and briefly describe your programming.

Who were the key people who drove this process and these actions. Please list and briefly describe their role. This is not limited to chapter/group leaders. Please list volunteers, members, partners, etc

What was the actual outcome of these efforts? Were there outcomes that were unexpected?   

Again, this is not necessarily a comparison of this year's program versus past years. It was a difficult year!  This is a comparison of purpose versus actual outcomes. This is a qualitative evaluation of how your process went.  

2.3 Communications + Marketing Review

In this section, we ask about your Marketing and Communication, again by looking at why you chose to focus on certain marketing initiatives, how you attempted to do so, who was involved, and the result. 

Marketing and communication efforts are how we reach out and engage with the community. Outreach to your local community can happen online with social media and email newsletters, or via print mail, sponsorships, and ads. Let us know your marketing and communication intentions for the year and what worked best for your chapter. Luckily, a lot of marketing and communications can be done virtually, but if your chapter took a pause on this due to COVID-19, we totally understand! Just indicate that below.

Please select all choices that apply 


Were you trying to recruit members and participants? Were you fundraising for your programs or other organization's programs? Were you raising awareness about certain issues and topics?

Please list and briefly describe your communications and marketing efforts

Who were the key people who drove this process and these actions. Please list and briefly describe their role. This is not limited to chapter/group leaders. Please list volunteers, members, partners, etc

What was the actual outcome of these efforts? Were there outcomes that were unexpected?   

How did your intended outcomes and actual outcomes line up? 

2.4 Partnership Building Review

In this section, we ask about your Partnerships, once again by looking at why you chose to pursue partnerships, how you attempted to do so, who was involved, and the result. 

Collaborating with local efforts, other Slow Food groups, or advocacy organizations allows your chapter to engage locally, learn, and work with people who share Slow Food values. Partnerships with other organizations and businesses is a huge component of our grassroots network. Again, COVID-19 may have made partnership building impossible for your chapter, no worries! Just indicate it below. 

We are not alone in our cause for good, clean, and fair food for all. Partnering with other organizations and businesses is a vital key to success. What was the purpose and goals of partnership building this past year? 

We are not alone in our cause for good, clean, and fair food for all. Partnering with other organizations and businesses is a vital key to success. What was the purpose and goals of partnership building this past year? 

Please list and briefly describe your partnership building, collaboration, and coalition building efforts. Were there collaborations with other chapters or Slow Food groups? Were there collaborative ventures? Were there chances for mentorship and advice?

Who were the key people who drove this process and these actions. Please list and briefly describe their role. This is not limited to chapter/group leaders. Please list volunteers, members, partners, etc

What was the actual outcome of these efforts? Were there outcomes that were unexpected?   

2.5 Leadership Engagement Review

Lastly, in this section, we ask about your Leadership Team Engagement and support by looking at why you chose to focus on certain leadership goals, how you attempted to do so, who was involved, and the result. 

Leadership has been especially difficult this year and has demonstrated the importance of collaboration and teamwork amongst the board. We hope you were able to connect virtually for trainings, mentorships, professional development, or mutual care, but we understand the difficulty this year has posed. If you were not able to do what you hoped, let us know what you would have done. 



If this was listed in priority order, this should be first. This is about self-care and development. What  was the purpose and goals for Leadership Team Support? This includes trainings, mentorships, professional development, and opportunities for mutual care. 

Please list the actions and ways you supported the leadership team. 

Who were the key people who drove this process and these actions. Please list and briefly describe their role. This is not limited to chapter/group leaders. Please list volunteers, members, partners, etc

What was the actual outcome of these efforts? Were there outcomes that were unexpected?   

Section 3: Annual Goals and Action Steps

Now that you have reflected on the past year, we can look forward to the year ahead. This section will serve as a guide to setting Internal and External Goals for your chapter in 2021.

Though we are hopeful that things are improving and life may slowly get back to normal, we understand your goals for the year to come may be to remain on pause or completely inactive. That is completely fine and reasonable. If you have any goals for the year ahead, let's talk about them here!

SMART Goal-Setting:
Your goals should serve as a work plan towards your aspirational purposes. Internal Goals are largely focused on how to improve and evolve as a team while External Goals refer to how your chapter exists within your community and advocates for food justice. Your chapter board should aim to make your goals SMART-- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely — so that your goals are clear, descriptive, and easy to plan effective action steps from.

For example, an effective, SMART, goal is: Partner with X community group to put on an event that focuses on X initiative by the end of the year, so that we can engage more members of our community, diversify our interests, and expand our outreach.

As opposed to: Partner with X community group

Joy + Justice in our work It is so important that we remember our mission for good, clean, and fair food for all is a justice issue. Dismantling all systems of oppression is central to our work. This commitment, what we call Joy + Justice, should be reflected in all of your goals. When setting specific goals for the upcoming year, we ask that at minimum 1 Internal Goal and 1 External Goal specifically addresses your commitment to improving equity, inclusion, and justice.

Annual Report Supplement and Worksheet Form

We have created a supplemental worksheet form to help you draft your goals and ensure they are created using the SMART lens. The worksheet also helps you ensure you are including action steps, which are the tasks and objectives that are necessary to attain your goal. Using these worksheets is optional, but they are designed to help you craft well-rounded, thorough, and achievable goals for the upcoming year.

3.1 Internal Goals 

Internal goals are goals focused on your chapter's governance, culture, and organization and speak to your chapter's functionality and health. Internal goals may emphasize team-building as a board, or  bringing in a more diverse leadership. It's helpful to first reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a chapter, so we ask you to list those out first. Then we get into the Internal Goal writing. 
3.1.1 Strengths and Weaknesses




3.1.2 Setting Three Internal Goals for Your Chapter/Group
Now you're ready to set your Internal Goals. These internal goals should be action-oriented and readers of your goals should immediately understand what needs to be done, by when, and why.

Of course, it's essential to center Joy + Justice in your internal goals. At minimum 1 out of your 3 internal goals will be explicitly focused and centered on equity, justice, and inclusion. 

And remember, if you are at all struggling to brainstorm or craft goals, please use this accompanying worksheet for assistance!



3.2 External Goals

Congratulations! Now that we have done our three Internal Goals, we will finish this annual report by doing the same for External Goals.  

External goals pertain to your work in our communities as you advocate for good, clean and fair food. For example, these goals may focus on bringing more diversity to the membership base, or partnering with local organizations. Before you get to writing your External Goals, we first ask you to reflect on the opportunities and threats your chapter faces in fighting for good, clean and fair food. Then, you will be able to draft your three External Goals.  


3.2.1 Opportunities and Threats


3.2.1. Setting Three External Goals for your community work
Using the same guidelines as you did when completing your Internal goals, we can craft clear and descriptive External ones. These external goals should be action-oriented, meaning readers of your goals should immediately understand what needs to be done, by when, and why. 
 
Of course, it's essential to center Joy + Justice in your External goals as well. At minimum 1 out of your 3 External goals will be explicitly focused and centered on an equity, justice, and inclusion. 

And remember, if you are at all struggling to brainstorm or craft goals, please use this accompanying worksheet for assistance!



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