New Slow Food Community Application

Getting Started

We are so excited for you to embark on the journey of starting a Slow Food Community!

Slow Food Communities act as incredible ways to practice and apply Slow Food values to a specific topic, passion, or objective, linked to general Slow Food goals. The process of forming a community can take some time and effort, but it should also be fun and inclusive!

We encourage folks to gather around some food, when possible, and work on this application together.

This form has 7 pages. The first 2 pages describe what is involved in becoming, as well as being, a Slow Food Community. Everything from minimum criteria to larger-picture goals and values is laid out for you to look over. The rest of the form is about you, and the Community you're looking to create.

If you have any questions at any time, please email chapters@slowfoodusa.org.

Now let's get going!

What is a community? (1/7)

A Slow Food community:

is formed by at least ten people, represented by a spokesperson, and organized by a coordinating group of at least five people;
is established to pursue a specific objective, linked to the general goals of Slow Food;
collaborates regularly with the local Slow Food network and produces an annual report for them and Slow Food HQ explaining the activities carried out, those planned for the future, and the main results achieved;
manages and uses its name and logo in line with the Slow Food International Statute, the Code of Use for
Slow Food Trademarks, and the Fundraising Guidelines, and only for the fulfillment of commitments related to its local objectives;
bases its name on its principal activity and the name of the territory in which it operates;
is committed to being transparent and being managed under a participatory democratic governance model;
undertakes not to exercise, in the area in which it operates, rights of veto or exclusivity that could hinder new forms of activism and adherence to Slow Food principles by other bodies;
must create paths for dialogue, sharing, and cooperation with other Slow Food entities, while maintaining the independence and autonomy of each group;
according to its own circumstances, supports the Slow Food international network and its programs and projects;
is open, inclusive, and able to welcome people of different backgrounds, incomes, and cultures, and commits to encouraging the participation of the widest possible number of people in its activities.

I've read this, and I agree!I've got some questions...

What questions do you have?

What does a community commit to? (2/7)

We declare our commitment:

to being ambassadors and bearers of the values that the Slow Food movement embodies and promotes;
to embracing and supporting a food system in harmony with human dignity, social justice, and respect for the environment and all living beings;
to adhering to the principles contained in the Declaration of Chengdu, which we want to follow with our individual and collective actions.
to encouraging, preserving and supporting the cultural diversity of indigenous communities, the holistic vision of food, connected to land, identity, spirituality and traditional medicine, and to exchange these values with all the Slow Food Indigenous Network;
to promoting, protecting and supporting the rights and principles stated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in the Slow Food and Indigenous Terra Madre Declarations.

Understood!I'd love some more information.

What questions do you have?

A little bit about you! (3/7)

Great - now that we're on the same page, we'd love to hear a bit about you, and what your Community is going to be focusing on.

Your Name

This application's point person's email address:

Proposed Community Name

We require that Communities are associated with an existing Slow Food USA Chapter. Please Select your Chapter or Group:

Is your group associated with an indigenous community, or tribe?

YesNo

Please enter the name(s) of the associated indigenous community or tribe below:

Founding Leadership Team (4/7)

A Slow Food community is represented by a Spokesperson, and organized by a Coordinating Group of at least ten people, including the Spokesperson. We believe there is strength in numbers for Communities, and encourage more voices and experiences in the group!

Spokesperson

The Spokesperson is the main active leader of the Community. This person is mainly responsible for a Community's activities, and is the main contact for the Slow Food USA team!

Spokesperson First Name

Spokesperson Last Name

Spokesperson Email Address

Spokesperson Phone Number

Coordinating Group Member

A Community needs members, and that's where Coordinating Group Members come into play! This group can grow as needed, but there needs to be at least 5 Coordinating Group Members at the start to help discuss ideas, collaborate around goals, and make decisions from the start.

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Coordinating Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Coordinating Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Coordinating Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Coordinating Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

A Community is only as strong as its members! To round out the Community, we ask you at least fill up the remaining 4 required slots with group members. You can always add more!

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

Have more folks that are interested beyond the 10 required? Feel free to add them below!

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Group Member

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Extra Credit: Selfies!! Bonus points if you snap a group photo of your team and send it in with this application - we love to be able to put faces to names :)

Where in the world is your Community? (5/7)

Location

One of Slow Food USA's greatest strengths is that we are a true grassroots network. Communities, like the one you are building, take this to heart, and do an incredible job of working locally, while collaborating globally toward good, clean, and fair food for all.

With that in mind, we'd love to know where your Community is going to be based! We'll use this address to locate your Community and receive Slow Food Mail.

Street Address

City

State

Zip Code

Building a Community (6/7)

This is where the Slow magic happens!

This is your chance to tell us about the Community you want to create: Please briefly describe your Community's objective. For instance, a community may focus on specific foods of the food world, like beer, cheese, or cider, while others focus on culturally significant foods, such as the Gravenstein Apple (140 characters or less).

Now that we have a clearer vision, how is your community going to work towards that objective? Describe how you're going to commit to, and follow through on, that objective (140 characters or less).

Is there anything else you'd like to share about the Community you are crafting? Please share here!

SFI makes Communities possible, maintains the database, and provides branding for Communities - if you’d like to donate to SFI to support this effort, you can do that here!

You did it! Now here's what to expect next. (7/7)

Congrats! We're so happy to have you begin your Slow Food journey with us. We will review your application as a team and contact you upon completion.

Pending approval, we will:

Grant the right to use the name “Slow Food Community (NAME) __________________________” and the logo, in line with the Slow Food International Statute, the Code of Use for Slow Food Trademarks and the Fundraising Guidelines, for all activities aimed at fulfilling the international and local commitments of the community listed above;
fully recognize the community as an integral part of Slow Food, operating as such with full dignity within the network;
facilitate interaction and knowledge sharing between the different communities and the wider Slow Food network, both locally and at the international level;
communicate and disseminate the results achieved and the activities implemented by the community;
and provide all the tools available to help the community meet its objectives and commitments.

As a note, The Slow Food Executive Committee (or national executive committee, when delegated) can decide to retract recognition of a community in case of proven violation of the Slow Food International Statute, the Code of Use for Slow Food Trademarks, the Fundraising Guidelines, or any of Slow Food's official documents, or with just cause.

Again, we thank you for your time and commitment to the Slow Food ethos of Good, Clean, and Fair food for all, and we will be in touch soon!

- The Slow Food USA Team