NRDC Food Matters Initiative Expands to More Cities

NRDC is partnering with additional cities across the United States to develop policies and programs and facilitate peer-to-peer learning to reduce food waste.

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Media Mike Hazard via Flickr, CC BY 4.0

NRDC is excited to announce the expansion of its Food Matters program by partnering with additional cities across the United States to develop and implement policies and programs and facilitate peer-to-peer learning to reduce food waste. Interested cities are requested to fill out this form providing a brief description of the specific request for technical and/or strategic support from NRDC along with contact information. Keep reading for more information and background. 

By combining thought leadership, research, and advocacy at the national level with action on the ground at the city and state levels, NRDC has been a driving force for food waste reduction since 2012. NRDC began our city partnerships with pilot projects in a select few cities starting in 2015 to test out programs to address food waste in key pinch points, and from there the Food Matters initiative has grown to include partnerships with over 20 cities to reduce food waste through comprehensive policies and programs.  

As part of the expansion of the Food Matters initiative, NRDC will partner with cities to provide strategic guidance and expertise in implementing strategies to prevent food from going to waste, rescue surplus food, and recycle food scraps, including but not limited to:

  • Estimating baseline food waste generation and food rescue potential
  • Assisting with food waste reduction plans, goals, and funding proposals
  • Developing food waste prevention messaging and campaigns
  • Planning city support for food rescue
  • Boosting community composting
  • The partnership also includes Food Matters knowledge sharing network opportunities such as webinars, convenings, and learning groups, where participating cities can learn from peers and experts and share successful strategies for on-the-ground project implementation. 

Food Matters partners have engaged in a suite of strategies designed to address food waste, including reaching consumers through wasted food prevention campaigns, assessing gaps in the food rescue system, establishing community composting facilities, auditing city facilities for food waste generation information, and much more. In each city, lead partners ensure community buy-in and more equitable processes by involving a range of city agencies, local stakeholders, and community members in goal setting, strategy development, and implementation.  

NRDC will be accepting applications from interested cities through February 17, 2023, after which applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. City applications will be scored on several criteria including, but not limited to, population size and select city demographics; staff capacity and expertise; strategy feasibility and alignment with NRDC expertise and priorities; and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Interested cities are requested to fill out this form providing a brief description of the specific request for technical and/or strategic support from NRDC along with contact information. After reviewing, we will reach out to qualifying cities to set up an online interview or request more written information to learn more about the proposed project and assess whether a partnership with NRDC is a good fit. 

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