Email subject: Seeking nominations for case studies for the Healthy Food Policy Project

Hi All,

The Project is currently seeking nominations for case studies of local initiatives and laws relating to supporting or promoting access to healthy food, and that also contribute to strong local economies, an improved environment, and health equity, with a focus on socially disadvantaged and marginalized groups. We are seeking examples of both laws that have been adopted and policy proposals that didn’t pass; as well as examples of where laws worked the way they were supposed to or created unexpected consequences, whether good or bad.

Case study nominations of local initiatives and/or laws should fall into at least one of these categories:

1. Creates a fund or allows a community to tap into a new or existing local, state or federal funding stream (e.g., a budget decision to provide staff support for a community garden; creating a grant program to help kickstart local healthy food stores)
2. Creates an incentive for a change in practice or behavior (e.g. provides tax breaks for healthy food retailers; provides a priority for healthy food outlets in mass transit planning)
3. Requires something or sets standards that must be followed
4. Expressly allows something (e.g. allows gleaning on city owned land; zoning laws that expressly allow grocery stores in all/most zones)
5. Prohibits or discourages something
6. Promotes education or awareness about a healthy food related issue; provides information to the public; or teaches skills
7. Creates an exemption from a restriction, or deregulates something in a way that promotes healthy food access (e.g., law that prohibits food on mass transit, but exempts food in grocery bags)

We welcome case studies nominations from rural, urban, and suburban communities (regardless of size) across the United States.

To apply, please click here. The application deadline is June 15, 2017.
If you have any questions regarding this Project or the nomination process, please contact Sally Mancini (sally.mancini@uconn.edu).

Background
The Healthy Food Policy Project is a joint project of Vermont Law School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems; the Public Health Law Center at Mitchell Hamline School of Law; and the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

The purpose of the Project is to elevate local laws that promote access to healthy food and also contribute to improved environmental conditions and/or foster strong local economies, with a particular focus on health equity for socially disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

A key component of the Project is in-depth case studies featuring how local initiatives are developed, community engagement in the process, and the ways in which laws and policy changes aim to achieve health equity. This Project defines health equity as the absence of disadvantage in chronic disease-related health outcomes regardless of one’s race or ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, or mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; and/or geographic location.

Healthy Food Policy Project Case Study Survey

We are excited that you are interested in nominating a local initiative or law as a case study example for the Healthy Food Policy Project. Please take a few minutes to fill out the questions in this survey. If you have any questions regarding this Project or the nomination process, please contact Sally Mancini (sally.mancini@uconn.edu) at any time.

Q1 – Contact name
Q2 – Contact email
Q3 – Contact phone
Q4 – Name of Municipality
Q5 – State
Q6 – Name/title of the law or initiative
Q7 – Healthy Food Policy Project Case Study Survey Which policy category type(s) does the law or initiative fall into (choose all that apply)?
Please note: We are not collecting examples of school district or school-level policies

1. Creates a fund or allows a community to tap into a new or existing local, state or federal funding stream (e.g., a budget decision to provide staff support for a community garden)
2. Creates an incentive for a change in practice or behavior (e.g. provides tax breaks for healthy food retailers; provides a priority for healthy food outlets in mass transit planning)
3. Creates an incentive for a change in practice or behavior (e.g. provides tax breaks for healthy food retailers; provides a priority for healthy food outlets in mass transit planning)
4. Expressly allows something (e.g. allows gleaning on city owned land; zoning laws that expressly allow grocery stores in all/most zones)
5. Prohibits or discourages something
6. Promotes education or awareness about a healthy food related issue; provides information to the public; or teaches skills
7. Creates an exemption from a restriction, or deregulates something in a way that promotes healthy food access (e.g., law that prohibits food on mass transit, but exempts food in grocery bags)

Q8 – Has the law or initiative passed? Yes No Not Yet
Q9 – Does the law or initiative address health inequities? This Project defines health inequities as disparities in public health that can be traced to unequal systemic, economic, and social conditions. Yes No
Q10 – Healthy Food Policy Project Case Study Survey Does the law or initiative do any of the following to improve environmental conditions (choose all that apply)?

1. Promote sustainable agricultural practices; soil resilience; pollinator health
2. Promote clean air (e.g., reduces carbon emissions; particulate matter)
3. Support clean water (including providing water testing)
4. Support biodiversity (including green spaces like gardens and parks in urban areas)
5. Address soil testing for community gardens
6. Address human resilience to disease
7. Address concerns about climate change
8. Aim to reduce waste (e.g., in terms of food and energy)
9. The law or initiative does not address improved environmental conditions
10. Other

Q11- Does the law or initiative do any of the following to foster a strong local economy (choose all that apply)?

1. Encourage local dollars to stay in the community (e.g., buy local)
2. Provide financial support for establishing or strengthening local businesses/trade/producers (e.g., facilitate or create access to a funding streams—grants, loans; provides a tax break or other economic incentive)
3. Support livable wage jobs within the community
4. Support humane working conditions for food workers
5. Create pathways for economic prosperity (e.g. training programs; new/small business support)
6. Promote community wealth
7. The law or initiative does not address local economies
8. Other

Q12- Would you be willing to do any of the following case study activities (choose all that apply)?

1. Answer questions via email
2. Participate in a phone interview
3. Share resources and materials
4. Refer others who were involved in the policy development process
5. Participate in a video

Q13 – Any additional information that you would like to share?