Wellmark Foundation Healthy Local Foods Grant ApplicationMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Wellmark Foundation Healthy Local Foods Grant Application
DATE: June 2, 2011
Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser recommends City Council approval of a
Letter of Intent to the Wellmark Foundation requesting $25,000 in funding of healthy
local foods projects. There is a $14,159 match that will be provided from three partner
organizations, including Dubuque Main Street, Dubuque Winter Market and Dubuque
Eats Well. Should the grant be received, the City will be the fiscal agent for the grant.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Micha l C. Van Milligen
Dubuque
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All- America City
2007
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Welimark Foundation Healthy Local Foods Grant Application
DATE: May 31, 2011
Dubuque
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NI- America City
IIII I
2007
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval of the attached Letter of
Intent to the Welimark Foundation requesting $25,000 in funding of healthy local foods
projects.
BACKGROUND
In 2010, Iowa State Extension facilitated the convening of a group of community
stakeholders to coordinate efforts regarding the production and consumption of Healthy
Local Foods, one of the eleven Sustainable Dubuque principles. The group, which
includes representatives of the City, has been meeting since then to increase partners'
capacities and educate the public about the opportunities for and benefits of healthy
local foods. The group has identified themselves as Dubuque Eats Well, or DEW, and
currently includes representatives from the City, ISU Extension, Limestone Bluffs
RC &D, local farmers markets, producers, retailers, and consumers.
In the summer of 2010, DEW received funding from the Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture and was able to secure a half -time Americorps position to hire a Local Foods
Coordinator. The Coordinator is housed in City Hall and works with the Sustainability
Coordinator on a variety of local foods projects, but takes direction from the larger DEW
steering committee.
DISCUSSION
The Wellmark Foundation 2011 Healthy Communities Grant Program is open to
applications that seek to prevent childhood obesity or increase community -based
wellness and prevention efforts. Specifically, the Foundation has funded several
projects in recent funding cycles that focus on expanding access to healthy foods
through increased production, marketing of opportunities, and expanding access in
schools and at -risk neighborhoods.
The attached grant proposal outlines a strategy to better coordinate information on local
foods access in the Dubuque region and continue to build the collaborative of
individuals and organizations working to provide access to healthy local foods. The
funding would support the continued efforts of the Local Foods Coordinator as well as
the creation of a DEW website which would be a central location for information on
resources, events, organizations, purchasing information, and other information related
to local foods. Finally, the letter asks for a small amount of funds to pilot a Farm to
School project in cooperation with area school districts and to support the coordination
efforts of Dubuque's farmers' markets. The total project amount is $34,159 which
include the grant request of $25,000 and $14,159 in match from three partner
organizations including Dubuque Main Street, Dubuque Winter Market and Dubuque
Eats Well. Should the grant be received, the City would be the fiscal agent for the
grant, with the promised actions carried out by DEW partners as identified in the letter.
RECOMMENDATION
The requested action is Council approval of the attached grant proposal to the Wellmark
Foundation in the amount of $25,000.
Cc: Cori Burbach, Sustainability Coordinator
Jenni Ostwinkfe, Local Foods Coordinator
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
The Wellmark Foundation
2011 Healthy Communities Grant Program - Level I ($25,000 and under)
Invitational Application Round Cover Page — Due Date June 2, 2011
Primary Agency /Fiscal Agent — Organizational Information
(If this is a collaborative/coalition project, then please submit names of collaborating organizations on a separate sheet.)
Name: City of Dubuque
Address: 50 W 13 St
City /State /Zip: Dubuque, IA 52001 Phone: (563) 589 -4110
Web site: _www.cityofdubuque.org Geographic focus /county: Dubuque
IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Number or EIN Number: 42- 6004596
Primary Proposal Contact Person
Name: Cori Burbach
Title: _Sustainability Coordinator Organization: _City of Dubuque
Address: _50 W 13 St. City /State /Zip: Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: 563 -589 -4110
Project Information
Project Title: _Dubuque Eats Well Local Foods Capacity Building
Total Project Budget: $ 39,159
Amount Requested (not to exceed $25,000 - 75% of total project budget): $ 25,000
Check Priority Funding Area: ❑ Childhood Obesity Prevention ®' Wellness and Prevention Initiatives
Brief paragraph (2 to 3 sentences) summarizing the project.
The City of Dubuque and Dubuque Eats Well (DEW) are requesting $25,000 to advance healthy local foods initiatives
that support community -based wellness and prevention. This financial support would be used to fund the position of a
local foods coordinator, create a website to serve as a "local foods hub" accessible by all, establish a pilot Farm to
School chapter, and to support and expand local farmers markets and meet the food security needs of our community.
Authorization (required to demonstrate knowledge of and pport for the proposed project)
Tors
Email: _cburbach!,cityofdubuque.org
Project Duration (not to exceed 24 months): 18 months
President,t$oard o f Directors Volunteer) Executive Director (Chief Compensated Staff)*
Roy Buol, Mayor June 1, 2011 Mike Van Milligen, City Manager June 1, 2011
Print Name, Title and date Print Nanze, Title and date
*If 110 compensated staff, provide signature of another member/officer of the Board of Directors
THE CITY OF
DUB
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
The Wellmark Foundation
1331 Grand Avenue
Des Moines IA 50309
To Whom It May Concern,
May 25, 2011
On behalf of the City of Dubuque, I am pleased to submit this grant application to the Wellmark
Foundation for the Dubuque Eats Well Local Foods Capacity Building project. The City is a
member of the Dubuque Eats Well (DEW) community collaborative, and, if awarded Wellmark
Foundation funding, would use it specifically to advance healthy local foods initiatives that
support community -based wellness and prevention.
Project Need and Organizational Capacity.
The Dubuque Community Health Assessment set a goal of decreasing the obesity rate in
Dubuque County from 28% to 24% by 2016. To this end, community health professionals
encourage the adoption of policies by community -based organizations, institutions, businesses
and local governments aimed at improving fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity
for their employees, customers, and clients. Although a number of private and public entities
have pledged their support for this goal, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and overall
wellness is a massive project; with its varied membership and strong partnerships, Dubuque
Eats Well is uniquely situated to coordinate, facilitate, and help grow the local foods
infrastructure. DEW's capacity is built through the partnership of local government, non - profit,
school, and business institutions as well as individuals who are passionate about community
access to healthy foods. Members have collaborated on projects such as community
gardening, the promotion and expansion of farmers' markets, introducing local produce in
schools and restaurants, and other local foods projects. DEW assisted these projects in order to
increase efficiency, avoid duplication of efforts within the local foods system, grow the local
foods economy and enhance the health and vibrancy of community life. DEW's core team is
comprised of producers, consumers, local government and non - profit leaders, market and
grocery store coordinators, and health care providers.
There are numerous resources available to both producers and consumers of local foods and
individuals interested in wellness within the region, but these resources are scattered online, in
libraries, and other local organizations. They are often difficult to locate, and sometimes
producers and consumers do not know they exist at all. Websites like localdirt.com,
localharvest.com, Iowa Market Maker, and East Central Intergovernmental Agency's (ECIA)
Buyer - Supplier Network can help producers make the necessary connections to consumers in
order to increase their sales. In addition to educational resources, having these resources
centrally located and explained on DEW's website would simplify the process of buying and
selling local foods and help producers decide which program would work best for them. Other
organizations, such as the Practical Farmers of Iowa and the Iowa State Extension, offer
informative events and webinars that could greatly benefit local producers and growers. DEW
1
has identified the need for greater fruit and vegetable output overall; ECIA data currently states
that Dubuque country produces no fruit and vegetables. Although DEW has identified many
area producers whose production is not accurately reflected in this data, fruit and vegetable
production is nevertheless very low due to the reliance on commodity crops in the area.
Engaged stakeholders in DEW include the City of Dubuque, Crescent Community Health
Center, Iowa State Extension, Limestone Bluffs RC &D, farmers market and community garden
coordinators, producer and local business representatives, Hy -Vee grocery store, and the
Dubuque Community School District. Additional connections will be made to DEW, through
existing relationships with City departments, neighborhood associations, and local colleges.
Planned Work.
DEW currently maintains a part -time local foods coordinator who is charged with coordinating
projects, collecting data, and implementing the directives of the steering committee. This
position is currently funded through an AmeriCorps position and a grant through Iowa State
University's Leopold Center but these funds end in December 2011. Financial support from the
Wel!mark grant would extend funding for this position while DEW investigates other potential
sources of revenue. Aware of the need for stability and continuous coordination within the local
foods system, DEW has partnered with Limestone Bluffs RC &D to apply for federal grants and
explore other potential funding sources in order to continue this position.
Beyond funding for staffing, Dubuque Eats Well and the City of Dubuque have identified three
key projects and areas of focus that will greatly increase DEW's capacity to operate more
efficiently within its local foods system and increase access to healthy local foods. A DEW
website, in addition to other forms of outreach and education, will serve as an online hub with
information on local foods, resources, discussion, events, coordination, and organization
accessible by all. The website will feature local food news, an events calendar, producer
profiles, and a live local foods inventory list and will be maintained by the local foods
coordinator. Numerous organizations across sectors of the community are working towards a
shared vision without a sustainable way to share data, collaborate on initiatives, and inform and
educate the public. DEW members currently attempt collaboration through low -tech means, but
desire the ability to maximize partnership opportunities and impact the public in a more
meaningful way. DEW hopes to complete this task within a month of receiving funding in order
to assist producers during peak harvest season.
DEW is also collaborating with local school systems to increase consumption of healthy local
fruits and vegetables by schoolchildren through the establishment of Farm to School programs.
Following a model successfully utilized by the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative, DEW
will offer a program designed to help schools establish lasting relationships with area producers.
Participating schools who buy over $300 worth of local foods can turn their receipts in to DEW in
exchange for a new piece of kitchen equipment worth the same amount. Through this program,
schools will become educated in and comfortable with the process of buying healthy local food
and, in turn, will provide data that DEW can use to track local foods purchases in area schools.
At the same time, this will provide more opportunities for producers looking for new markets for
their local fruits and vegetables. DEW expects to complete this task during the 2011 -2012
school year and continue the project into the future.
Finally, DEW strives to increase access to healthy local foods by expanding and strengthening
area farmers markets. The Dubuque region has a number of vibrant farmers markets that
provide access to healthy local foods but most are volunteer -run and despite demand, they do
2
not have the capacity to expand their operations. This funding would be used to support
coordinated marketing and management efforts throughout the region. DEW will also hold
quarterly workshops designed to educate market managers and vendors on best practices and
procedures to improve sales, strengthen their markets, and increase access to healthy local
foods. Funds will also be used to ease food insecurity by helping markets set up or support
Farmers Market Nutrition Programs like WIC and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
DEW anticipates beginning this project during the Winter Market season and continuing it
through the length of the grant. DEW will work closely with market managers to assure that their
programs will be self- sustaining after this period.
Intended Results.
According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, only four school districts in DEW's four county
region have participated in Farm to School programming in the past and no district currently has
an established Farm to School chapter. Two counties in the DEW region (Jackson and Jones)
reported no Farm to School activity at all. Several school districts have indicated a willingness
and desire to buy healthy, locally grown produce but are constrained by time, money or by lack
of local producer contacts. Through our Farm to School project, we hope to foster relationships
between districts and producers. Our goal is to engage six or seven schools in our Farm to
School project and establish at least one permanent Farm to School chapter by the end of the
grant period.
While DEW will not set a specific quota for its website; the local foods coordinator will track and
analyze usage using Google Analytics. DEW will also communicate regularly with users in order
to assess which features they find useful and which need improvement. Success will be
measured by increased site use and user feedback. DEW will also be able to track local foods
purchases made through the site. As an online local foods hub, DEW is determined to make the
website responsive to the needs of its audience.
The goals for our farmers markets are threefold: we intend to help markets become more firmly
established in their communities, increase overall attendance, and increase usage of Farmers
Markets Nutrition Programs. Farmers markets receiving our assistance will have to demonstrate
their commitment to strengthening the local foods economy and increasing food security, and
demonstrate their plans for long -term sustainability. DEW will work with local markets to track
attendance and gather data on food sales. All of this information will feed the Sustainable
Dubuque Indicators project, an online tool built and maintained by the community to track
performance on the complete Sustainable Dubuque vision.
Numerous studies by ISU's Leopold Center have stressed the importance of an integrated
system to order to facilitate lasting change. Aware that real, lasting change requires creative
and multi- faceted strategic planning, the City of Dubuque and Dubuque Eats Well are
committed to expanding access and increasing consumption of healthy local foods in a
comprehensive, sustainable manner. The projects described here will increase DEW's capacity
to work with our partners, strengthen our regional local foods system, and benefit our
communities socially, economically, and culturally.
3
Project or Position
Amount
Description
Local Foods Coordinator
2,050.00
Funds to be used for the salary, benefits,
and expenses of a part -time Local Foods
Coordinator who will engage stakeholders,
provide administrative support for DEW
and DEW projects, and manage local food
projects.
Salary and Benefits
6,000.00
Salary
12,346.53
Social Security and Medicare
1,124.55
IPERS
1,186.29
Workers Comp
42.63
Supplies and Travel
300.00
Dubuque Eats Well website
Funds will be used for the creation of a
DEW website to serve as an online local
foods hub. The website will be maintained
by the Local Foods Coordinator.
Initial design and creation of DEW
website
2,000.00
Pilot Farm to School Project
Money will finance a Farm to School
project designed to encourage local foods
purchases by area school districts and
increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
Purchase of kitchen equipment and
related expenses
2,000.00
Farmers Market Support & Expansion
This funding will support coordinated
marketing and management efforts as well
as efforts to leverage existing funding for
programs like WIC and SNAP that meet
the food security needs of our community's
most at -risk residents.
Staff Support
3,000.00
Coordinated Marketing Efforts
1,000.00
Quarterly Workshops
1,000.00
Expanding Farmers Market Nutrition
Programs
1,000.00
Dubuque Main Street
6,109.00
Promotion of Farmers Market
Dubuque Winter Market
2,050.00
Print ads, radio spots, posters
Dubuque Eats Well (fiscal agent:
Iowa State Extension)
6,000.00
Regional Food Systems Working Group
Grant to fund Local Foods Coordinator
salary, public outreach & education, and
data collection activity
Budget Planning.
Total Budget: $39,159
Thank you for this opportunity to submit a request on behalf of the City of Dubuque and the
many community organizations and individuals that comprise Dubuque Eats Well. I look
forward to discussing this application in further detail and am available to answer any questions
you may have.
Sincerely,
Cori Burbach
Sustainable Community Coordinator
City of Dubuque
Wellmark Foundation Request: $25,000
Local Match: $14,159
4
FOUR MOUNDS
FOUNDATION
4900 Peru Rd., Dubuque, IA poor 5 • www fourmounds.org
May 31, 2011
Attn: Matt McGarvey
The Wellmark Foundation
1331 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
Re: Dubuque Eats Well Local Foods Capacity Building Project
To Whom It May Concern:
The City of Dubuque and Dubuque Eats Well have partnered to submit a grant
application to the Wellmark Foundation for the purpose of Wellness and Prevention
Initiatives. The proposed grant will be used to fund the position of a local foods
coordinator, create a website to serve as a "local foods hub" accessible by all, establish a
pilot Farm to School chapter, and to support and expand local farmers markets and meet
the food security needs of our community.
As a Dubuque Eats Well partner and as an organization firmly committed to increasing
access to healthy local foods, Four Mounds is in complete support of this endeavor. This
grant will greatly increase DEW's capacity to foster projects that enhance the local foods
system, increase local fruit and vegetable consumption, and support the tremendous work
being done in within our regional local foods system. For the past three years, Four
Mounds has facilitated the Dubuque Winter Farmers Market as well as the Fountain Park
Market, which runs through the summer. Through these markets, we were able to provide
area residents with year -round access to healthy local foods. But despite demand, we are
unable to expand beyond our current arrangement. With the funds from the Wellmark
Foundation and in concert with Dubuque Eats Well, we will be able to expand our
markets and increase our impact while stabilizing market management in order to ensure
the market's sustainability into the future. Four Mounds will commit $2,050 in match to
the promotion of these markets if the DEW capacity building grant is successful.
Four Mounds is please in supporting the proposed DEW Capacity Building Project.
Through this partnership, we will strive to increase to advance healthy local foods
initiatives that support community -based wellness and prevention.
Respectfully,
Execu e Director
A Non - Profit Organization 501 (c) (3)
PRESERVE • EDUCATE • SERVE