Our Work
Click on the images below to learn more about some of DAISA's work, research, and lessons learned.
In January 2024, DAISA helped launch a new equity framework to the Food as Medicine field. Created by Benjamin Perkins and in collaboration with DAISA and Wholesome Wave, the FED Principle is an innovative model that centers the core values of Fidelity, Equity, and Dignity (FED). The FED Community Workbook was designed to assist Produce Prescription program operators in assessing and aligning their programs with the FED Principle. Grounded in practitioner experience and validated by a National Advisory Group, the Workbook has catalyzed national focus on the equity needs of Food as Medicine initiatives and leaders.
|
In 2023 DAISA released new critical research documenting the unique impact of BIPOC leadership in Produce Prescription programs. The report, Innovations & Barriers: Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) Leadership in the Produce Prescription Field, represents an exciting step forward in gaining recognition for the contributions of BIPOC leaders in the field, understanding the challenges they face in growing and sustaining their programs, and defining how different field partners can better support them. This work is the foundation of DAISA's equity-based work in Food as Medicine - including the creation of the FED Community Workbook and the BIPOC-led FED Collective of national practitioner leaders.
|
In 2021, DAISA supported El Departamento De La Comida's successful USDA Community Food Projects (CFP) application - the first awarding of CFP funds in Puerto Rico since the inception of the funding program. DAISA continues to collaborate with El Depa by providing the team with strategy and funding assistance, capacity-building, and solidarity supporting the breadth of El Depa's work across the island of Boriken.
|
DAISA was hired to support NYU Stern and its FoodMap NY initiative in designing a Produce Prescription (PRx) intervention. The goal was to develop a sustainable financial model for private healthcare engagement and scaling.
Some of the project achievements:
|
DAISA worked with Wholesome Wave over the course of three years to advance research, national policy, and equity frameworks for produce prescription programs.
DAISA helped Wholesome Wave (with lead partner Tufts U. Friedman School) secure funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to analyze 9 years of program data, helped secure funding from USDA GusNIP for further program research, and conduct the national Landscape Study on Produce Prescription Programs 2010-2020. We helped facilitate early growth and developed of the National Produce Prescription Collaborative. DAISA conducted focused research on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Leadership in the Produce Prescription Field. From this research and the vision of then CEO Benjamin Perkins emerged the Fidelity, Equity, and Dignity (FED) framework with rigorous principles to integrate racial justice into food as medicine programming. From the FED framework we developed with FED Community Workbook working with a national advisory committee, Board training and internal guidance based on FED, and a FED workshop series. DAISA facilitated two national webinars for Wholesome Wave to share this work with target food and health audiences. DAISA continues to support the FED Collective, a group of BIPOC organizations with innovations in produce prescription program and food sovereignty.
DAISA helped Wholesome Wave (with lead partner Tufts U. Friedman School) secure funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to analyze 9 years of program data, helped secure funding from USDA GusNIP for further program research, and conduct the national Landscape Study on Produce Prescription Programs 2010-2020. We helped facilitate early growth and developed of the National Produce Prescription Collaborative. DAISA conducted focused research on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Leadership in the Produce Prescription Field. From this research and the vision of then CEO Benjamin Perkins emerged the Fidelity, Equity, and Dignity (FED) framework with rigorous principles to integrate racial justice into food as medicine programming. From the FED framework we developed with FED Community Workbook working with a national advisory committee, Board training and internal guidance based on FED, and a FED workshop series. DAISA facilitated two national webinars for Wholesome Wave to share this work with target food and health audiences. DAISA continues to support the FED Collective, a group of BIPOC organizations with innovations in produce prescription program and food sovereignty.
|
DAISA was hired from the National Grocers Association Foundation to provide evaluation and equity framework design for this technical assistance support area for USDA Food Nutrition Services in the context of Snap Online implementation. DAISA convened project participants to develop a Logic Model, providing an evaluation plan based on definitions of underserved communities.
|
In October of 2021 DAISA partnered with client Food System 6 to present a dynamic and interactive webinar on "Making Grants Ours: Decolonizing Grant Writing Strategies & Tactics." This webinar shared a brief history of grants in the United States and provided strategies and tactics for applying to and winning grants while also working to make the system more just and equitable for all. Watch the webinar recording here.
|
In 2017, the Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD) Collaborative invited DAISA to support drafting a body of work that would encompass the collaborative's collective understanding of this newly-defined development strategy. DAISA conducted an in-depth field scan and analysis researching over 800 organizations throughout the United States. The 2019 Brown Paper was created to document and define this unique and powerful practitioner-led EFOD framework. Read the EFOD Brown Paper here.
|
Wholesome Wave engaged DAISA Enterprises in 2020 to conduct a national scan of Produce Prescription Programs to further the evidence-base and policy-change potential for investment in food & health systems through the produce prescription model. Released in June 2021, this research report documents the reach and complexity of programs across the country, field-wide themes, collective resources, program operator challenges, innovations, and needs from across the past 10 years and presently. Watch the 6/21/2021 research launch webinar here, read the Executive Summary here, or view an interactive web map series of programs here.
|
In August 2020 DAISA co-hosted along with the Wallace Center’s Food Systems Leadership Network a national webinar exploring the intersection of arts, culture, and food systems. Over 150 webinar participants heard from Ka Oskar Ly from ArtCrop and Brandi Turner from SippCulture and discussed strategies for developing arts-infused food systems within their community. Our ongoing reality of the COVID-19 crisis and struggles for racial justice illuminate how artistic and cultural practices are more critical than ever in envisioning and realizing resilient food systems. Watch the webinar recording here. |
From 2015-2021 DAISA served as the National Program Office for the Kresge Foundation Fresh, Local, & Equitable (FreshLo) initiative to support and accelerate local efforts that successfully use food as a platform for health, economic development, creative placemaking and cultural expression in low-income urban communities. DAISA provided strategic guidance, operations, convening facilitation, and capacity building for a cohort of 26 grantee partners across the country. Read here about FreshLo lessons on cultivating community, integrating food & creative placemaking, and building local democratic economies.
|
DAISA was selected in 2018 by ArtPlace America as a research partner to examine the role of arts & culture in the agriculture and food sectors nationally. Published in May 2019, this field scan report explores how arts and cultural practices can be better leveraged to create equitable and place-based food systems change across the country - spanning rural, tribal, and urban settings. In March 2019, DAISA also convened a working group of over 40 practitioners, funders, and policymakers to engage with emerging research themes and inform field recommendations.
|
|
|
|
In 2015, the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation launched the Healthy Food Fund - a three-year initiative aimed at examining the impact of small but strategic investments in local fresh food organizations on improving access to healthy food for low- and middle-income households in New England. DAISA, as the Learning & Evaluation partner, led efforts to ensure a dynamic exchange of ideas, techniques and actionable lessons learned. Find out more here about the learnings and impacts of this fund.
|
Click the image above for a report DAISA produced for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs (CCGA). The scope of inquiry included exploring key trends and areas of (non-policy focused) innovation currently addressing US hunger alleviation and obesity reduction, framing opportunities and risks, and identifying emergent patterns, success drivers and key players.
|
