4. United Way of BC

Project Description

Note: This project will take place online.

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

In rural and remote areas and First Nation communities in British Columbia, the nearest grocery store can be hundreds of kilometres away. Community programs play a key role in ensuring all residents can get the nourishing food they need. United Way British Columbia, working in partnership with the Ministry of Health, oversees a one-time grant with a goal to address the unique food access and availability challenges of rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The goal of the Food Infrastructure Grant is to fund the development, implementation or improvement of food infrastructure to support year-round, long-term procurement, storage and distribution of fresh, traditional and other food and enhance community well-being.

United Way BC has invested in about half of the total amount of funding requested from community food-based organizations across the province. This project would consist of a scan of the grant applications to analyze and categorize the food infrastructure needs across BC. Which needs are expected to be met by this fund? Which remain unmet?

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

• Review of past Food Infrastructure grant applications
• Students can use technology to determine trends; NVivo and Tableau software are both available free of charge for UBC students
• Graphic representation of the need across regions or other categories and the fund’s estimated impact on those needs (format to be discussed with partner, e.g. infographic)

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Well organized, independent and attentive to detail
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Data collection, analysis and mapping skills preferred (GIS, familiarity with NVivo or Tableau an asset)
• Interest in rural, remote, and Indigenous food systems
• Interest in grant writing and funders' perspectives

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• N/A

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• No

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and community partner
• Developing the activity plan and timeline: Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
• Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.): Led by students
• Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
• Finalizing the deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and community partner

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• N/A

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.

• https://uwbc.ca/program/food-security/
• Fall 2022 LFS 350 student work (please request the written materials from your community partner)