Best Practices & Capacity Building Resources

OrderAhead is a FREE platform developed by Feeding America for food pantries and food banks so that neighbors can order food quickly, conveniently, and privately. The process is like other online grocery ordering apps. After checking out, users get a confirmation email, and then can pick up their groceries (or have them delivered if your program offers that option) at the set time.

For food pantries, adopting OrderAhead can translate into less food waste, shorter wait times, the ability to offer choice to neighbors, and an opportunity to reach neighbors who may not be able to visit the pantry due to time constraints, lack of transportation, or physical ability.

Connecticut Foodshare has limited funding available to help you get started with OrderAhead! Write us at 

orderahead@ctfoodshare.org for information.

SWAP is a stoplight nutrition ranking system designed to help promote healthy food choices at food banks and food pantries. SWAP ranks foods based on levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars because these nutrients are linked with increased risk of chronic diseases. SWAP aligns with the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System, and ranks food into three categories: Green (choose often), Yellow (choose sometimes), and Red (choose rarely).

Connecticut Foodshare ranks food in its inventory using SWAP, and dozens of food pantries across Connecticut are doing the same. We also have resources that help our partner programs to engage in conversations with donors about nutrition and the link between hunger and health to encourage more donations of healthy food choices.

Learn more about implementing SWAP:

Order SWAP Materials 

Healthy Foods Donation List

“Gold Star” Foods for People Over 50

Preferred Prenatal Foods

Any questions? Contact institute@ctfoodshare.org

The Connecticut Foodshare Institute for Hunger Research and Solutions provided grants to several partner agencies to help them reinvent and transform their services for neighbors. Read the report on the Transformation grants.

Looking for inspiration and guidance on ways you can creating a welcoming setting for your neighbors? We have recordings available of online webinars recorded with your peers in the network sharing success tories from their programs.

Creating A Welcoming Culture - May 2024

Creating A Welcoming Culture - February 2024

Creating A Welcoming Culture - October 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - September 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - August 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - July 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - June 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - April 2023

Creating A Welcoming Culture - March 2023

Social Media is a powerful tool to help you build support, raise more food, raise funds, engage the community, and reach your neighbors with important information. It can help support your welcoming culture goals and showcase the powerful work you do. Our October 2023 Wednesday Webinar featured Connecticut Foodshare Marketing and Communication Director Merry Renduchintala and network partners from Enfield Loaves and Fishes and Norwalk Open Doors. Watch the recording to hear about getting started or upping your game in social media. View the slides from the presentation.

Want to know more? See these helpful resources to get you started on tips mentioned in the presentation.

Facebook

This video brings you through how to create a Facebook Page for your organization step-by-step. Please note, the host is creating a business page while you will be creating a nonprofit page. All the steps are the same, except you will enter “Nonprofit organization” under Category rather than “Restaurant” as the host does at time stamp 2:53. 

View Video

Canva

Canva is a powerful design tool you can use to make logos, graphics, flyers, and more. There is a free version and a premium version. The premium version has more templates, images, graphic elements, fonts, and can save a brand kit for convenient use. Nonprofits can apply to receive Canva premium features for free. Eligible Nonprofits are: Registered with (i) IRS as exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. Currently not eligible organizations: (i) Fiscally sponsored organizations that do not have their own 501(c)(3) status. (ii) Subordinate organizations under group exemption must still obtain own recognition of 501(c)(3) tax exemption from the IRS to be eligible.

Canva's Website

Watch this Video on How to Get Started

Welcome to Canva Instructional Video

Canva’s YouTube Channel has a playlist of 11 short videos (approx. 3 minutes each) on how to use different aspects of Canva including navigating the home screen, using templates, using search, using graphics, uploading and editing pictures, and more.

The UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health has released the “Meeting Neighbor Needs with Culturally Connected Foods” guide to help food pantries meet the cultural needs of the neighbors they serve. Additionally, an editable survey for neighbors and an editable survey for pantry volunteers and staff can be found in English and Spanish. The Rudd Center also provides a Canva template to share survey results. View the resource here.

The 2024 Community Impact Grant application has closed. View a list of grant recipients. 

If your organization received a 2024 Community Impact Grant, funding must be spent by March 30, 2025. Our team will contact you to schedule a brief check-in meeting in September/October 2024. Final written reports for 2024 Community Impact Grants are due by April 30, 2025 using this form.

If your organization received a 2023 Community Impact Grant, final grant reports were due by January 30, 2024.

View the 2023 Community Impact Grant Recipients

View a report on the 2023 Community Impact Grant Program

For tips on finding and securing grants from other sources beyond Connecticut Foodshare, view our Foundation Fundraising and Grant Writing 101 training:

View Recording

Slides From Presentation

Connecticut Foodshare staff have gathered a list of strategies used by network partners to help raise food, funds, and awareness for their programs. Download the list.