Committees & Convenings
Bringing people to the table to build a better Colorado food system for all
At Provecho Collective, we believe lasting change happens when people come together — not just to share ideas, but to shape decisions and lead the way forward.
Our committees and convenings bring together community advocates, grassroots leaders, farmers, and organizational partners who care deeply about Colorado’s food system.
Our spaces are facilitated by staff liaisons and welcome broad participation. Whether you bring lived experience with hunger, professional expertise, or a passion for food justice, there’s a place for you at our table.
Centering Community in All We Do
To help make our spaces inclusive and equitable for everyone in Colorado, we:
- Offer bilingual access in English and Spanish, along with closed captioning
- Compensate community members for their time and expertise
- Welcome any accessibility requests to ensure full participation
- Set meeting expectations that foster respect and belonging
Growing Impact, Together
9
active committees and convenings
489
people participate in our meeting spaces, on average, each month
55
actively involved community members receive compensation for their time and expertise each month
Committees
Our committees exist to shift power — creating space for more voices to shape decisions and actions for a more just food system in Colorado. We welcome participation from a diverse array of collaborators to help advance community-powered solutions so there’s food for all, today and tomorrow.
Communications & Accessibility Committee
- Purpose: Support organizations with more inclusive and accessible communications that can advance food for all in Colorado.
- Goals: Encourage Colorado organizations and government agencies to seek input from community during the development and drafting of messaging, materials, and campaigns; promote transparency and improved communications; consider accessibility for all, including but not limited to language justice, word choices, visual communications, physical barriers, geographic factors, and more.
- Participation: Open to anyone interested
- Staff Liaison: Michelle Ray, Communications Director
- Meetings: Every month on the 2nd Thursday from 10 – 11 a.m. MST via Zoom
Community Voice Committee
- Purpose: Provide a safe and trusting space only for community members to influence food systems change through their perspective of having lived or living experiences with hunger
- Goals: Ensure community members’ perspectives and experiences are at the forefront of Provecho Collective’s work; insights help inform our federal and state policy priorities and contribute to long-lasting changes in our local food systems.
- Participation: Only open to those with living or lived experiences who do not represent an organization as a paid employee.
- Staff Liaison: Charlie Kestler, Community Justice Manager
- Meetings: Every two weeks (bi-weekly) on Thursdays from 12 – 1 p.m. MST via Zoom
Data & Evaluation Committee
- Purpose: Support the growth and development of Colorado’s food system by making relevant data more accessible and easy to utilize.
- Goals: Unite partners who value inclusive data, promote resource sharing, and practice data equity. By connecting data efforts across Colorado’s food system, we can support informed decision-making and collaboration across organizations and communities. (More in our committee framework.)
- Participation: Open to all interested; individuals in the group are encouraged to share their projects, ask questions, make connections, and collaborate on projects!
- Staff Liaison: Kasey Neiss, Data & Evaluation Analyst
- Meetings: Every month on the 3rd Wednesday from 2 – 3:30 p.m. MST via Zoom
Policy Committee
- Purpose: Facilitate and maintain a group of grassroots leaders, advocates, advocacy organizations, state entities, and partners who are all working towards addressing hunger and its root causes through food policy reform and advocacy.
- Goals: Create, execute, and manage an anti-hunger policy platform that advocates for sustainable, equitable, and effective food systems at the state and federal levels centering equity and the priorities of communities and individuals impacted by hunger.
- Participation: Open for anyone to join — no policy experience required to participate!
- Staff Liaison: Brace Gibson, Policy Director
- Meetings: Every two weeks (bi-weekly) on Tuesdays from 12 – 1:15 p.m. MST via Zoom
Other Convenings
In addition to standing committees, Provecho Collective hosts other gatherings where community voices, shared priorities, and collective solutions can take root and grow. Every convening is intentionally designed for listening and sharing, learning together, building trust, and redistributing power.
Advocacy Leadership Academy
- Purpose: Support emerging food justice advocates and community leaders who seek to gain policy knowledge and advocacy skills through an 8-week program that provides collaborative and interactive learning sessions paired with real-world case studies and opportunities for 1:1 coaching.
- Participation: Open to anyone interested in community organizing and building community power but new to policy and advocacy efforts.
- Staff Liaison: Dayana Leyva, Policy Manager
- Frequency: Cohorts are offered twice a year in the summer and fall, with an application announcement and deadline provided weeks in advance.
Colorado Food Justice Funders Collaborative
- Purpose: Convene a dedicated group of funders that work together to create change in Colorado’s systems to promote food sovereignty.
- Participation: Only open to philanthropic organizations and other food-focused funders in Colorado.
- Staff Liaison: Bryanna Patinka, Development Director
- Frequency: Every month on the 2nd Tuesday from 2 – 3:30 p.m. MST via Zoom
Colorado Food Systems Roundtable
- Purpose: Create space for state agencies and partners across Colorado to share updates, build connections, and reduce silos within our food system; also supports rapid response and collective action during times of crisis or transition — from the COVID-19 pandemic to today’s state budget shortfalls and shifting federal landscape.
- Participation: Open to anyone interested
- Staff Liaison: Joël McClurg, our Executive Director of Systems
- Meetings: Every other month (bi-monthly) on the 3rd Tuesday from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. MST via Zoom
Food Coalition Convening
- Purpose: Facilitate capacity-building amongst food coalitions through connection, collaboration, shared learning, and resource exchange
- Participation: Only open to representatives of local and regional food coalitions in Colorado
- Staff Liaison: Brace Gibson, Policy Director
- Meetings: Every three months (quarterly) on the 3rd Monday from 10 – 11:30 a.m. MST via Zoom
Storyteller's Corner
- Purpose: Amplify and celebrate the power of personal stories in spotlighting injustices, shifting narratives, inspiring action, and driving meaningful food system change in our communities; cultivate space for storytelling where people feel safe, supported, and truly heard while building stronger connections and fostering community.
- Participation: Only for people with lived and living experiences of hunger
- Staff Liaison: Charlie Kestler, Community Justice Manager
- Meetings: Every month on the 1st Thursday from 1 – 2 p.m. MST via Zoom