Lucia A Leone PhD Christina M Kasprzak MS Department of Community Health and Health Behavior School of Public Health and Health Professions University at Buffalo Presenters Christina Lucia ID: 733877
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Veggie Van StudyRequest for Partners (RFP) Applicant Webinar
Lucia A. Leone, PhD Christina M. Kasprzak, MSDepartment of Community Health and Health BehaviorSchool of Public Health and Health ProfessionsUniversity at BuffaloSlide2
Presenters
Christina
Lucia Slide3
Veggie van study overviewSlide4
Funding and Goals5- Year National Cancer Institute Grant
Take the “successful” Veggie Van model and help other organizations adapt and implement it in new communitiesAre mobile markets effective?What practices make them successful?Slide5
What is the Veggie Van Model?Markets offer a good variety of
fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables, including culturally specific foodsProduce is sold at a reduced cost Partnerships with local community organizations ensures that Veggie Van is easy to accessMarkets accept SNAP benefits and other local incentive and benefit programs Customers are offered incentives to purchase an entire share (or box) of produce rather than just one or two items
Cooking demos and nutrition education help customers use the produce in their boxesSlide6
What’s in the Veggie Van Toolkit?Veggie Van Operations Manuals
Day-to-day operations and market set-upJob descriptions and manuals for staffMarketing and community engagement materialsFinancial planning resourcesSample budgets and “break-even analysis” spreadsheetSelection of successful models“Point-of-sale” nutrition curriculum including a database of recipes by produce item and season, sample newsletters and activity ideasSlide7
Why use the Veggie Van Model?Our prior Veggie Van studies have found that customers:
Increased fruit and vegetable intake by as much as 1 cup per dayReported other positive changes such as reducing portion size, cutting down on sodium, and eating healthier snacks Increased confidence for preparing meals with more fruits and veggies Slide8
RFP ProcessSlide9
RFP GoalsSelect 14 organizations as finalists to participate in training and meet with the selection committee
Select up to 8 organizations as finalists to:receive funding and technical assistanceparticipate in the research studySlide10
Who Can Apply to the RFP?Any organization - including non-profit, for-profit, co-operative, faith-based, government, University, hospital network – that is interested in starting or expanding a mobile produce market
Willingness to run mobile markets following the Veggie Van model The organization must be located within the following study region and serve a predominantly urban area: Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Florida Georgia Kentucky North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Virginia West Virginia Ohio Delaware DCSlide11
Expectations for Partner OrganizationsSlide12
Overview of Expectations for OrganizationsIdentify community sites to host mobile markets
Lead community engagement at community sitesAssist the study team with participant recruitment and data collectionMonitor and report on program implementationMeet regularly with the study team to coordinate timelines and ensure study goals are met Share mobile market resources to include in the Veggie Van Toolkit for use by future marketsSlide13
Selecting Community SitesEach organization will
choose 4 sites within their community to partner withCommunity sites should serve at least 50% lower-income individuals.Community sites should be places where people are already receiving services or visit on a weekly basisThe study team will select two community sites to initially receive the Veggie Van program. The other two sites will engage in a year-long community engagement and planning process related to food access. Slide14
Community EngagementWork with the study team to create a community advisory committee and engagement plan
Host events to involve and engage community members in food access and/or Veggie Van program planningIdentify individuals interested in participating in researchSlide15
Participant Recruitment and Data CollectionCoordinate with study team to invite community members interested in research participation to come to community events or mobile market kick-offs
Ensure at least 3o people participate in data collection at each siteSelect staff and/or volunteers to be trained to assist with data collectionCollect data on an ongoing basis for up to 2 months after data collection eventsCoordinate with study team to repeat all events and data collection again 1 year laterSlide16
What data will be collected?At the mobile market kick-off/community events:Height and weight
Veggie Meter measurementOver the phone:Survey questions about food-related behaviorsTwo 24-hour dietary recallsAdditional measures as requested by your teamWhen customers visit mobile market:10 demographic questionsVeggie Meter, height, and weight (if not collected at kick-off)
Purchasing data collected via Farmers Register Point of Sale softwareSlide17
Monitor and Report Program ImplementationPeriodic interviews with your program staff
Share participant feedbackTrack market process measures (e.g. how often cooking demonstrations or other activities are completed at each site) using forms provided by the study teamSlide18
Benefits of PartnershipSlide19
Overview of BenefitsFunding totaling $50,000 to offset the cost of running a mobile market and participating in ongoing evaluation efforts
Access to the online Veggie Van toolkitTraining on the Veggie Van toolkit and ongoing technical assistance throughout the study period Assistance with community engagement and developing a community advisory boardLicense for Farmers Register Mobile Market point-of-sale software ($800 value) and an iPad to run the software for 2 sites
Access to data and reporting related to mobile market evaluation measuresAssistance with developing a sustainability plan and identifying program funding sourcesSlide20
Funding
Funding to assist with program implementation and data collection including, but not limited to: staff, incentives, equipment, etc. $50,000 Total to support mobile market work: $20,000 upon execution of contract$10,000 after the first 2 mobile market sites have completed baseline data collection
$10,000 after the second 2 mobile market sites have completed baseline data collection$10,000 after completion of follow-up data collection at 1 yearSlide21
Funding
Note that this funding is not intended to be the only funding available for running a mobile market program. In addition to market revenues, applicants are asked to identify other in-kind or financial resources which could support market operation. Organizations will be required to be good stewards of the money: Keep records of how research money is spent. We have access to these records and they are subject to audit. Invoices for each milestone payment will need to be submitted
Periodic financial and progress reports will be requiredSlide22
Technical AssistanceTechnical assistance to start or expand mobile markets following the Veggie Van model
Access to Veggie Van toolkit and materials Initial training with all other partners on how to use the toolkitTwo or more site visits from members of one of the regional teams to help adapt the Veggie Van model to their settingAssistance with sourcing food and overcoming policy barriers
Software technical assistanceSlide23
POS SoftwareiPads and mobile market software Farmers Register developed by Perigee Labs and Arcadia
Custom iPad based POS system that speeds up mobile market transactions and improves trackingMobile markets can manage inventory, track and ring up sales, and upload financial data to QuickBooks for easy accounting and reportingAll products sold at markets are preprogrammed into the POS, including cost and how it is sold (by weight or by piece)The POS system automatically manages various
forms of tender: cash, credit, debit, check, SNAP, WIC and Senior FMNP, and SNAP matching programs De-identified customer-level data is shared with study teamSlide24
Community EngagementAssistance with collecting information about your target market
Assistance with developing a community engagement plan and forming an advisory committeeAssistance with planning kick-off and community eventsSlide25
Sustainability PlanAssistance developing a sustainability plan to continue mobile market programs beyond the study
Financial data provided by organizations will be reviewed by a business analyst with expertise in nonprofit and business sustainabilityHelp to start food access programs at the two planning sitesSlide26
completing the RFPSlide27
RFP Process TimelineRelease RFP: September 3rd
Indication of Interest due: September 24thReview applications and invite applicants: October 1RFP application due: November 19Finalists chosen (approximately 14): January 23, 2019In-person trainings and meeting with selection committee: Mid-March 2019Proposed budgets and follow-up information due: Late March 2019Selected Partner Organizations notified: May 6, 2019Slide28
Completing the Intent to ApplyShort web application
What we will be looking for:Appropriate target populationDistribution of applicants within the geographic regionsSlide29
How to Choose Your 4 SitesSuggested locations:
Sites that serve a large, open community (parks and recreation, health department, library, etc.)Sites where people go on a daily or weekly basis (churches, childcare)Sites where people live (lower-income housing, senior housing)Located in areas that don’t have easy access to a grocery store/farmer’s marketServe a population that has significant barriers to eating fresh fruits and vegetables (time, skills, etc.) Have a champion or someone with whom you have a track record of previous successful workMUST HAVE LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM ALL 4Slide30
Detail Your Organizational and Local ResourcesFacilities or equipment for storing food or delivery food (cooler, vehicle)Community resources such as existing food hubs or food aggregators
State/federal programs such as F&V incentive program (e.g., double up food bucks, WIC farmers market program) Partnerships with other organizations or producersSlide31
Discuss SustainabilityHow does this fit in with other programs or funding sources?What success have you had starting and sustaining other programs?
What are your plans for expansion?Slide32
How will grantees be selected?Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria and weights:
Organizational capacity for running a mobile market including suitable staff and resources (30%)Availability of partners and community-level resources to support mobile market work (20%)Previous experience with food access programs (15%)Past success engaging and providing services for lower-income community members (20%)Potential for longer-term program sustainability (15%)Slide33
What happens when your organization is selected?Selection committee will identify up to 8 organizations to serve as partnersPartner organizations will be notified at the time of award which community sites will start mobile markets first
Mobile Market Sites: Partner organizations will run a mobile market program, following the Veggie Van model, at each of these two sites for at least one year starting shortly after funding is awardedPlanning Sites: Partner organizations will work with these sites to determine if the Veggie Van model or another program will be best for these sites. After one year, the partner organization and the site can decide if they want to start a mobile market or another programPartner organizations will sign a contract with the University at BuffaloSlide34
Sample Timeline for Community SitesMobile Market Sites
July 2019: Establish MOU with Mobile Market Site A and start community engagementSeptember 2019: Start baseline data collection with Mobile Market Site AOctober 2019: Mobile Market Site A starts mobile marketNovember 2019: Establish MOU with Mobile Market Site B and start community engagement
February 2020: Start Baseline data collection at Mobile Market Site BMarch 2020: Mobile Market Site B starts mobile marketSeptember 2020: Start follow-up data collection at Mobile Market Site A February 2021: Start follow-up data collection at Mobile Market Site B Planning SitesJuly 2019: Establish MOU with Planning Site A and start community engagementSeptember 2019: Start baseline data collection with Planning Site ANovember 2019: Establish MOU with Planning Site B and start community engagementFebruary 2020: Start baseline data collection at Planning Site BSeptember 2020: Start follow-up data collection at Planning Site A October 2020: Start Mobile Market at Planning Site A*
February 2021: Start follow-up data collection at Planning Site B March 2021: Start mobile market at Planning Site B*Slide35
What if we aren’t selected?All applicants will receive:
Access to the Veggie Van toolkitInvitations to participate in future mobile market trainings or networking eventsIn addition to the above, all finalists will receive:Training on the Veggie Van toolkit and consultation with subject area experts (during training event in Mid-March 2019)Option to receive a license for Farmers Register Mobile Market software ($800 value) and an iPad to run the softwareAll organizations that receive Farmers Register software will agree to make de-identified customer- level mobile market sales data publically available (Limited to organizations that are currently running mobile markets)Slide36
QuestionsSlide37
Submitted QuestionsAre mobile farmers’ markets which currently operate eligible to apply?Can a pilot site be used as community site?
There is immense inequality w/in the city's boundaries and outside as well. Much of the city's poor have been forced to move to the surrounding suburbs. Could this study include suburban sites?How will selected partners be required to measure the percentage of individuals served by a site to be lower-income or have a demonstrated need for food access?Slide38
Suggested Demographics to Include
Lower-IncomeCommunity site specifically targets lower-income (housing, health clinic, headstart, WIC, social services, etc.)Community site can provide information on income or receipt of govt. assistanceSite is located within a lower-income census tract
Low Food AccessCommunity site can provide information on food needs of their target community (numbers or descriptive)Site is located within a low access census tract: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspxSlide39
Submitted QuestionsCan selected partners work with a community-based organization to provide the cooking demos?
Are organizations that both grow/produce the food and operate the markets eligible to participate?Will your team be responsible for getting the necessary documentation to the city for approval of selling food? Will we need to supply the actual van? Or will you provide that? Will partner organization staff need to collect the data? Or will researchers assist on site? For the Intent to Apply form, are you interested in the demographics of the people served or of the region as a whole?Slide40
Next StepsSubmit additional questions here ContactUs@MyVeggieVan.org
Submit your Intent to Apply here Due September 24Wait to hear if you have been selected as finalist before answering the RFP questionsAdditional study information can be found here Veggie Van study site