HEAL Member Organizations

HEAL's Core and Connecting Members
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Learn about the benefits of HEAL membership
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Our Alliance Members

Our diverse member organizations represent rural and urban farmers, fisherfolk, farm and food chain workers, rural and urban communities, scientists, public health advocates, environmentalists, and Indigenous groups. HEAL members are working together to create one plan for our economy, health, and environment. Together, we develop strategic campaigns for translocal community-based food systems change, address corporate control of our food system, and build political leadership for food systems change. HEAL members are committed to endorsing the Platform for Real Food - our shared vision for a transformed food and farm system - and engaging their organization’s staff and members in achieving the Platform's goals.

CORE MEMBERS

Cultivate-Charlottesville-Logo

CONNECTING MEMBERS

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HEAL is a member-led alliance, connecting aligned organizations to do more together than any of us could do alone. Membership in HEAL is both a privilege & a responsibility. HEAL has two tiers of membership: CORE Members and CONNECTING Members. 

Steps to Becoming a HEAL member

1) Prospective member identifies existing HEAL Member (see list above) they may have a relationship with already, and requests they submit a nomination on their behalf.*
2) Once nomination has been received, HEAL sends prospective member organization a membership application
3) Prospective member organization submits application to HEAL
4) HEAL's Steering Council reviews application, circles back with any questions to discuss with the prospective member organization.**
5) Once Steering Council approves, the application is passed along to HEAL's full membership for a final vote**
6) Official Welcome into HEAL!
*Member nominations & applications are due on a biannual basis for HEAL's Steering Council to review the following month. The next deadline to receive a nomination to join HEAL is: September 5, 2023

**The Steering Council review process and membership vote may take up to several months. To see the full breakdown of our process, see this flowchart

About Core Membership

CORE Members are those who are at least one of the following:
  • Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC) Led
  • Basebuilding
  • Contributing significant staff time or expertise to HEAL and/or HEAL members, demonstrated through at least one year of aligned work

About Connecting Membership

Connecting members are neither BIPOC-led nor base-building, and have not yet demonstrated their commitment to fulfilling HEAL's mission through resource allocation

Member Benefits

Connecting Members to Each Other and Coordinating Efforts
Deepening relationships across race, sector, and geography for shared campaign work.
Articulating a long term intersectional vision and roadmap for food systems transformation.
Developing and advocating on shared policy agenda.
Popular education materials to use with community members and policy makers through platform toolkits.
Connecting local campaign efforts to national organizing and national audience.
Fundraising for shared campaign efforts; educating and organizing philanthropy.
Providing space for peer learning and connection through community events, including all-member summits.
Support for Member Organizations' Work
Priority Access to School of Political Leadership.
Policy advocacy support, including language development & state/federal legislators and the legislative process.
Virtual event support.
Use of conference line, access to Zoom webinar subscription, and tech support if needed.
Event promotion via social media, HEAL's mailing list, and PR support.
Access to HEAL Rapid Response Fund






Amplification of Members' Work
Access to local and regional media outlets and opportunities, including: press outreach and spokesperson training, pitching and placement of stories and drafting, and pitching relevant Op-Eds.
Connection to funding opportunities as appropriate.
Providing communication support and amplification for Member-led campaigns and causes through social media and email lists.
Speaking & storytelling opportunities including HEAL webinars, internal member newsletter, external newsletter, platform toolkits, and social media features
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Member Responsibilities

ALL MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO: 
  • Endorse the HEAL Platform
  • Actively participate in or contribute to HEAL work
  • Participate in at least 50% of HEAL Member meetings and attend the annual HEAL Summit
  • Acknowledge and respect the contributions of other HEAL members
  • Respect HEAL’s values, protocols, and principles, including constructive feedback to improve HEAL
  • Pay annual membership dues or discuss alternatives
CORE MEMBERS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO: 
  • Participate in decision making for HEAL (one member, one vote)
  • Nominate new members and voice concerns regarding new orgs joining
  • Serve on HEAL’s Steering Council on a rotating basis
  • Be publicly listed as a member of HEAL
ALL Majority-White / White-Led Organizations are expected to: 
  • Participate consistently in HEAL’s AWARE group