The Rockefeller Foundation Launches $2 Million Competition to Inspire Dramatic Change to the World's Food System

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Oct 30, 2019, 07:00 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation today announced the Food System Vision Prize – inviting organizations, universities, institutions, companies, cooperatives, and partnerships from around the world to create compelling and progressive visions of the world's system by 2050. A Prize of $2 million will be distributed among 10 winners.

"Today's food system is failing communities around the world, increasing diet-related disease and accelerating the effects of climate change," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Yet, we have more knowledge, technology, social intelligence, and human capacity than ever before – all of which must be harnessed to transform our food system so that it nourishes all people, grows the global economy, and promotes a thriving environment."

The Rockefeller Foundation, partnering with SecondMuse and OpenIDEO, aims to amplify the discourse on the state and the future of the world's many food systems, and to empower communities globally to become protagonists in their own food future. Creating a new Vision for the future of our food system requires a culture of collaboration that rallies industry, policy, academia, and society to look beyond silos to act as one.

"We've been conditioned to envision a bleak and dystopian future, but this doesn't need to be the case," said Dr. Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. "To make the systemic changes necessary to fix our food systems by 2050, we need strong positive visions to progress from hope to action."

The Challenge

Food System Vision Prize participants – Visionaries – will be tasked with imagining a hopeful, inspiring Vision for their chosen place that reflects the views of multiple stakeholders within their food system and addresses six interconnected themes: the environment, diets, economics, culture, technology, and policy.

Visions will unlock inspiration, knowledge, networks, and innovations that have the potential to transform the future course of humanity and the planet, lighting the way for populations across the globe to realize a more promising, nourishing and healthy future.

Submission Process & Timeline

To apply, visit FoodSystemVisionPrize.org on October 29, 2019 to view the application, the Prize Terms and Conditions, and eligibility requirements. Submissions for the first round of the competition must be completed by 5:00 PM EST on January 31, 2020.

After the close of initial submissions, semi-finalists will be selected to advance to the next phase of the competition in March 2020. Ten finalists will progress to the Accelerator in May 2020 during which they will receive support in order develop a final product to promote their Vision and their path toward implementation. Specifically, finalists will:

Collaborate with a select team of advisors to further refine and actualize their Visions
Receive support from The Rockefeller Foundation, including media and storytelling training, presence on a global platform and media exposure to attract partners and connections, and access to other funder and philanthropic networks

Each finalist that completes the Accelerator and otherwise meets all eligibility and other requirements will be announced as a Top Visionary on September 13, 2020. Each winner shall receive a prize of $200,000 USD and will have an opportunity to attend an awards ceremony where the Top Visionary can collaborate and network with other food system stakeholders addressing systemic food issues.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, policy, and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic mobility. As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas, and conversations. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation