What Pittsburgh Food Policy Council does

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council (PFPC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that operates as a coalition-based food policy council rather than a technology company. PFPC mobilizes over 100 member entities across nonprofits, farms, government agencies, and academic institutions to advocate for a more just, sustainable, and resilient regional food system. Its mission centers on shifting power, expanding access to resources, and strengthening the Greater Pittsburgh food system through listening, educating, and advocating for policies and programs. Core programmatic offerings include the Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan (GPFAP) policy roadmap, the annual Urban Farm Tour, the Urban Growers Scholarship Fund (up to $500 per applicant), the Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund grant program for grassroots food access, and free grant writing support services for member organizations. PFPC does not operate proprietary technology or sell commercial products; its core technology consists of coordination platforms (Squarespace website, ActionNetwork newsletter, Eventbrite event ticketing) layered over human-delivered convening, advocacy, and capacity-building services.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Revenue streams include individual and organizational donations (managed through Community Foundations for the Allegheny), grants from federal agencies (USDA Regional Food System Partnership Grant awarded October 2022, running through July 2025), state agencies, local foundations (Heinz Endowments, Bridgeway Capital, Grantmakers of Western PA), and municipal budget allocations (Food Justice Fund, $100K in City of Pittsburgh ARPA funds for compost infrastructure). PFPC advocates for and helps administer municipal and state public investment programs rather than charging fees for services; all programs and coalition participation are free to members and participants. Notable outcomes include the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Bill passage (the first state farm bill in the nation), Good Food Purchasing Policy adoption at Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Allegheny Go 50% transit fare program benefiting 130,000+ SNAP recipients, and 9 Food Justice Fund community awardees in 2025. The organization is led by Executive Director Kellie Wild with a 9-person staff and a board of directors elected from its 100+ member organizations.

Name

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council

Legal name

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council

Website

https://pittsburghfoodpolicy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes 100+ member organizations to advance equitable food access through policy advocacy, coalition-building, grant writing support, and community programs across the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Food policy advocacy
• Community food systems
• Food justice programs
• Urban agriculture support
• Coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: PFPC accepts individual and organizational donations. Donations support urban agriculture, food policy advocacy, community grants, and scholarships. Donations are managed through the Community Foundations for the Allegheny (CFA) via EFT or mail.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: PFPC receives grants from federal agencies (USDA Regional Food System Partnerships grant awarded October 2022), state agencies, local foundations (Heinz Endowments, Bridgeway Capital), and municipal sources. The organization also provides grant writing assistance to member organizations.
3. Public Investment and Government Grants: PFPC advocates for and helps administer public investment programs such as the Food Justice Fund (established by Pittsburgh City Council), and secures municipal budget allocations for food system priorities like compost infrastructure ($100K secured for the City of Pittsburgh).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council (PFPC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit coalition that mobilizes people through listening, educating, and advocating for policies and programs that shift power, expand access to resources, and strengthen the Greater Pittsburgh Food System. It delivers the Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan (a community-driven policy roadmap), the annual Urban Farm Tour, the Urban Growers Scholarship Fund, grant writing support for member organizations, and the Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund.

Product overview

The Pittsburgh Food Policy Council (PFPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates as a coalition-based food policy council rather than a technology company. Its core offerings include the Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan (GPFAP), a comprehensive community-centered policy roadmap; the annual Urban Farm Tour connecting residents to urban agriculture sites; the Urban Growers Scholarship Fund providing professional development grants; grant writing support services for member organizations; and the Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund, a grant program for community organizations addressing food apartheid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan (GPFAP): A community-driven framework for building a more just, sustainable, and resilient regional food system. A community-centered approach to a policy roadmap and action plan that prioritizes healthy, affordable, and sustainable food for all.
• Urban Farm Tour
• Urban Growers Scholarship Fund
• Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund

Products and services

• Greater Pittsburgh Food Action Plan (GPFAP) A community-driven policy framework and action plan that prioritizes healthy, affordable, and sustainable food for all in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. Developed through engagement with 700+ residents and stakeholders, it serves as the strategic blueprint guiding PFPC's policy advocacy, programs, and coalition priorities.
• Urban Farm Tour An annual place-based experience that connects community members, partners, and policymakers directly to urban agriculture sites across the Greater Pittsburgh region. Open to the public via Eventbrite ticketing.
• Urban Growers Scholarship Fund A scholarship program that provides up to $500 per applicant to urban growers in the Pittsburgh region to cover professional development expenses such as conferences, training, travel, and educational materials.
• Grant Writing Support Services Free grant writing assistance provided to PFPC member organizations, including coaching, proposal writing, advising, opportunity research, funder introductions, proposal submission, and post-award reporting support. PFPC's grant writers have helped secure more than $1 million in combined funding for member organizations from USDA, PA Department of Agriculture, PA DEP, regional endowments, and private foundations.
• Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund A grant program that channels public investment to grassroots community organizations working to end food apartheid in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. PFPC coordinates the Food Justice Fund Coalition and celebrates awardees annually; in 2025, nine community organizations were honored as Food Justice Fund awardees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 member organizations participating in Working Groups and electing the Board
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, core and minor.

• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2024CMU hosted the first-ever Pittsburgh Regional Food Systems Summit organized by PFPC. The summit brought together nearly 200 food system changemakers and featured panels with elected officials including Councilwoman Deb Gross, County Executive Sara Innamorato, and State Rep. Emily Kinkead.
• Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023PRC partnered with PFPC and Pasa Sustainable Agriculture to host a composting feedback session and composter gathering at Phipps Botanical Gardens. PRC completed the SoilMill PGH community composting pilot in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh.
• City of Pittsburgh (Councilwoman Gross's Office)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2023PFPC worked closely with Councilwoman Gross's office to advance the Food Justice Fund plan, which was officially approved by Pittsburgh City Council on July 18, 2023. PFPC advocated for and helped secure $100,000 in ARPA funds for compost infrastructure.
• Grow PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC collaborates with Grow Pittsburgh to manage the Urban Farm Tour and the Urban Grower's Scholarship Fund, which provides up to $500 per applicant to support urban growers' professional development across the region.
• Pasa Sustainable AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC collaborated with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on COVID-19 impact research involving Pennsylvania farmers. Pasa also co-hosted a composting feedback session with PFPC and the Pennsylvania Resources Council.
• Chatham University Food Studies ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC members Mim Seidel and Chris Murakami, faculty at Chatham University's Food Studies Program, co-authored a peer-reviewed article on COVID-19's impact on Pennsylvania farmers. Chatham is a longtime supporter of PFPC.
• Phipps Botanical Gardens and ConservatorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC partnered with Phipps to host the composting feedback session and composter gathering, bringing together approximately 55 community members to discuss barriers to composting and the city's organic waste management future.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (East Liberty Branch)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's East Liberty branch served as the venue for the Pittsburgh Food Justice Fund Celebration honoring nine community organizations working to end food apartheid.
• Fair Fares CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC is a member of the Fair Fares Coalition, which successfully advocated for the Allegheny Go reduced fare program for low-income transit riders.
• Allegheny Health NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHN's Suburban General Campus (now home to Catalyst Kitchen, Ecotone Renewables, and AlphaLab) hosted the inaugural 'Seeds in the City' Urban Ag Luncheon with over 75 attendees.
• Food Justice Fund CoalitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFPC coordinates the Food Justice Fund Coalition, which successfully advocated for the City of Pittsburgh to establish a Food Justice Fund to increase public investment in a just, equitable, and sustainable food system, governed by an appointed community committee.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Good Food Purchasing: The Center for Good Food Purchasing drives adoption of the Good Food Purchasing Program across school districts and institutions — directly aligned with PFPC's work facilitating Good Food Purchasing Policy adoption in Pittsburgh Public Schools.
• Los Angeles Food Policy Council: LA Food Policy Council convenes a broad coalition to advance equitable, sustainable, and healthy food systems in LA County through policy advocacy and community-led programs — closely mirroring PFPC's coalition and policy focus in a different metro region.
• Chicago Food Policy Council: Chicago Food Policy Council is a regional food policy advocacy coalition that convenes stakeholders, influences local policy, and supports equitable food access — directly comparable in structure, mission, and coalition-based operating model to PFPC, serving another major U.S. metro area.
• NYC Food Policy Center at Hunter College: The NYC Food Policy Center conducts research, policy analysis, and advocacy on food access and equity in New York City — a comparable regional food policy institute operating with academic affiliation but performing advocacy and convening roles similar to PFPC.

Emerging players

• WhyHunger: WhyHunger connects grassroots food justice organizations to resources, advocacy, and funding — comparable to PFPC's grant writing support and coalition coordination role for grassroots food justice groups in the Pittsburgh region.
• Fair Food Network: Fair Food Network advances equitable food systems through Double Up Food Bucks and other food access programs — comparable in mission and program design (incentivizing healthy food access for low-income communities) but operating nationally rather than regionally.
• National Farm to School Network: National Farm to School Network advocates for farm-to-school programming and policy at federal and state levels — directly aligned with PFPC's Keystone Fresh Farm to School Nutrition Act advocacy and farm-to-school work in Pennsylvania.

Broad incumbents

• Food Research & Action Center (FRAC): FRAC is a national nonprofit advocating to end hunger and food insecurity through research, policy advocacy, and coalition-building — broader in scope but operating in the same food policy advocacy space as PFPC's anti-hunger and food access work.
• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger: MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger through policy change and coalition-building — a larger incumbent in food policy advocacy with overlapping mission areas around food access and equity.

Others

• Grow Pittsburgh: Grow Pittsburgh is a nonprofit that supports urban agriculture and community gardens — a direct PFPC partner (Urban Farm Tour, Urban Growers Scholarship) and adjacent organization in the same regional food system ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pittsburgh Food Policy Council