Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

What Illinois Agri-Food Alliance does

Illinois Agri-Food Alliance (ILAFA) is an independent, non-profit, multi-stakeholder collaborative network founded in 2015 to position Illinois as a global hub for food and agriculture system innovation. Operating as a neutral third-party convener, ILAFA brings together government agencies, NGOs, industry members, and academic and research institutions to align strategic priorities, spark innovation, improve coordination, and build trust across the state's agri-food ecosystem. The organization operates a small staff (1-10 employees) and is funded through philanthropic and corporate sponsorships, with lead funding from Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust and additional support from a broad coalition of agribusiness, finance, and logistics partners.

ILAFA's core offerings are service-based rather than product-based. Its Collaborative Network Model and Systems Approach for Innovation provide facilitated convening and systems-change methodology to address complex issues spanning workforce, resource management, infrastructure, and business development. The FARM Illinois Strategic Roadmap, released in May 2015, codified 23 recommendations across six key areas and remains the strategic anchor for the organization's programming. The Illinois Agri-Food Workforce Initiative and the annual Workforce Summit (most recently held September 26-27, 2024) operationalize the workforce pillar of the roadmap, bringing together 50+ leaders from 35 organizations across business, academia, government, and nonprofits.

The organization does not sell products or services in the traditional commercial sense and has no disclosed pricing model. Its "customers" are the cross-sector stakeholders it serves, and its revenue mechanics consist of philanthropic grants, corporate sponsorships, and fiscal sponsorship through Global Philanthropy Partnership. ILAFA's distribution is a regional, direct stakeholder engagement model focused on Illinois and the broader Midwest, with no global footprint and no commercial channel structure.

Name

Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Legal name

Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Website

https://ilagrifood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Illinois Agri-Food Alliance is a non-profit collaborative network that convenes Illinois agri-food stakeholders across government, industry, academia, and NGOs to drive workforce development and systems-level innovation across the state's food and agriculture sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Illinois Agri-Food Alliance (ILAFA) is an independent, multi-stakeholder collaborative network that convenes and connects Illinois agri-food stakeholders — across government, NGOs, industry, and academia — to catalyze collaborative innovation. It operates as a neutral third-party convener, offering a Collaborative Network Model and a Systems Approach methodology, along with a Workforce Initiative, an annual Workforce Summit, and the FARM Illinois Strategic Roadmap (23 recommendations across 6 key areas) to position Illinois as a global hub for food and agriculture innovation.

Product overview

The Illinois Agri-Food Alliance (ILAFA) is not a technology product company but rather a neutral, multi-stakeholder collaborative network organization. Its offerings consist of service-based programs: the Collaborative Network Model provides cross-sector stakeholder convening; the Systems Approach delivers facilitated innovation workshops; the FARM Illinois Strategic Roadmap offers a 23-recommendation framework; the Workforce Initiative addresses skills gaps; the Workforce Summit hosts annual convenings; and the Newsletter and Career Resources Hub provide ongoing communication and job/career connections. These work together as an integrated platform for systemic change in Illinois' agri-food ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collaborative Network Model A fluid and responsive network model that brings together cross-sector stakeholders (business, academia, government, nonprofits) to pool insight and develop shared understanding around complex Illinois agri-food issues.
• Systems Approach for Innovation A methodology providing neutral, unified platforms for value-webs of stakeholders to identify points of commonality around complex issues and guide them toward practical solutions using systems change tools and frameworks.
• FARM Illinois Strategic Roadmap A comprehensive strategic plan containing 23 strategic recommendations across 6 key areas (leadership for innovation, business development and entrepreneurship, workforce and education, resource management, infrastructure, and branding and market development) to position Illinois as a global hub for food and agriculture innovation.
• Illinois Agri-Food Workforce Initiative A consortium effort bringing together agri-food businesses, academic institutions, nonprofits, and philanthropists to understand the future workforce landscape, assess areas for improvement, and advance opportunities to position Illinois as a premier destination for attracting, training, and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ stakeholders contributed to FARM Illinois roadmap development in 2014-2015
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Office of Lieutenant Governor Juliana StrattoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Illinois Agri-Food Workforce Summit (September 26-27, 2024) focused on strengthening Illinois' future agri-food talent pipeline through cross-sector collaboration.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• BrandtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Illinois Ag Tech AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• CNH IndustrialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Compeer FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Cook County Farm BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Illinois Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Illinois Farm BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Illinois Specialty Growers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Institute for Work and the EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• McCormick/FONAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Olive-Harvey CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Parkland CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Pilot LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• RabobankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Southern Illinois University CarbondalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• St. Louis Agribusiness ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• United States Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (College of ACES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• University of Illinois ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Windy City Harvest/Chicago Botanic GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Initiative Collaborator participating in consortium to understand future workforce landscape and advance opportunities for skilled workforce in Illinois.
• Global Philanthropy PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal agent for the Illinois Agri-Food Alliance project, providing administrative and financial management support.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National non-profit network addressing food insecurity through food banking, advocacy, and workforce programs. Comparable as a large-scale food-system non-profit with a workforce-development angle, though focused on food access rather than sector innovation.
• National Farmers Union: National member-driven organization advocating for family farmers and ranchers through policy, education, and cooperative models. Comparable in its advocacy-and-cooperative structure, but with a national rather than state-level scope.
• American Farm Bureau Federation: Largest U.S. farmer/rancher advocacy organization with strong state-bureau affiliate network. Comparable in its advocacy and policy role for the agri-food sector, but operates nationally and is significantly larger than ILAFA.

Regional players

• The Food Trust: Regional non-profit focused on food access, food systems, and workforce development in the Philadelphia region. Comparable as a regionally rooted food systems convener with workforce and community programs.
• Chicago Council on Global Affairs – Global Food & Agriculture Program: Chicago-based policy program convening leaders on global food security and agricultural policy. Comparable in its Illinois/Chicago-based convening of cross-sector leaders on agri-food issues, but with a global policy lens.

Emerging players

• Food Policy Action: National food policy advocacy organization tracking federal legislation and mobilizing voters. Comparable in its policy-advocacy role within the agri-food sector, though focused on national-level rather than state-level convening.
• Food Tank: Non-profit focused on food systems transformation through research, convening, and storytelling. Comparable as a thought-leadership and convening non-profit in the agri-food space, but with a global rather than state-specific scope.

Direct peers

• Field to Market: Alliance of grower organizations, agribusinesses, brands, retailers, and conservation groups working on sustainable agriculture outcomes. Comparable cross-sector alliance structure with similar convening-and-systems-change methodology focused on U.S. agriculture.
• U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA): National multi-stakeholder alliance uniting farmers, ranchers, and food-chain partners to build consumer trust and a sustainable food system. Closely comparable to ILAFA's cross-sector convener model, but operating nationally rather than at the state level.
• AGree (Aspen Institute): Multi-stakeholder initiative working to drive transformative policy change in U.S. food and agriculture. Comparable in its convening-driven, systems-change approach to agri-food policy, though operated through a larger institutional parent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-agri-food-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Agri-Food Alliance