The vision for Regional Outreach Training Centers is to provide Growing Power’s technical training support at the local level as an expansion of Our Vision:  Inspiring communities to build sustainable food systems that are equitable and ecologically sound, creating a just world, one food-secure community at a time.

A Regional Outreach Training Center, or ROTC, will be able to host an annual Growing Power, “From the Ground Up” type workshop for the region and will receive support to plan and develop a Community Food Systems project inspired by Growing Power’s Community Food Center and Projects.

  ROTC components:

• Provide workshops and education

• Create Green Jobs;

• Improvements to the environmental health of the area;

• Compost and worms for community projects/residents;

• House and operate working Aquaponics systems;

• Develop other programs and initiatives that move community food systems forward;

• Host an Annual Growing Power “From the Ground Up Training”;

• ROTC will be able to use GP name to advertise trainings;

• Ability to fundraise to pay for Growing Power’ s fee for services;

• Includes staff day rate; travel, hotel, and per diem; and

• Materials for workshops, systems construction, printing of curriculum (detailed lists provided by GP).

  Growing Power will:

• assist in developing partner’s ability to provide local trainings;

• provide community food systems project planning and site plan and assessments;

• contribute to the development of growing infrastructure (compost/vermicompost systems, hoop greenhouse construction, aquaponics, food distribution program design, and logistical development-transportation of produce;

•  establish five year Memorandum of Understanding that clarifies expectations for ROTC host partner and Growing Power’s role in evaluating the ROTC’s progress toward achieving benchmarks identified in the project plan;

• provide an annual 1-2 day training hosted by ROTC partner and offered to the community at large for a reasonable “market rate” fee;

• advertise event on our web site and e-newsletter; and

• assist ROTC leaders to train staff to farm and manage systems in Milwaukee, WI via intensive training program (Fee for training).

Want to become an ROTC site?  To learn more, please email Will Allen at will@growingpower.org with a brief description about your project and request for the application or call us at 414.527.1546.

We are working nationally in conjunction with the following organizations:

7th Harvest Training Center

Forrest City, Arkansas

Partners: Dr. Barry and Diane Colley

Breaking New Ground

Louisville, Kentucky

Partner: Steve Vice

Flats Mentor Farm

Lancaster, Massachusetts

Partner: Maria Moreira

Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley, Georgia

Partner: Dr. Mark Lattimore

Half the 40 Acres Organic Farm

Madison, Wisconsin

Partner: Robert Pierce

Mississippi Engaged in Greener Agriculture (MEGA)

Mound Bayou and Shelby, Mississippi

Partners: Dorothy Grady and Cornelius Toole

North South Institute

Davie, Florida

Partner: Dr. Samuel Scott

Read a recent press release regarding our training centers.

Milwaukee Headquarters:  5500 W. Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53218

Tel. 414.527.1546 l Fax 414.527.1908

Chicago Projects Office:  2215 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647

Tel. 773.486.6005