GFI and Aspen Institute Food & Society Program Partnership
Advancing Food Dialogue and Leadership: A New Partnership Between GFI and the Aspen Institute
The Global Food Institute at GW and the Aspen Institute’s Food & Society Program have embarked on a multi-year partnership to unite academics and practitioners with a common goal: to change the world through the power of food. The partnership has two main initiatives: first, we foster critical dialogue on food-related issues through the Conversations on Food Justice webinar series. Second, we support Aspen Food Leaders Fellows to collaborate with GW faculty and staff to tackle today’s toughest food system challenges, while preparing students—the next generation of values-driven food leaders—to carry the work forward.
The partnership is made possible thanks to the generous support of José Andres’ Longer Tables Fund.
Conversations on Food Justice Webinar Series
Conversations on Food Justice is a collaboration between Food & Society at the Aspen Institute and GFI. This speaking series examines the roots and evolution of the food movement and how it intersects with race and class, as well as health, educational, and environmental inequities. Conversations feature a multitude of diverse voices to discuss the consequences of unequal food access, and how the food justice movement can be a catalyst for equity. Live, one-hour discussions are hosted virtually. Registration is free and open to the public.
Conversations on Food Justice: SNAP Restrictions, Food Justice, and the Politics of Eating
Part I of this two-part conversation focused on the policy debate and the evidence behind proposed SNAP purchase restrictions.
GFI & Aspen Food Leaders Fellowship Collaborations
Are you a member of the GW Community or an Aspen Food Leaders Fellow who wants to collaborate?
The Global Food Institute and Aspen Food & Society are here to facilitate connections between our colleagues and students at GW, and the Food Leaders Fellows.
We welcome proposals for collaborative research, event partnerships, and student course projects, and can offer modest financial or in-kind support to help facilitate them. Details are provided below.
Approved collaborations will also benefit from shared promotion through GFI, the Aspen Institute, and GW’s Planet Forward.
Collaborative Research Projects
Aspen Fellows and GW faculty and staff can collaborate on a research project or initiative with modest, flexible financial support to meet the team’s needs (e.g. for materials; as a stipend for the researchers' time; to cover one of the individual’s time as a consultant, etc.). Teams can apply for additional funds to support an undergraduate or graduate student assistant.
- Examples for Inspiration
- Aspen Fellow Anne McBride engaged in a collaborative research project with a GW faculty and student research team led by GFI’s Dr. Tara Scully, resulting in the The Climate Reality for Independent Restaurants: A Deep Dive into the Supply Chain report.
- GW’s Dr. Gabby Headrick and Priya Fielding-Singh facilitated a workshop at Aspen Fellow Jaime Hansen’s Swipe Out Hunger Student Summit to generate student-driven solutions to food insecurity on college campuses. (Our findings and a facilitation toolkit coming soon!)
Event Partnerships
Aspen Fellows and GFI or GW faculty and staff can collaborate on events of any size. Events could range from a GW faculty member inviting a Fellow as a guest lecturer in their course, to collaborate on a large scale event geared towards global food system practitioners.
- Examples for Inspiration
- GFI faculty member Dr. Mya Price hosted a Black Farmers and the Food System conversation series featuring Aspen Fellows Seanicaa Edwards Heron, Dion Dawson, and more coming soon.
- Aspen Fellow David Street teamed up with GFI staff and GW’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to host a Pitch Fest and Community of Practice for food businesses and entrepreneurs across the DMV.
- GFI welcomed Aspen Fellow Rachel Atcheson on campus for an event aimed at helping students and young professionals access government jobs in food policy, including through her Food Policy Pathways organization.
Student Project Teams and Internships
Food Leaders Fellows can pitch an idea for a student class project and be paired with a GW course with a capstone, research, or service-learning component. The GFI team will help with the matchmaking – just reach out to us with your idea! Here is a sample list of courses seeking for project partners. Fellows can also propose opportunities for more formal student internships, with GFI helping to recruit the students.
- Examples for Inspiration
- Aspen Fellow Vanessa Polanco worked with graduate students in GW’s Master of Public Policy program to develop materials for women- and youth- led land stewardship initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture in the Dominican Republic, to help them access funding after the dismantling of USAID.
- Aspen Fellow Amber Smith worked with a GW undergraduate student intern to help compile food histories and genealogies for Amber’s research project on the African Diaspora Diet.
Let's Get to Work!
Once your idea is ready to share, please fill out the Project/Funding Proposal Form. As part of the initial two-year pilot funding for collaborative activities, GFI and Aspen Food & Society will review proposals for a final funding cycle (for now!) on June 1, 2026.
We also welcome project ideas outside these three categories, so please reach out if you have something different in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this opportunity only available to GW community members and Aspen Food Leaders Fellows?
At this moment it is only open to GW community members and Aspen Food Leaders Fellows (including Alumni!). However the two groups will continue to engage the broader community through its shared events and networking opportunities.
- I want to learn more about this partnership and how I can get involved. What steps should I take?
- Watch a webinar on how to get involved as a GW community member.
- For a more personalized conversation, set up a 1:1 with the GFI and Aspen Food and Society teams.
- How can I learn more about the GW faculty and Aspen Fellows with whom I might want to partner?
Learn more about the Aspen Institute's Food Leaders Fellowship and meet the Fellows.
To learn more about GW faculty, it is a bit tougher, as faculty and staff all across the University may be applicable to your work and ideas. We are working on a faculty expertise search tool, but in the meantime have created a list of focus areas of GFI affiliate faculty, and provided info on the GFI team.
We will also do our best to host virtual networking events and facilitate connections. Please reach out to globalfoodinstitute
gwu [dot] edu if there is a specific skillset you are interested in, and we can brainstorm together.- I am an Aspen Fellow, and am excited about the opportunity to pitch a project to a course seeking external partners. Can I see a list of example courses seeking partners?
Yes, there is a sample of GW courses with practicum, capstone, or service-based components. This is just a small list, so if you have an idea that doesn't fit into any of these courses, email us at globalfoodinstitute
gwu [dot] edu (globalfoodinstitute[at]gwu[dot]edu), and we will brainstorm others. And GW faculty, if your course is not listed on here, reach out to get it added. - What is the breakdown of available financial support?
Since this is a pilot partnership, the financial support available to support joint activities is modest. With that said, if you have an idea for collaboration beyond the funding levels below, please do still submit your proposal, as access to greater funding may be available on a case-by-case basis. While the bulk of support will be in-kind through connections and networking, we have identified a few areas that GFI and Aspen Institute anticipate allocating support:
- Collaborative research funding - up to $20,000
- Projects must include at least one fellow and one faculty or staff member from GW, with priority given to projects including more collaborators
- Funds can be provided to GFI/GW members or Aspen Fellows to cover their time spent on the project or initiative, or on non-personnel research project costs.
- Teams can also request a GW student research assistant to support their project, which will be funded outside of the up to $20k
- Event expenses (honorariums and other expenses)-up to $5,000
A total of at least $75,000 will be awarded over the two-year pilot period.
- Collaborative research funding - up to $20,000
Featured Stories
Aspen Food Leaders Fellow Spotlight: Nic Bash of Little Sesame (Planet Forward)
May 13, 2026
Going into 2025, three out of five adults said that ordering food that was grown or raised in an organic or environmentally friendly way was important to them. Food service companies like Little Sesame, based in the Washington D.C. area, have not only taken notice, but embarked on a journey of educating customers about environmentally friendly foods as well. Learn more in a profile about Aspen Food Leaders Fellow, Nic Bash.
Aspen Institute fellows, Dion Dawson and Ruby Ferguson, make dreams a reality with food justice solutions in Chicago (Planet Forward)
February 13, 2026
A profile on two Aspen Fellows. Dion Dawson leads Dion’s Chicago Dream, delivering fresh produce to thousands of families across Chicago. Ruby Ferguson, a food equity policy expert, works alongside him by addressing systemic barriers to access, helping connect residents with the resources and community partnerships needed to advance true food justice.
Sean Ruane joins Aspen Food Leadership Fellowship after work at Just Roots (Planet Forward)
January 29, 2026
Sean Ruane, founder and director of operations and development of Just Roots, is currently part of Aspen Institute’s Food Leaders Fellowship. A Planet Forward article, shares how Ruane, originally an educator from Chicago, founded Just Roots to help increase access to community green space and to fresh foods.
Aspen Institute’s food leaders partner with GW to drive real-world food systems change (Planet Forward)
October 1, 2025
What happens when you bring together cutting-edge university research and a network of food leaders shaping policy and practice on the ground? Learn more about a collaboration between the Aspen Institute’s Food Leaders Fellowship and GFI.
GFI to Partner with Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellowship (GW Today)
September 24, 2025
A strategic partnership between the George Washington University’s Global Food Institute (GFI) and Food & Society at the Aspen Institute was made possible by a transformative donation of over $1 million from José Andrés’ Longer Tables Fund to support Food & Society’s Food Leaders Fellowship.