100: A Participatory Approach to Assessing the Community Growers Program

The DePaul University Community Growers Program Evaluation team uses a participatory evaluation approach to access the impact and effectiveness of the Community Growers Program, a food justice collaboration led by Neighborspace and the City of Chicago's Mayors office to support farmers in the South and West of Chicago. This evaluation engages community members at every stage and is informed by their expertise. This session will outline the methodology used and the collaborative decision making. This evaluation approach is particularly valuable for programs that address systemic racism and empower underrepresented communities, including farmers of color by providing land access, tailored technical support and direct financial resources. Ensuring that those most impacted by policies are centered in the evaluation process and the future of the program is crucial and should be a best practice for food justice evaluations.