Tools
Secure Funding Worksheet
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Secure Funding Worksheet for Values-Based Purchasing
Institutions may use the following worksheet to evaluate the current food operations budget and explore supplemental funding streams. For more details, refer to Secure Funding (Secure Funding, Build Team and Evaluate Infrastructure).
Evaluate Existing Food Operations Budget
The food operations budget represents the institution’s existing and potential capacity for a values-based procurement program. Transitioning an institution’s purchasing procedures can require staff time and some additional budgetary commitments.
Food Operations Budget Process
- When is the food operations budget set?
- What is the timeline for budget proposal, review, and approval?
- What primary spending areas are included in the food operations budget (g., staff, training, facilities, equipment, food service management company contracting, food purchasing, supplies purchasing)?
- What kind of information is included in the food operations budget proposal?
- What has the food operations budget been each of the last 3-5 years?
- Are there any external funds (funds from outside the institution) incorporated into the food operations budget?
Food Operations Budget Stakeholders
- What departments from the institution are involved in setting the food operations budget? Who are the key individuals involved from each department?
- Who makes the final decision about the food operations budget?
- Who is responsible for tracking spending and providing accounting and reports?
- Who is authorized to make food purchasing decisions and at what amount?
- Who is authorized to make food operations staffing decisions?
- Who is authorized to make training and professional development decisions?
- Who is authorized to make food operations facilities and equipment decisions?
Food Operations Budget Details
Locations
- How many food service locations are at the institution?
- Do all locations follow the same schedule for food purchasing or do they vary?
- What is the budget allotment for each location?
Purchasing
- How do purchasing budgets break down into increments over a year? Do purchasers have a weekly or monthly budget?
- What amount of the budget is allocated to food purchasing?
- Are there currently purchasing requirements or priorities governing the institution’s food procurement?
- Are any purchasing funds allocated for specific types of products?
- What products are purchased regularly? What are the price points for these products?
Staffing
- What amount of the budget is allocated to staffing and personnel?
Training and Professional Development
- What amount of the budget is allocated to trainings and professional development?
Facilities and Equipment
- What amount of the budget is allocated to facilities updates or renovations? What amount is allocated to equipment updates?
- Is there a schedule or process for facilities and equipment reviews and updates?
Research Supplemental Funding Streams for Values-Based Purchasing
Braiding funding streams, by aligning internal initiatives across the institution and including funding from external sources, can significantly augment the resources available for investing in values-based procurement.
Supplemental Internal Funding Streams
Review offices, departments, teams, and personnel at the institution to identify shared values and goals with the values-based food procurement program. Areas of focus include:
- Climate & Sustainability
- Community Engagement & Development
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Employee/Student Well-Being
- Environmental, Social, and Governance & Corporate Social Responsibility
- Facilities
- Innovation
- Professional Development
- Resiliency
- Other (eg., research, education, data and technology, recruitment/retention, public relations)