Non Technical Summary
The Common Ground Collective (CGC) Foster Farming Program is a community-based initiative focused on improving food access and strengthening the local food economy on Maui. Its two main goals are to (1) harvest produce from underutilized properties, preventing waste and distributing fresh, locally grown food through food banks, nonprofits, and local businesses, and (2) increase food production by installing and maintaining orchards on agricultural lands. These efforts address Maui's heavy dependence on imported food while ensuring that households facing food hardship and disaster recovery have reliable access to healthy food. Over the long term, the program seeks to expand small farms and orchards, create new market opportunities for producers, and promote local economic growth. The Foster Farming Program reduces waste, increases local food production, and provides a replicable model that can be adapted by other communities. Through partnerships, education, and direct participation, the program is building a stronger, more reliable food system that benefits Maui's residents and economy.Maui imports most of its food, making the island highly dependent on outside supply chains. When disasters or global disruptions occur, this leaves residents vulnerable to shortages and higher costs. At the same time, many properties on Maui produce food that goes unharvested and unused. The Foster Farming Program addresses this gap by harvesting produce from underutilized properties and installing orchards on local lands. Fresh, locally grown food is then distributed through food banks, nonprofits, and local businesses, providing households facing food hardship and disaster recovery with reliable access to healthy food. The program combines hands-on harvesting with orchard installations, farmer and landowner engagement, and strong partnerships with community organizations. These efforts reduce waste, increase local food production, and open new market opportunities for producers. Over time, the project will expand small farms, strengthen the local economy, and provide a practical model that can be adapted in other communities. By working together, Maui residents, farmers, and partners are building a stronger food system that benefits the entire island.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
125	6099	3010	100%

Knowledge Area
125 - Agroforestry;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics;

Goals / Objectives
The specific goals of this project are as follows:Goal 1: To maintain and expand produce harvesting to improve food access on Maui.Goal 2: To establish and scale orchard installation services to promote long-term food production on Maui.

Project Methods
Data collection is a large part of the overall program and will be continuously tracked and assessed throughout and beyond the performance period. This allows CGC to track the progress of the program and its clients over the years. Furthermore, it allows CGC to help landowners keep records, should they need them and to accurately inform landowners and businesses of current trends. This can provide important information regarding how much the program has grown, the growth or decline of harvest sizes from various properties, how many clients continue to receive services over the years, the number of organizations we work with, and the overall reach of the program. Expected data types include: Date of harvests, Number of clients acquired and served, Collaboration with other organizations, Location, Crops harvested, Pounds of each crop, Distribution points, Donations, Sales, Sale Price.Data for the Foster Farming Program is collected during each site visit, as well as during post-harvest services and distributions. This information is meticulously entered into shared databases to ensure accuracy and accessibility. All data is securely stored in an online system, which allows for efficient preservation and shared access among staff and authorized partners. Cloud-based services allow for regular backups to protect against data loss and to maintain the integrity of the information. Additionally, data will be made available to the public and other agricultural organizations upon request, fostering transparency and collaboration within the community. The online storage systems employed by CGC ensure that data remains available while being protected where necessary.The evaluation of the Foster Farming Program will be a collaborative and multifaceted process, primarily involving CGC staff and local organizations. A designated Evaluator will oversee this process to ensure that data collection is systematic and aligns with our performance measures. This structured approach will help assess the program's effectiveness and adaptability throughout its implementation. Data will be collected continuously throughout the project using both quantitative and qualitative methods. These measures will be documented in our performance measures tracker, with milestones assessed quarterly and reported in our annual reports.To measure the impact of the donation component, we will closely monitor key performance indicators, including the total pounds of produce donated to local food banks, nonprofits, and community organizations. We will also assess the number of partnerships established, providing insights into the reach and effectiveness of our distribution efforts. Regular feedback from partners will be solicited to understand the quality of the produce and the specific needs of the communities served, ensuring our donations meet their requirements. This systematic evaluation will help quantify our contributions and refine strategies for sourcing and distributing food, maximizing our impact on Maui.We will evaluate the sales aspect by tracking the volume and value of produce sold through partnerships with local businesses prioritizing local sourcing. Analyzing sales data will help assess how our harvesting and orchard installation efforts contribute to increased income for participating producers, thereby boosting the local economy. Feedback from business partners will also be solicited to evaluate satisfaction with the quality and consistency of the produce, informing our practices and strengthening these partnerships. Our goal is to increase food access for our community while strengthening economic opportunities for local producers, fostering a robust local food economy that benefits all stakeholders.In addition to tracking outputs, we will conduct a thorough process evaluation to assess the implementation of our activities and identify challenges encountered. This includes regular check-ins with our partner organizations to gather qualitative feedback on program operations. Outcome evaluation will focus on measuring the impact of our efforts on the community, such as increased access to fresh produce and projected future impacts from our projects. We will analyze local trends, including access, economics, needs, and progress to understand the long-term effects of the Foster Farming Program.By prioritizing collaboration with local organizations and actively involving them in our evaluation framework, we aim to ensure that the Foster Farming Program not only meets its goals but also remains responsive to the evolving needs of those it serves. This commitment to ongoing evaluation will allow us to improve our approach, deepen partnerships, and help build a stable food system on Maui.