The Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute
The Vision
The focus is on how we innovate the ecosystem and ensure the delivery of healthy food in our rural communities across North Carolina.
From farmer to processing, to education, to the actual consumer.
CORE VALUES
Farming is the Foundation
Rural Leadership
Environmental Sustainability
Equity and Dignity
Healthy Communities
Empowered Community Voices
about
Eva Clayton
As the first African-American woman elected to Congress from North Carolina, Eva M. Clayton used her position on the Agriculture Committee to represent the small farmers of her rural district. Greatly influenced by the civil rights movement, Clayton’s political career reflected her interest in advocating for women and African Americans in her district and beyond.
View a message from Former Congresswoman Eva Clayton
OUR PILLARS
Idea Development, Testing and
Community Engagement
Networking,
Partnership Development
Facilitation and Convening
Research and
Knowledge Sharing
Micro-farming and
Rural Farmers as the Foundation
WHAT INNOVATION LOOKS LIKE
The Institute supports GRRO’s leadership position in rural impact by enhancing delivery of existing programs and sharing tested new models for GRRO’s future development.
Innovation is a way to unlock unrealized capacity or knowledge, to grow community and partner buy-in through co-creation, and to connect needs and solutions across previously disconnected silos.
