Regional Networks

Connect and Collaborate

Regional Networks are a big part of growing the gleaning movement. Of the twelve states or provinces with the most gleaning organizations in North America, six have formal networks and two have informal networks.

Networks help lobby for changes in local policies, share ideas and support and help funders understand the mission and importance of gleaning. Yet, only about ten percent of gleaning organizations belong to a network.

AGO Program to Support Regional Networks

The AGO program to support the development of regional networks is underway. If you and your organization are interested in forming a Regional Gleaning Network, please contact shawn@gleaners.us. Our 2023 program kicked off with a presentation by Jane Wei Skillern, a world leader in network development. Learn more about her work here.

AGO can provide funding support and technical expertise to help you get started with the work of creating a Regional Network. Learn more about existing Regional Networks below and about our work with gleaning organizations in Washington State to create a new regional network in conjunction with Harvest Against Hunger funded through a USDA Regional Food Systems Grant.

Join the Movement

Listen to the session recording from Network Leader Jane Wei Skillern.

Listen to the session recording and view the presentation here.

Established Gleaning Networks:

The Maine Gleaning Network is a loosely formed collection of gleaning organizations started by University Extension at the University of Maine. The collective is now run by Healthy Acadia whose paid staff uses some of their time to coordinate activities. The group holds monthly calls, shares best practices, and aggregates data to understand the impact of gleaning in the state.
The Iowa Gleaning Network was founded in 2020 through the efforts of Table to Table. With the support of the governor’s office, they worked with AmeriCorps, the university extension service, and other nonprofits to form a statewide network. This network has eight sites and serves twenty counties. The network is growing with the goal of reaching the whole state.
Vermont Gleaning Collective represents six of the eight gleaning organizations in Vermont. Salvation Farms was the driving force behind creating this collective and provides the backbone of support for the organization. Members are provided web services that help manage volunteers, farms, and data collection. Members meet for a full day bi-annually. They also aggregate all the data from the collective.
New Hampshire Gleaning Collective was founded by the University of New Hampshire and an anonymous donor. The group provided small amounts of funding to nine organizations around the state to start gleaning operations. It provides technical support, advertising, and a backend website to the organizations. It currently represents eight of the nine gleaning organizations in the state.

Informal Gleaning Networks

Informal Gleaning Networks have operated sporadically in a number of areas that have a high density of gleaning organizations including British Columbia, California, and New York, but have not formalized a network due to staff turnover, attrition, and lack of funding. AGO is looking to address this. In addition to the above training, we have a small amount of funding to help organizations with building a regional network in your area.