ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION:
Announcing Our New Framework & Structure

The process of transformation takes time, patience, and dedication – like going from seed to bounty in farming and gardening. And, the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger is now ready to share its own harvest after a season of growth, recently completing its transformative journey. 

Last spring, we kicked off a yearlong process to help the Blueprint evolve as a connector, convenor, and facilitator, and become even more community-centered in our collective work. During the 12 months, we listened and learned what this transformation could and should look like from our community and network partners, program office team, and Governing Council, alongside our strategic planning partners at Point b(e) Strategies. 

Now, we’re ready to officially unveil the Blueprint’s new framework and structure that was unanimously approved by our Governing Council in May 2024!

Watch our video message (or read our blog post) for a comprehensive overview of our organizational transformation and what it means for you as a network partner. This includes:

  • How our vision will remain the same but now with an intentional focus on supporting our statewide network to collectively achieve food sovereignty for everyone living in Colorado

  • How we’re moving away from the original plan’s five goals and now centering four new organizational commitments, which are the new pillars for our organization’s foundation that will drive our work forward

  • How we’re shifting the way we work to better meet the needs expressed by the Blueprint community – and better align with the organization’s vision, mission, and commitments — which entails sunsetting all workgroups, continuing existing committees with new ones forming in the coming months, expanding our team, and more

  • And how you can stay informed and engaged as we fully transition over the next several months


With such major changes to our organizational framework and structure, we kindly ask that you bear with us while we co-build new spaces and expand our team with new staff in the coming weeks and months.

Thanks to all in our network who contributed during our yearlong process! Your insights and perspectives truly helped shape the Blueprint’s future, and we are forever grateful to you. 

And, we want to give special thanks to our small but mighty program office team for their tireless work and dedication, the leadership and guidance from our Governing Council, and the immense support from our strategic planning partners at Point b(e) Strategies.

It’s been quite the journey to get here. And, we’re beyond excited to transform into a true community hub – a place of connection, collaboration, and positive change – that’s working towards a Colorado where every person living here can access the food they choose, where they want it, and when they need it.

In solidarity,

Dolores Ramirez
Executive Director of Vision

Joël McClurg
Executive Director of Integration

How We Got Here & Where We Hope to Go

It started with a big question about the future of the Blueprint since our initial, five-year plan and funding investment both conclude in October 2024. 

The process through which the Blueprint was created was thorough, iterative, and purposeful. The organization has focused on infusing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging into its efforts by intentionally shoring up resources and activating strategies to advance the work. However, as we continue to activate and make progress towards our vision, it has become clear that social and racial equity, as well as community voice, need to be even more firmly centered in the Blueprint’s efforts.

Although the Blueprint has been successful in some areas, we fully acknowledge that much work is still needed to truly fulfill our vision of a Colorado where everyone who lives here can access the food they choose, where they want it, when they need it. 

In May 2022, the Blueprint’s Governing Council – made up entirely of our partners and collaborators – met to discuss the organization’s future direction. They considered three paths forward:

1) Sunsetting the organization permanently in 2024;
2) Continuing to implement the Blueprint goals as they were written while offloading the work to outside entities; and
3) Transforming the organization by revamping the Blueprint goals based on new knowledge of what had been successful and purposefully recentering equity.

With overwhelming support, they collectively decided that the Blueprint should evolve as a connector, convenor, and facilitator in the food space and become more community-centered. This is done by deeply centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through a larger focus on community-driven goals and solutions — and we plan to reimagine the Blueprint’s goals and strategies in concert with community.

Our team and Governing Council are committed to continuing the ongoing, collaborative, consensus-building work and process that have been its hallmark since its inception in 2016. We’re all aligned around this important transformation — and accomplished an internal realignment of the Blueprint team, beginning in 2022, to accomplish this work.

The Blueprint officially announced its intention to transform in February 2024 and began the strategic planning process, alongside Point b(e) Strategies, in March 2023. Its future will be known before the multi-year plan officially concludes in the fall of 2024.

We selected Point b(e) Strategies as our strategic planning partner since their team brings years of experience in empowering social change agents through strategic planning. They helped us design the project and timeline for transformation.

During the 12-month timeline, there are six key phases:


While no one should presuppose the outcomes of the strategic planning process, the Blueprint team fully anticipates the organization will continue to play the connector, convener, and facilitator role in support of all our partners in community leadership, policy, advocacy, service, and production in the food space. As we consider our future role, we’ll ensure that we’re focusing on issues and solutions that community members and other stakeholders have identified as areas where the Blueprint can add value.

Our team looks forward to creating space for community voice and participation throughout the Blueprint’s transformation journey. You will help us co-create goals and strategies for our guiding principles of innovation, system transformation, and impact — and move us even closer to achieving our collective vision for Colorado.