Training and Knowledge Sharing

We’re connecting food banks to vital information that helps them serve their communities even better.

One of our priorities is to serve as a learning platform for food bank leaders everywhere—to connect, grow, exchange best practices, and initiate big ideas.

Through programs like our Food Bank Leadership Institute and Knowledge Networks, we’re providing specialized training, toolkits, and resource and programming guides, as well as educational opportunities and intentional spaces for food banks to share ideas, learning from and inspiring each other.

The Food Bank Leadership Institute

Early in GFN’s history, food bank members expressed the need for a formal event to connect with and learn directly from peers and partners. In 2007, we created the Food Bank Leadership Institute (FBLI) to meet that need.

Today, FBLI is the only global food banking conference in the world. Over the years, in-person and virtual conversations among FBLI participants have resulted in local leaders opening new food banks in new areas, expanding programs to address issues like child hunger and food loss and waste, and increasing capacity to serve more people. FBLI also serves as an important platform for broader conversations between food banks and other food systems experts.

There is so much passion and drive under one roof when food bankers from [many] countries come together to share their challenges and wins. It is so inspiring to know that we are part of a global movement that is making a difference every day.”
Sarah Pennel, General Manager of Foodbank Australia

Knowledge Networks

In 2021, GFN launched the Knowledge Networks to give food bank members ongoing opportunities for peer-to-peer collaboration. Focused on topics like logistics, product sourcing, data management, and school feeding programs, each network is facilitated by GFN experts. One of the benefits of the Knowledge Networks is their inclusivity—all member food bank employees, from the executive directors to associate staff, are invited to participate and share ideas.

The greatest value I see in the Knowledge Networks is the many innovative solutions that have come out of generating ideas with peers, and how these solutions can be adapted for different situations.
Carol Mérida, Manager of Donations and New Projects for Desarrollo en Movimiento
Learn More About How We Bring Food Banks and Other Food Systems Leaders Together