School and School District Partnerships

STAND's school partnership work focuses on how schools and districts can connect sustainability goals with educational opportunities, food-system decisions, and practical implementation.

Food procurement affects what students can access. Menus influence the choices available during the school day. Food-service contracts and budgets shape what institutions can purchase. Educational opportunities influence how students understand food, sustainability, and public policy.

Plant-forward food access and implementation

We work to explore opportunities for schools and districts to expand access to plant-forward meal options and investigate the practical conditions that affect implementation.

Depending on the school and its priorities, this work may include reviewing existing menu offerings, identifying gaps in food access, gathering student feedback, exploring procurement options, and examining the administrative or operational barriers that affect proposed changes.

Procurement partnerships and grant opportunities in the United States

For U.S. school district partnerships, STAND seeks to connect schools with relevant organizations, suppliers, and potential funding opportunities that may support plant-forward food procurement and implementation.

Partnership development can help connect those needs with relevant expertise and potential resources.

Depending on the project, this work may involve:

• Identifying a school's goals and current food-service arrangements.

• Exploring plant-forward products and potential suppliers.

• Investigating procurement and implementation requirements.

• Connecting schools with relevant organizations and technical resources.

• Exploring grant opportunities where appropriate.

• Considering student engagement and educational components.

• Developing a plan for a pilot or other practical initiative.

Funding opportunities and procurement options depend on eligibility, availability, institutional requirements, and the details of a proposed project.

Plant Based Treaty adaptation for schools

STAND is developing a school-focused adaptation of the Plant Based Treaty to help translate its broader principles into educational activities and practical school initiatives.

Students and educators may need to consider how treaty principles relate to school food, procurement, food waste, environmental education, institutional responsibilities, and student participation.

Potential areas of school engagement include:

• Introducing the Plant Based Treaty and its relationship to sustainable food systems.

• Exploring how treaty principles relate to the school's existing priorities.

• Identifying possible food-system and educational initiatives.

• Engaging students and environmental clubs in research and discussion.

• Exploring plant-forward meal access and procurement.

• Developing school-specific proposals and action plans.

• Connecting educational activities with wider community or policy initiatives.

Student participation in school decisions

Students experience school food systems directly, yet they may have limited opportunities to participate in decisions about menus, procurement, sustainability, and food-related education.

STAND encourages school partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for student input. This may involve student surveys, discussions, taste tests, environmental club projects, assemblies, research, or presentations to school leaders. Students can help identify questions, gather feedback, examine available options, and contribute to recommendations.

School Clubs, Environmental Clubs, and Student Organizations

Student clubs can provide a starting point for exploring sustainability in a practical and collaborative way.

Environmental clubs, sustainability groups, service organizations, student councils, and other student-led groups can use food systems to explore the connections between environmental issues, institutional decisions, public policy, and community priorities.

STAND works to support educational and collaborative opportunities that help students move from learning about an issue to investigating how it affects their own school or community.

A club might begin with a workshop on sustainable food systems, examine its school's food options, host a discussion about the Plant Based Treaty, organize a food waste project, or develop a proposal for a school sustainability initiative.

The objective is to connect student interest with useful knowledge, relevant resources, and practical opportunities for action.

Environmental club workshops

STAND develops educational opportunities that can help environmental clubs explore plant-forward food systems, sustainability, the SDGs, and student advocacy.

Workshop content can be adapted to the interests and needs of the group. Topics may include:

• The relationship between food systems and environmental sustainability.

• The SDGs and sustainable consumption and production.

• The Plant Based Treaty and school-based adaptation.

• School food systems and procurement.

• Food waste prevention and reduction.

• Student participation in school policy.

• Community advocacy and public decision-making.

• How to research a local sustainability issue.

• How to develop a practical project or proposal.

Access some of these workshops in our resource repository at the bottom of this page.

Curriculum and educational resources

Education is a central part of STAND's work. We have developed curriculum and bring together resources from multiple sources to help students explore sustainability and related policy questions.

Our approach connects the SDGs with food systems, environmental action, public policy, research, and civic engagement. Rather than presenting each issue in isolation, we encourage students to examine how environmental, social, economic, and institutional factors interact.

Educational resources can support classroom learning, club discussions, workshops, research projects, assemblies, and student-led campaigns.

Access our materials at the bottom of this page.

Student-led projects and school initiatives

Clubs can use educational resources as a starting point for action.

Depending on the group's interests, a project may involve researching school food options, collecting student feedback, organizing an educational event, exploring a school-based Plant Based Treaty adaptation, developing a food waste initiative, or investigating a sustainability policy.

STAND encourages projects that have a clear purpose and an appropriate scope. Students should be able to identify the question they want to investigate, the people they need to consult, the resources they require, and the next steps they can realistically take.

Projects can also create opportunities for collaboration between students, educators, school administrators, community organizations, and other relevant partners through councils and assemblies.