Since 2010, CORE Group has been a partner on The TOPS Program, a USAID/Food for Peace (FFP)-funded program that builds the capacity of FFP grantees and improves the quality of implementation through fostering collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing around food security and nutrition best practices.

CORE Group leads the knowledge management team at TOPS and runs the project’s open community of practice – The Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Network.

Learn more about CORE Group’s role over the last seven years:

CORE Group’s Contributions to TOPS

• CORE Group has planned and implemented nine TOPS/FSN Network Knowledge Sharing Meetings, bringing together implementers, donors and researchers to learn new skills, and discuss and explore emerging issues and recent tools. These meetings prioritize knowledge exchange through discussion and activity to stimulate cross-organizational collaboration and learning.
• Under CORE Group’s leadership, the FSN Network Knowledge Management Task Force has flourished, bringing together food security professionals from all technical sectors in a community focused on knowledge sharing for improved implementation of food security and nutrition programs. A few of this group’s accomplishments include:
  • Creating the Knowledge Management Task Force Newsletter (Read the latest issue)
  • Developing new resources, including Supporting Communities of Practice: A TOPS Quick Guide to Linking Development Practitioners, Designing Participatory Meetings and Brownbags: A TOPS Quick Guide to Linking Development Practitioners, Participatory Facilitation Techniques Workshop Curriculum, and A Guide to Developing a Knowledge Management Strategy for a Food Security and Nutrition Program.
  • Reviewing and voting to recommend several Knowledge Management resources
  • Hosting events and trainings on topics such as video storytelling, learning agendas, knowledge management strategies, facilitation, and Twitter.
• CORE Group has turned the FSN Network website into a destination for the food security and nutrition community. This capacity-building hub engages community members to share knowledge, resources, and promising practices so they can learn from each other, identify gaps, and develop solutions. The website features a resource library, upcoming and past events, a discussion forum, task forces, and more.
• With over 250 issues sent (and counting!), the CORE Group-produced FSN Network Newsletter has delivered announcements of new funding opportunities, events, information requests, new resources and other community information into the inboxes of over 2,500 food security implementers over the last several years.

Successes, Challenges, and the Way Forward: Seven Years of Community Building

The TOPS Program is now in its seventh and final year, and is hosting its final Knowledge Sharing Meeting in July 2017. At this capstone event, the wider food security and nutrition community will reflect upon the knowledge gained and shared through TOPS while continuing to collaborate and share knowledge in order to improve development food assistance programming.

Learn more and register.