Tribal Elder Community Food Box Grant Program

The Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). This initiative is funded through the 2025–2027 Wisconsin State Budget, which allocates $1.5 million annually to support food security efforts for Tribal elders. The program provides competitive reimbursement grants to nonprofit food assistance organizations for the purchase and distribution of food, and for supporting the operations of food producers that participate in the program. It is designed to serve Tribal Nations in Wisconsin, while also engaging producers from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa. The program's core objectives are twofold: ensuring the delivery of culturally appropriate, whole, or minimally processed foods to Tribal communities in Wisconsin and reinforcing Tribal food sovereignty. Eligible projects must use at least 80% of the grant budget for food procurement, with the remaining 20% allowable for associated distribution or evaluation costs. Projects are expected to prioritize purchasing food from Tribal producers and must demonstrate collaboration with multiple Tribal Nations. Food must be distributed at no cost to Tribal members in Wisconsin, and strong proposals will reflect shared decision-making with Tribal partners. The grant is reimbursement-based, meaning recipients will only be reimbursed for eligible expenses that have already been incurred and documented during the project period. The funding cannot overlap with other state or federal funds for the same expenses. Ineligible expenses include real estate purchases, indirect costs, advertising, lobbying, travel, and capital acquisitions over $5,000 per unit. All eligible costs must fall within the performance period, anticipated to begin May 1, 2026, and end no later than April 30, 2027. Applications must be submitted by February 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. To be eligible, applicants must be nonprofit food assistance organizations with the capacity to partner with Tribal Nations in Wisconsin. Organizations located outside Wisconsin may apply, provided their projects exclusively benefit Tribal Nations within the state. Each applicant must have demonstrated experience in food security and must assign both a contract signer and a project coordinator. Letters of commitment from each Tribal Nation involved must be included with the application, affirming their role and participation in the project. The evaluation process is competitive and based on a 100-point scoring system across categories such as project justification, partnerships, work plan, outcomes and impact, project management, evaluation, and budget clarity. Strong applicants will demonstrate Tribal leadership, meaningful partnerships, and measurable impacts. Projects will also be assessed for financial oversight, documentation of deliverables, and capacity to conduct ongoing evaluation. The application must be submitted through the designated online form, and paper applications are available upon request. Grantees must comply with quarterly reporting requirements, maintain records for at least four years post-award, and participate in any monitoring or audits conducted by DATCP. For projects receiving over $100,000, a verified financial statement audited by a certified public accountant is required. Although matching funds are not required, grantees must maintain transparency and fiscal responsibility throughout the project. Questions regarding the application process can be directed to [email protected] or by contacting the program specialist, April Yancer, at (608) 224-5017.

Prioritize culturally appropriate foods and collaborative governance with Tribal Nations. Ensure documentation and fiscal oversight mechanisms are well defined.