Food Access Grants

The 2026 Food Access Grants program is a targeted funding initiative designed to strengthen food systems in Chaffee County, Colorado. Spearheaded by the Chaffee County Community Foundation in collaboration with the City of Salida, Chaffee County, Colorado Trust, El Pomar Foundation, CHFA, and private donors to the Emergency Response Fund, this grant supports short-term, community-driven projects that enhance food access infrastructure and coordination. With a funding pool of $200,000, the program reflects priorities set forth in the county’s Food Action Roadmap and input from local planning groups, including the Safety Net Leaders Group and a strategic planning session held in fall 2025. The purpose of this Phase 2 initiative is to invest in projects that address systemic gaps and long-term infrastructure needs, not short-term emergency relief. Funded projects must demonstrate alignment with the roadmap's Phase 2 and Phase 3 goals. These include building sustainable cold storage and aggregation infrastructure to reduce food waste, facilitating network-wide improvements in food access, and enhancing coordination capacity among local actors. Successful applicants will propose time-bound, scalable efforts that contribute to a durable local food system. Eligibility is open to registered 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) nonprofits, tribal entities, government agencies, faith-based organizations, or fiscally sponsored projects that serve residents of Chaffee County. Applicants must demonstrate operational readiness to achieve stated outcomes within 12 months and provide compelling evidence of local need and community engagement. Projects expected to require more than 18 months to execute or that benefit a single provider are not eligible. Operating costs for existing services are also excluded. Applications will open on April 1, 2026, and close on April 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the grant questions and rubric in advance to strengthen submissions. An orientation session is scheduled for March 12, and a recording will be posted for those unable to attend. Final awards will be announced in early May, with funding disbursed within 10 business days following completion of grant agreements. Payments will typically be issued via direct deposit, although paper checks may be requested with a longer processing time. The application process involves an initial staff review to ensure eligibility, followed by evaluation by a Grant Review Committee. Applications are scored individually before the committee aggregates rankings and finalizes funding decisions. There will be no site visits, making thorough responses essential. Funded projects must be completed, and final reports submitted by February 26, 2027. Organizations with outstanding reports from prior grants will not be considered for new funding until compliance is resolved. All questions related to the program can be directed to [email protected]. Inquiries will be answered within two business days. The grant program provides an opportunity for community-led innovation in food systems, emphasizing strategic, infrastructure-level impact and cross-sector collaboration to support Chaffee County residents.

Thorough responses are essential due to no site visits in the review process.