Charitable Food Assistance Program

The Charitable Food Assistance Program 2026 is a federally funded grant initiative administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The program operates in partnership with the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) and is designed to enhance food access through institutional policy, system, and environmental changes. IDPH will fund three selected food banks that are active participants in IPHI’s “Nourish Illinois: Food Bank Community of Practice,” a statewide collaborative focused on overcoming infrastructure challenges and addressing social determinants of health (SDoH) related to food and nutrition insecurity. The primary objective of the program is to increase the availability of nutritious and culturally relevant food choices for adults across Illinois. The program seeks to accomplish this by supporting food banks in evaluating current food offerings, conducting assessments, and forming nutrition-focused committees. Grantees are expected to help food pantries adopt evidence-based food service guidelines and nutrition policies and provide quarterly reports to IDPH. Additionally, grantees will implement their plans between July 1, 2025, and June 29, 2026, with the possibility of two non-competitive renewals contingent upon documented progress. Each participating food bank will receive $34,667. The use of funds is primarily restricted to administrative activities such as planning and downstream assessment, but may also include travel for technical assistance, maintenance for transportation of goods, and limited infrastructure improvements. In subsequent years, only 5% of the grant may be retained by the food bank for administrative costs, with the remaining funds passed through to food pantries selected in collaboration with IDPH and IPHI. Eligible applicants are tax-exempt, community-based food banks that serve Illinois residents and are active members of IPHI’s Food Bank Community of Practice. In addition to being in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State (if applicable), applicants must also be prequalified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) system, hold an active UEI, and maintain current SAM.gov registration. Applications must be submitted via IDPH’s EGrAMS system at idphgrants.com between July 7, 2025, and August 15, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. No technical assistance session is being offered. A completed application must include a detailed work plan with milestones, responsible staff, partners, and timelines, and must address sustainability after the funding period ends. Quarterly progress reports are mandatory, and delays in reporting may result in funding disruption. Evaluation of applications will be based on a 100-point rubric assessing the scope of work (40 points), work plan (15 points), and budget (10 points). The program anticipates awarding three grants, and decisions are expected by August 30, 2025. Contact for the grant is Keturah Tracy, available at keturah.tracy@illinois.gov or 217-620-8295.

Ensure strong initial proposal to avoid revision. Align activities with Nourish Illinois and SDoH goals.