Grants for Private institutions of higher education - Food and Nutrition

This funding opportunity supports the creation and expansion of community gardens in Prince George’s County to improve food security, promote sustainable practices, and engage local residents.

This program provides financial support to food retailers in underserved communities to improve access to healthy food options for low- and moderate-income populations.

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to aanounce the 2025 Sharing Prince George Grants. Donor Name: Greater Washington Community Foundation State: Maryland County: Prince Georges County (MD) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Sharing Prince George’s Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation has supported high-impact nonprofits serving Prince George’s County’s most vulnerable residents. They are proud of the ways these organizations have responded to the community’s needs and worked in partnership toward the shared vision for a more equitable, just, and thriving Prince George’s County. As part of The Community Foundation’s 10-year strategic plan, the Sharing Prince George’s Fund is focused on addressing urgent community needs, advancing economic justice, and, ultimately, working to close the racial/ethnic wealth gap which undermines the health and stability of the entire community. Therefore, Sharing Prince George’s grant-making priorities for this year include: Economic mobility resources that enable people to chart a pathway out of poverty (e.g., access to higher education, training, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, etc.). Individual and Community Wealth Building opportunities which empower people with the financial and social capital needed to build wealth so they can weather crises and pursue their dreams. Basic needs for the low-income neighbors (e.g., access to resources for health and mental health, food security, affordable housing, childcare and education, and interventions which help families transition from crisis to recovery). Funding Information For the FY25 cycle, Sharing Prince George’s will make up to ten (10) one-time grant awards of up to $50,000. Eligibility Criteria  Sharing Prince George’s grants will provide flexible general operating support for work serving Prince George’s County residents. Nonprofits may apply those resources wherever the need is greatest to advance their missions. (Note: Grants to regional organizations will be earmarked to support efforts in the county.) For more information, visit Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Mardag Foundation Grant Program. Donor Name: Mardag Foundation State: Minnesota County: Dakota County (MN), Ramsey County (MN), Washington County (MN) Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) Details: Mardag Foundation believes that the community should not only benefit from the work, but inform and form it as well. Creating solutions to today’s issues requires a collaborative approach. The work is also rooted in a commitment to racial equity. Funding Priorities The Mardag Foundation has three focus areas and will consider proposals that address one or more of the following: Improving the lives of low-income Children, Youth and Families that lack access to critical opportunities and resources that they need Mardag Foundation seeks to support organizations focused on eliminating barriers and increasing access to equitable opportunities for children, youth and families.  Priority will be given to organizations working with marginalized communities (especially Black, Indigenous and communities of color) at the intersections of education, basic needs, mental health, access to healthcare, pathways to employment, and stable and affordable housing. Supporting older adults across Minnesota who lack access or have barriers to critical opportunities to thrive and create community connections Mardag Foundation supports organizations directly serving low-income older adults who may also be experiencing other forms of marginality (e.g., Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.). Priorities include meeting basic needs, improving the well-being and quality of caregiving, addressing isolation and mental health issues, services to help older Minnesotans age in place and/or in safe and stable housing, and intergenerational programming. Building capacity to improve community vitality through Arts & Culture Mardag Foundation shares Grantmakers in the Arts’ view that “all peoples, their cultures, and their art contribute to the meaning and understanding of the humanity and should be honored and celebrated.” Priority will be given to arts and culture organizations that seek to amplify narratives and voices across BIPOC communities and other communities experiencing marginalization (e.g., older adults, people with disabilities, low-income children/youth/families, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.) through the arts. Types of Grants The Foundation will consider grant applications for: General Operating Support These grants provide flexible funding for nonprofits in which at least 50% of the organization’s services benefit residents in the East Metro and/or Greater Minnesota. Any organization meeting this threshold is eligible for general operating support (including organizations that have never previously received support from Mardag Foundation). Capital Projects Capital projects must be located in Greater Minnesota or the East Metro AND 50% or more of all services provided by the entire organization must benefit Greater Minnesota and/or East Metro (Washington, Dakota and Ramsey counties) residents. Grants are designed to support investment in buildings, facilities and equipment. Foundation investments are typically limited to buildings owned by nonprofits or held by long-term lease agreement. These grants are generally paid over multiple years. Geographic Areas  The Mardag Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations and public entities located within and serving residents of Minnesota. The geographic focus of our grantmaking is the East Metro area of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, as well as Greater Minnesota. Eligibility Criteria  Grants can be made to 501(c)3 organizations, education or governmental units and religious institutions. While an organization may be eligible to apply, attention and preference will be given to organizations: Prioritizing people experiencing the most marginalization, especially due to race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, age, ability, immigration status, etc. Where work is informed, formed and led by the people most impacted by it. Ineligibility The Foundation will not consider grant applications for: Organizations using fiscal sponsors Organizations exclusively serving Minneapolis and the surrounding West Metro area Scholarships and grants to individuals Sectarian religious programs or organizations Federated campaigns Events and conferences Capital campaigns of private secondary schools Capital and endowment campaigns of private colleges and universities Program/project specific requests For more information, visit Mardag Foundation.

This funding opportunity supports initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles and improve public health outcomes for individuals and communities in Republic County, Kansas.

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the countrys most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture. This funding announcement is an opportunity for communities to apply for funding to engage adults ages 55 and older in tackling the communitys most pressing needs through the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. This is an open competition across all states and territories.

The City of Boulder is seeking applications for its 2025 Human Services Fund. Donor Name: City of Boulder State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/26/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Through the Human Services Fund (HSF), the City of Boulder invests resources in improving well-being for community members experiencing social or economic disparities. An annual allocation from the city’s general fund serves as the source for this grant program. The HSF supports programs and service delivery that promote the following shared outcomes: Increased economic stability, mobility, and resilience (e.g., employment, financial assistance, benefits or other earnings, financial literacy, or other forms of self-sufficiency assistance). Increase the ability for people to obtain and maintain housing (e.g., rental assistance, legal representation for housing, pathways to housing for individuals experiencing homelessness, other services that help with housing retention). Advance personal growth, development and leadership potential (e.g., childcare; child, teen or adult academic support; youth, adult or older adult training; language access) Increase safe environment for people with diverse identities (e.g., through advocacy, legal representation, protection from violence or other form of vulnerability). Increase positive physical, mental or behavioral health and wellbeing (e.g., direct health care, wellness, food security or nutrition, social connectivity). Increased ability among community members to access critical services (e.g., transportation, digital divide, culturally centered assistance programs, independent living). Funding Information Proposals must request a minimum of $10,000 with at least $8,000 in eligible program expenses. Grant Period January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Proposal Criteria  Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be evaluated based on whether the proposed program:  Benefits people experiencing systemic socio-economic barriers or disparities; have been historically excluded and/or are in need of basic needs assistance;  Has leadership (agency board, staff and volunteers) that reflects the demographic diversity of clients served Aligns with a selected human services outcome;  Demonstrates sound research, evidence-based best practices;  Values lived experience, cultural knowledge and wisdom;  Demonstrates strong and long-term evaluation of outcomes, or the potential for such evaluation;  Meaningfully engages community members experiencing disparities in the design, implementation and/or evaluation of the proposed program;  Demonstrates strong collaboration and transformative, equitable partnerships that move beyond informal relationships; Demonstrates a cost-effective approach that benefits program participants, target populations or the community;  Demonstrates that the agency currently has, or demonstrates a plan for achieving sustained financial stability and organizational leadership;  Exhibits diverse funding sources or a plan to achieve diverse funding. Eligibility Criteria  Through the HSF, the city will fund programs rather than entire organizations, institutions, or agencies. Eligible programs may be located in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or public or private educational organizations (i.e., pre-K-12 school or college/university. Businesses and for-profit agencies should not apply.’ Ineligibility  The Human Services Fund (HSF) does not support:  Arts, cultural, sport and/or recreation programs;  One-time presentations, events, activities, advocacy, outreach, or marketing campaigns that are not directly associated with ongoing human services programming;  General staff training or professional development programs outside of data collection, evaluation, or systems integration work;  Outreach and educational campaigns that do not include long-term evaluation;  Contributions to a political campaign or committee for a candidate or ballot measure;  Political lobbying or political advocacy campaigns to promote legislation or specific governmental policies, or express advocacy as defined in Boulder Revised Code section 13-2-2; Programs that cannot be directly linked to specific outcomes and indicators;  General operating funds or expenses (e.g., general salaries of staff not directly involved in providing services for the proposed program, rent/mortgage, utilities, professional development, fundraising, or other expenses) that are not directly related to carrying out the program;  Programs that cannot demonstrate established data collection or evaluation activities;  Individual applicants;  Programs proposing the same activities that are currently supported by other City of Boulder Department of Housing and Human Services funding1; or  Programs that are heavily reliant on a single funder, including the City of Boulder; or do not have a plan to request funding from other sources. For more information, visit City of Boulder.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers all USDA domestic nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is the cornerstone of USDAs nutrition assistance programs and is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net. SNAP provides nutrition assistance benefits via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to millions of low-income people. These benefits help supplement household food budgets so recipients can purchase more healthy food. FNS is directly responsible for the authorization and oversight of retailers who accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This is accomplished jointly by the Retailer Policy Division (RPD) within SNAP, and the Office of Retailer Operations and Compliance. Currently, approximately 260,000 retailers are authorized to accept SNAP. Thousands of direct marketing farmers and farmers markets (DMFs and FMs) apply for SNAP authorization each year. Since 2012, FNS has supported the participation of DMFs and FMs in their efforts to attract more SNAP customers. FNS has supported individual DMFs (and FMs on behalf of DMFs), which meet specific requirements, in procuring low- or no-cost wireless Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) point-of-sale (POS) devices through the SNAP EBT Equipment Program. FNS has also awarded grants to provide: a) an e-commerce platform that enables DMFs to accept SNAP benefits online (SNAP/Federal Nutrition Programs Participation Assistance for Farmers and Farmers Markets), and b) a SNAP Mobile Transaction Processing Application and card reader that enable a DMF to accept SNAP by using their own smartphone as a POS device (Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets).

The Embassy of the United States of America in Port of Spain seeks to fund creative and sustainable projects which contain a U.S. component and will aid in societal and institutional growth. The Embassy invites organizations meeting the outlined eligibility criteria to submit grant proposals. This is an open competition for non-profit and/or NGOs and social enterprises with offices headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago. Public Affairs Section Port of Spain invites proposals that further contribution to the three pillars of bilateral collaboration between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago (TT): Security, Accountable Governance, and Inclusive Growth. Multiple awards will be granted, with a maximum amount per award of US$50,000. Specifications: The proposal may not exceed 5 double-spaced pages in 12-point, Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. Proposals must include project summary, duration, objectives, organizational capacity, key personnel, previous grants received and a budget. Please refer to the notice of funding see Link to Additional Information and ensure you follow all the guidelines stipulated there before submitting your application. In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have an NCAGE (CAGE U.S. organizations), Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a valid registration on SAM.gov. All proposals will be subject to the standard Terms and Conditions of Department of State grants. Please see https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/U.S.-Department-of-State-Standard-Terms-and-Conditions-10-21-20.pdf for more information. Generally, grants may not be used for salaries, the purchase of equipment over $500 or for refreshment expenses. Applicants must submit applications electronically using [email protected] by July 15, 2024. Disclaimer: Only applicants whose proposals have been selected for award will be contacted. If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in connection with the award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the Department of State.

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) is currently accepting grant applications for its 2025 Community Waste Reduction Grant Program. Donor Name: Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio State: Ohio County: Franklin County (OH) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/02/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Community Waste Reduction Grant (CWRG) is a competitive grant program that provides funding for innovative projects that significantly reduce waste and/or increase the diversion of recoverable materials that would otherwise be sent to the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill for disposal.  Local governmental or non-profit organizations including cities, townships, villages, parks, K-12 schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and churches are eligible to apply.  Proposed projects should address the unique waste reduction, diversion, recycling, and composting needs of Central Ohio. Funding Information  The minimum grant amount that can be requested is five hundred dollars ($500.00). The maximum grant amount that can be requested is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000.00). Eligibility Criteria Must occur within SWACO’s jurisdiction area of Franklin County, Ohio. Funding is available for establishing, improving, or expanding waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, or food donation activities. Recipients must provide a twenty percent (20%) cash contribution toward the project. If a project is awarded grant dollars, SWACO requires grantees to document and measure the impact of the project’s activities.  No approved purchases can be made before the execution of a grant agreement. A final report detailing the successes, challenges, and impacts of the project’s waste reduction and diversion efforts must be provided at the end of the project.  For more information, visit SWACO.

The Butler County Communities Grant Cycle is to promote community service and community projects/programs or events that focus on the enhancement of communities in Butler County. Donor Name: Central Kansas Community Foundation State: Kansas County: Butler County (KS) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The grant cycle is funded with proceeds from the following funds:  El Dorado Prairie Port Festival Fund: Supports charitable, scientific, and educational purposes that relate to community events and activities as a field of interest. The field of interest is so defined as community events for the improvement of family relationships through activities that convene family and friends presently residing in and from El Dorado, KS. 1 Award Available Grants will be distributed to eligible charities starting new community events, as well as supporting existing community events and activities.  A priority of funding will always be for new community events in El Dorado, KS.  George Trimble Special Needs Charitable Fund: Supports organizations with projects/programs that provide assistance to the welfare and safety of citizens of El Dorado, KS by providing critical response to those 1) impacted by disasters, i.e. victims of fire, flood, or natural disasters; 2) for the promotion of public health, education, safety or other public cultural activities; or 3) for general assistance to the needy. Kansas Health Foundation Fund – Butler County: To underwrite solutions to local health issues, and for the protection and promotion of the health and well-being of individuals and their communities through the encouragement of healthy lifestyles, behaviors, and environments within Butler County, KS. 1 Award Available Kansas Health Foundation Fund – El Dorado: To underwrite solutions to local health issues, and for the protection and promotion of the health and well-being of individuals and their communities through the encouragement of healthy lifestyles, behaviors, and environments within El Dorado, KS. 1 Award Available Funding Information  Requests should not exceed $1,500 for the Eldorado Prairie Port Festival Fund and Kansas Health Foundation Fund – Eldorado. Requests should not exceed $1,200 for the Kansas Health Foundation Fund – Butler County. Requests should not exceed $3,000 for the George Trimble Special Needs Charitable Fund. Eligibility Criteria  To apply for this opportunity, your organization must meet the following requirements: Possess 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Service code, be exempt under statute (i.e. educational institution, church, a city or county), or be formally linked to an organization with such designation Management should be in the hands of reliable, ethical, and experienced personnel For more information, visit Community Force.

This funding opportunity is designed to support academic research institutions in developing innovative solutions to combat animal diseases, enhance agricultural resilience, and address unmet veterinary medical needs.

The purpose of this program is to support projects that will treat invasive plant infestations that threaten forested, woodland, or rangeland areas. The theme for the FY 2024 funding cycle is grasses and grasslands. Projects may occur on state, federal, tribal, and private lands in Arizona.  This program focuses on the prevention, control/removal, and eradication of invasive plants and aims to achieve the following objectives: Target and treat invasive plants that are capable of transforming native plant communities in forests, woodlands, deserts, or rangeland Assist in preventing fire and flooding, conserving water, and restoring habitat to wildlife Use an integrated weed management (IWM) approach when treating areas infested with invasive plants through the utilization of available tools, including manual, cultural, mechanical, chemical, and biological control methods Examples of eligible projects include: Control/removal or eradication of invasive plants Replacement of invasive plants with native plants through reseeding and planting Removal of woody invasive plant slash by mulching or grinding Examples of eligible costs include those in the following categories: Administrative labor Project labor Fringe benefits Travel Equipment Supplies Contractual Financial Notes: Match Notes: Applicants must provide at least 10 percent of the total project costs via cash and/or in-kind contributions. Priority may be given to projects that provide a higher-than-required match amount, not to exceed 50 percent. Specifically allowable matching contributions include: Cash paid by award recipients In-kind expenses, including necessary costs incurred by award recipients or other organizations to support the project Volunteer hours at a reasonable rate Donated labor and/or equipment necessary to complete the specific project Physical work performed by individual landowners on their own property Funding Notes: A total of $970,000 is available to support awards ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 through this program. Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Awards are expected to be issued in fall and winter 2024/2025. Specifically, award announcements are expected around October 2024. Proposed projects should be ready for implementation upon receipt of award and should be fully achievable within the prescribed award period. Projects must be considered shovel-ready. Funds may not be used for: Research and development projects Website, geographic information system (GIS), and database projects Projects that only include assessment activity and no related treatment of invasive plants Projects that include purchase of capital equipment valued at over $5,000 per item Expenses incurred prior to execution of a formal written agreement between the funding agency and the award recipient Reimbursement of physical work performed by individual landowners on their own property Food or beverage purchases

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) is pleased to invite proposals from academic faculty for funding to identify, evaluate, and/or develop safer alternatives to PFAS. Donor Name: Toxics Use Reduction Institute State: Massachusetts County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Research Focus Area  Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are toxic chemicals used for a variety of manufacturing and product applications. Proposals should be submitted to identify, evaluate, and/or develop safer alternatives to the use of PFAS in manufacturing and product applications. Some examples include: Water and stain resistant coated fabrics, textiles, apparel, and footwear,  Surfactant applications including fume suppressants,  Refrigerants and coolants,  Fire suppressants, Fluoropolymers  Manufacturing processing aids,  Coated food packaging, and Other non-stick coated materials and products (e.g. dental floss, cookware, etc.) Funding Information The maximum funding amount for each research project is $35,000 per academic year Criteria Research funding is available for faculty and their graduate students from any academic institution located in Massachusetts.  For more information, visit TURI.

The City of Boulder has released the 2025 Health Equity Fund (HEF) Request for Proposals, for community-based health equity programs benefitting Boulder community members experiencing health disparities. Donor Name: City of Boulder State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/12/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The Health Equity Fund aims to reduce disparities and to improve health equity for people experiencing systemic socio-economic and health barriers. Examples of HEF-supported programs include health services that help prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease and oral diseases; increased access to healthy food and clean water; wellness programs; physical fitness; and more. The City of Boulder defines health equity as the absence of systematic health disparities based on socio-economic factors, and the ability of all residents to reach their full health potential, regardless of their life circumstances. Through the HEF, the City of Boulder funds health and wellness programs that benefit City of Boulder residents experiencing health disparities, including: Residents disproportionately impacted by diseases linked to sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption or disproportionately targeted by SSB marketing; Residents who lack access to healthy food, safe water, quality health care, wellness information and health care services and systems; and Populations systemically disenfranchised due to race, ethnicity, income, age, ability, sexual orientation or gender identification. Funding Information  Proposals must request a minimum of $10,000 with at least $8,000 in eligible expenses. Grant Period The RFP is for program services performed from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027. Eligibility Criteria Through the HEF, the city will fund programs rather than entire organizations, institutions, or agencies. Eligible programs may be implemented in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or public or private educational institutions (i.e., preK-12 school or college/university). Businesses and for-profit agencies should not apply. Eligible program activities may include direct services, research or collaborative approaches.  Proposal Criteria Proposals will be evaluated based on whether the proposed program:  Benefits people most affected by, or at increased risk from chronic disease linked to sugary drink consumption, or who generally experience health disparities.  Has leadership (agency board, staff and volunteers) that reflects the demographic diversity of clients served. Aligns with a selected program priority. Demonstrates sound research, evidence-based best practices. Values lived experience, cultural knowledge and wisdom.  Demonstrates strong and long-term evaluation of outcomes, or potential for such evaluation. Meaningfully engages community members experiencing health disparities in the design, implementation and/or evaluation of the proposed program. Demonstrates strong collaboration and transformative, equitable partnerships that move beyond informal relationships. Demonstrates a cost-effective approach that benefits program participants, target populations or the community. Demonstrates that the agency currently has, or demonstrates a plan for achieving sustained financial stability and organizational leadership. Exhibits diverse funding sources or a plan to achieve diverse funding.  For more information, visit COB.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) works to end hunger and promote nutrition security. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a Federal nutrition assistance program that serves pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding individuals, infants, and children up to five years old who are income eligible and at nutritional risk. WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and social services to participants in all 50 geographic states, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), and five U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (The Act) (P.L. 117-2) provided the USDA with an appropriation to carry out the WIC Program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) (42 U.S.C. 1786). ARPA provided the USDA with $390 million to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits in WIC and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). This is an announcement of the availability of funds for a one-time initiative, competitive cooperative agreement for up to four years. Funds are available to an entity (i.e., a civic technology nonprofit or other nonprofit type with similar staffing and experience/expertise; a research institute that is public, private, or nonprofit; or an accredited college or university) that meets the technical requirements outlined in this RFA. USDA anticipates awarding up to $15,000,000 to one selected applicant. The Period of Performance will be at a minimum two Fiscal Years will not exceed a maximum of four Fiscal Years.

The Connection, Health, & Equity through Food (CHEF) Grant Program is a collaborative network of organizations and volunteer initiatives across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern Massachusetts, and Upstate New York that are focused on increasing older adults’ equitable access to healthy food and social connection. Donor Name: Maine Council on Aging State: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont County: Selected Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Connection, Health, & Equity through Food (CHEF) grant program will provide funding to increase older adults’ equitable access to food and social connections in their communities. Grants will allow awardees to make investments in programmatic infrastructure, sustainably expand current programming and/or launch innovative, new programming that supports the food and social connection needs of older people. Priority will be given to projects and programs that serve diverse older people, veterans, and older people living with disabilities. Funds can also be used to help find solutions to the root causes of food insecurity and social isolation, including but not limited to poverty, transportation, rurality, and language barriers. The CHEF program is administered by the Maine Council on Aging. Purpose The focus of this grant program is to increase older adults’ equitable access to healthy food and social connection, with a particular focus on rural communities and underserved and marginalized older people including: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) LGBTQ+- (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer or Questioning) Women Veterans People Living with Disabilities People Living in Rural Communities. Funding Information The minimum amount that can be requested is $500. Although no maximum has been set, they would anticipate that most grants would be in the $2,000 – $10,000 range. Eligibility Criteria  The grant-funded activity must primarily serve older people. Thus, if your program serves people of all ages, you should provide data on the number of older people served, and this number must be 50.1% of the overall population served, or the grant-funded activity should focus primarily on the older adults currently being served. Grants will only be made to applicants serving older people in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern Massachusetts, and Upstate New York. Applicants must serve people who may access a Hannaford Supermarket to purchase food. The organization itself does not have to be located in a community with a Hannaford store. As an example, any statewide organization in one of these states would qualify. Regional organizations that serve at least one community with a Hannaford Supermarket qualify, even if the other communities do not. They recognize that people in some rural areas may drive a substantial distance for groceries, so they will be liberal in interpreting this restriction. Eligible Organizations: Public and non-profit organizations Municipalities Faith Groups Tribal Governments Educational Institutions Note: If you do not have an IRS nonprofit or 501(c)3 designation, please find a fiscal sponsor for your program/idea. For more information, visit Maine Council on Aging.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Marketing Services (AMS), is entering into cooperative agreement with Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Cooperative Agreements (RFSI). Donor Name: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) State: Michigan County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/17/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose of the Michigan RFSI program is to build resilience in the middle-of-thefood-supply-chain and strengthen local and regional food systems by creating new revenue streams for Michigan producers. MDARD will make subawards in the form of Infrastructure Grants to middle-of-the-supply businesses to create more diverse local and regional market options and create more economic opportunities for communities, allowing them to retain more of the value chain dollar. RFSI investments aim to create a food systems infrastructure to support competitive and profitable market access for domestic farm products. The program also aims to: Support development of value‐added products available to consumers; Support proposals that provide fair prices, fair wages and new and safe job opportunities that keep profits in rural communities; and Increase diversity in processing options in terms of business model approaches, geography, and availability to underserved communities. Priorities USDA intends for RFSI program to focus funding Infrastructure Grant activities that: Expand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers; Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems; Enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements; Improve the capacity of entities to comply with federal, state, and local food safety requirements; Improve operations through training opportunities; Support construction of a new facility; Modernize or expand an existing facility (including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and/or construction of new buildings at existing facilities); Construction of wastewater management structures, etc.; Modernize processing and manufacturing equipment; and Develop, customize, or install equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals. Funding Information Michigan has been awarded over $10 million dollars. Equipment Only Grant: These projects offer a simplified application to fund smaller grants from $10,000 up to $100,000 Infrastructure Grants: Infrastructure grants will have a maximum award of $475,000. Eligibility Criteria The following entities are eligible for Infrastructure Grants made by MDARD: Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors Nonprofit organizations operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products Local government entities operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products Tribal governments operating middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural products. Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution of targeted agricultural product. For more information, visit MDARD.

Education Grants allow applicants to conduct education and outreach activities for the benefit of the greater sustainable ag community, and promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, ag diversification, and best management practices. Donor Name: Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement Deadline: 08/02/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: Education Grants are open to academic institutions and organizations, such as non-profits and non-governmental organizations, who are interested in conducting education and outreach activities for the benefit of the greater sustainable ag community, and promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, agricultural diversification, and best management practices. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and 1890 land-grant university faculty/extension cooperators are especially encouraged to apply for this grant for their education and outreach activities. SSARE also considers proposals from organizations/institutions whose projects involve farmers from indigenous agriculture that produces products for community food systems. These enterprises may be eligible where the production activity has an annual value of less than $1,000, even if products are not sold due to cultural factors. Education Grants should focus on a topic area of sustainable agriculture relevance that meets SARE’s program goals. In addition, the proposed project should comprise education/outreach efforts/activities that support the research/education foundation of the institution/organization, and must clearly articulate how those education/outreach efforts/activities will be implemented and evaluated. Examples of Education Grant projects can include one or more of the following, but are not limited to: Experiential (Demonstrations, on-farm tours, field days, workshops, trainings, case studies); Integrative (Conferences, seminars, course curriculum) Reinforcement (Fact sheets, bulletins, books, manuals, videos, online technologies, guidebooks) SARE encourages proposals on quality of life topics that focus on the social health of a farming system. These can include, but are not limited to: Heirs property; Farmers’ markets; food hubs; locavores; CSAs; Local/regional processing/slaughter; Food sheds and food circles; Direct marketing and value-added; Beyond organics value chains; Farm to School/Institution; Civic agriculture, agritourism; Denominations of origin/geographic indications; Non-GMO movement, Slow Food, chef collaboratives; Urban ag systems; Food policy councils, governance structures; and Local/regional certification/branding. Funding Information Education Grant project maximums are $50,000, limited to two (2) years. Education Grants are paid by reimbursement of allowable project expenses. Who can apply? Researchers from public and private institutions, such as 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities or other colleges and universities; government agencies, such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service or USDA-ARS; non-governmental organizations; and community-based organizations. Education Grants strictly fund education and outreach activities related to sustainable agriculture whose outcomes are intended to benefit farmers and farming communities. There is no research involved in these grant projects. Southern SARE accepts proposals from applicants in the Southern region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Grant Requirements  Education Grant proposals must meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for funding: Project outcomes must focus on developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing systems toward sustainable agriculture. The project must clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom and how the project will accomplish those goals. The results must be realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to the actions and benefits described in the proposal. For farmers involved in your project, the primary occupation is farming/ranching or part-time farming. Producers run their farm alone or with family or partners and have a least $1,000 of documented annual income from the operation, as defined by USDA. SSARE also considers proposals with farmers from indigenous agriculture that produces products for community food systems. These enterprises may be eligible where the production activity has an annual value of less than $1,000, but products are not sold due to cultural factors. For more information, visit Southern SARE.

The Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) is the administrator for a portion of New York State’s Department of Agriculture and Markets USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program with a focus on enhancing, growing and improving the mid-channel of the food supply chain. Donor Name: Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) State: New York County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/28/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funded under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021, and with allocations made to all 50 states plus districts and commonwealths, the goals are to expand each state’s middle-chain capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural food products. Meat, poultry, cannabis, animal food and forage, fiber, and wild caught seafood products are not considered under this program. The RFSI program will make infrastructure awards to businesses and organizations operating in the middle-of-the-supply chain. Successful projects will focus on increasing the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York markets. Competitive project applications must benefit multiple producers and multiple markets, and may be collaborative applications. The grant program is to fund projects that expand statewide capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products). Successful projects will focus on increasing the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York and regional markets. Competitive project applications will benefit multiple producers and multiple markets. Priorities and Objectives Support infrastructure development to expand business’ capacity for processing, aggregation, storage and distribution. Target development of infrastructure projects to the dairy, fruit and vegetable, and organic industries to support the development of new value-added products. Create greater market access to intermediaries such as food hubs, aggregators, wholesalers, and distributors with the goal of increasing local food sales to institutions such as schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities. Funding Information Infrastructure Grants: This competitive opportunity is focused on funding infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of locally produced agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products). Applications may be submitted for projects ranging from $100,000 – $3,000,000. Applications must include match funds of 50% or 25% for historically underserved groups. Eligible Activities  Construction Hiring term-limited personnel to assist with project implementation activities. Purchasing special purpose equipment to benefit multiple producers through middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution or targeted agricultural product. Analyzing potential facility upgrades and changes to meet regulatory requirements, obtaining design and/or architecture services. Planning for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) or other food safety or worker safety measures or equipment recommendations. Upgrades to new facilities for processing specific agricultural products, such as: On-farm post-harvest processing, preservation, and storage/cold storage. Post-harvest cleaning and grading. Aggregator warehouse and storage, including cooperatives. Purchase of freezing equipment, freezer, or cold storage. Processing, canning, preserving and pasteurization. Preparation and packing. Drying, hulling, shelling and milling. Cooking, baking, juicing, distilling, fermenting Retail related activities can include creating distribution channels to new retail opportunities, or expanding processing and packaging capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new retail product lines. Eligibility Criteria  Who is eligible? New York State agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors Nonprofit organizations Local government entities Tribal governments Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities. What is eligible? Projects that expand processing capacity, including product type, increased production volume, and supporting new wholesale/retail product lines, modernize equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs or retooling, purchase installation of specialized equipment, modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems, enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements, construct new facilities, increase packaging and labeling capacities, increase storage space, develop, customize, or install climate-smart equipment, modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, and train on the use of new equipment and new processes. Some examples include: Expanding processing capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new wholesale/retail product lines; Modernizing equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs, or retooling; (e.g., adapting product lines for institutional procurement or adding parallel processing capacity); Purchase installation of specialized equipment, such as processing components, sorting equipment, packing, and labeling equipment, or delivery vehicles; Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems; Enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements; Increasing packaging and labeling capacities that meet compliance requirements under applicable laws; (e.g. sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment); Increasing storage space, including cold storage; Develop, customize, or install climate-smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals; Modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, including associated Hazard, Analysis, and Critical Control Points (HACCP) consultation, plan development and employee training; Training on the use of all equipment purchased under the grant and associated new processes. For more information, visit FFGF.