New York Food and Nutrition Grants

This funding opportunity provides financial support to K-12 schools and nonprofit organizations in New York to increase the use of locally sourced agricultural products in school meal programs, promoting better nutrition and agricultural education for students.

This funding initiative provides financial support to counties, municipalities, and conservation organizations for acquiring agricultural conservation easements to protect viable farmland in New York from being converted to non-farm uses.

This grant provides financial support to innovative New Yorkers with bold ideas aimed at creating positive change in their communities across the five boroughs.

This funding initiative provides financial support to state and local governments in the Appalachian Region for projects that enhance critical infrastructure and promote business and workforce development to stimulate economic growth and resilience.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and local governments in Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester Counties to improve the lives of low-income older adults and their caregivers through various essential services.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to New York-based nonprofits, municipalities, school districts, and BOCES for projects that improve school meal facilities, promote local agriculture, and address food insecurity across multiple districts.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofits, schools, and municipalities in the Adirondack region to address critical community needs and promote long-term improvements in basic needs, education, and economic vitality.

This program provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations focused on food systems, arts and culture, or rural communities, helping them strengthen their internal capacity and effectiveness through a structured assessment and development process.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to not-for-profit organizations, local governments, and educational institutions to improve the infrastructure and sustainability of farmers' markets in New York State.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Western New York for implementing capacity building plans developed through specific programs, helping them enhance their operational effectiveness and sustainability.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in New York State to help older refugees access essential services and improve their quality of life through culturally appropriate programs and community engagement.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in New York State to help refugees aged 60 and older access essential services and achieve greater independence and integration in their communities.

This program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on transforming local and regional food systems, helping them build capacity and enhance their operational effectiveness.

This funding initiative provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Northern New York that operate food pantries, soup kitchens, and school programs, enabling them to purchase essential food supplies to combat local food insecurity.

This program provides funding to New York State agricultural producers who meet food safety and environmental standards, helping them promote their products and increase sales.

The Summer Meals Capacity-Building Mini-Grants program, funded by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, aims to significantly increase the number of children and youth in the City of Rochester who receive summer meals, as well as extend the duration of meal service. This program directly aligns with the foundation's mission by addressing critical community needs, specifically food insecurity among youth in a designated high-need area. The federally funded Summer Meals program (Summer Food Service Program) ensures that children 18 and under, particularly those near schools with high free and reduced meal eligibility rates, continue to receive nutritious food when school is not in session. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are children and youth aged 18 and under within the City of Rochester, a city designated as a high-need area. The program specifically targets those who would otherwise lack access to consistent meals during the summer months. The impact goals are to enhance the capacity of Summer Meals sites to serve more children and to offer meals for a greater number of days. By providing essential nourishment, the program contributes to the overall well-being and health of Rochester's youth, helping to mitigate the "summer slide" in nutrition and academic readiness. The program prioritizes several key areas to achieve its goals. This includes supporting the hiring of a Summer Meals Volunteer Coordinator or supplemental staff to boost site capacity. It also focuses on one-time capital purchases such as tables, chairs, coolers, and other refrigeration/dining equipment to expand service capabilities. Furthermore, the grant encourages one-time capital purchases of equipment or supplies that promote physical activity and fun, thereby enticing more youth to participate and increasing the overall reach of the program. The expected outcomes and measurable results include an increase in the total number of children and youth served by the Summer Meals program and an expansion in the number of days meals are provided. While specific quantitative targets are not detailed, the grant's focus on capacity building inherently aims for a measurable increase in program reach and service duration. The funding information indicates grants of up to $15,000, which will facilitate these capacity-building efforts. The eligibility criteria emphasize partnerships with existing Summer Meals sponsors (City of Rochester, Rochester City School District, or Foodlink) or organizations with LEA status, ensuring alignment with established food service networks. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in its commitment to addressing equity and supporting youth in the community, with a clear theory of change that by strengthening the infrastructure and staffing of summer meal programs, more children will have access to vital food resources.

This funding opportunity supports not-for-profit organizations in Broome County that are working to address critical community issues and promote systemic change through collaborative efforts.

The Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) administers a portion of New York State’s Department of Agriculture and Markets USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program. This program, funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021, aims to enhance, grow, and improve the mid-channel of the food supply chain within New York State. The overarching mission alignment is 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, excluding meat, poultry, cannabis, animal food and forage, fiber, and wild-caught seafood. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are New York State agricultural producers, processors, groups of producers and processors, nonprofit organizations, local government entities, tribal governments, and institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals that bring producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment for middle-of-the-supply-chain activities. The impact goals are to increase the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York and regional markets, benefit multiple producers and markets, and support the development of new value-added products. The program prioritizes infrastructure development to expand business capacity for processing, aggregation, storage, and distribution. Specific focuses include targeting infrastructure projects to the dairy, fruit and vegetable, and organic industries. Another key priority is to create greater market access to intermediaries like food hubs, aggregators, wholesalers, and distributors, with the goal of increasing local food sales to institutions such as schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities. Expected outcomes include expanded processing capacities, modernized equipment and facilities, increased packaging and labeling capabilities, enhanced worker safety, and greater storage space, including cold storage. The program also seeks to develop and install climate-smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases water use efficiency, and improves air/water quality. Measurable results would involve an increase in New York-sourced food products in local markets, a greater number of businesses with expanded processing and distribution capacities, and an increase in local food sales to institutions, ultimately strengthening the resilience and efficiency of the state's food supply chain.

The Food for Thought Grant Program, sponsored by the Western New York Foundation, aims to support educational and artistic projects that foster awareness, build knowledge, and cultivate conscious advocates for local and regional food systems. This aligns with the foundation's broader mission to engage artists, educators, community members, and food system stakeholders in creative expression and collaboration to spark social change. The program's core objective is to bring these diverse groups together to highlight the importance of just and sustainable food systems. The program primarily targets organizations interested in submitting projects that use arts and/or education to uplift opportunities or inform on issues related to the food system. The ultimate beneficiaries are the communities within Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming counties in New York, as the program seeks to widen community participation, promote collaboration and dialogue, and engage and empower these communities at large. The impact goals include raising awareness, inspiring action, and creating a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system. The program prioritizes projects designed to foster community participation and dialogue, encouraging creative approaches to food system education. It also focuses on the facilitation and exchange of learnings, insights, and expertise related to the food system to inform the public. Learning agendas are specifically encouraged to share practical knowledge, raise awareness, and inspire action towards building better food systems. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) entities or those with a fiscal sponsor or acting as a pass-through. Expected outcomes include an increase in community engagement with food system issues, enhanced collaboration among various stakeholders, and a more informed public regarding sustainable and equitable food practices. Measurable results could involve the number of projects implemented, the reach of educational and artistic initiatives, and documented shifts in community knowledge and advocacy. The Western New York Foundation’s strategic priorities, as evidenced by this program, lean towards fostering community-led initiatives that utilize innovative methods like arts and education to address critical social and environmental issues, particularly within the context of local food systems. Their theory of change appears to be rooted in the belief that by empowering local communities and fostering creative dialogue, significant social and systemic changes can be achieved.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations serving Wyoming County, New York, to address critical health needs through initiatives focused on access to care, chronic disease management, food security, mental health, and more.