New York Food and Nutrition Grants

This funding opportunity supports grassroots organizations in New York City and the Hudson Valley that are responding to urgent political changes and working towards systemic justice through community organizing and collective power building.

This grant provides funding to small grassroots nonprofit organizations in Vermont, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York City that focus on environmental and social justice initiatives, particularly in areas like food justice and community engagement.

This funding initiative provides financial support to local communities in the Appalachian Region for projects that enhance critical infrastructure and promote business and workforce development.

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 grant provides $100,000 to nonprofit organizations in Western New York for innovative projects that create lasting community benefits and demonstrate a clear plan for sustainability.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Ulster County to improve emergency food services and address food insecurity, particularly for underserved communities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local nonprofits focused on addressing family and child welfare, particularly food insecurity, through various community-based programs and services.

This program provides funding to multifamily building owners and property managers in New York to implement low carbon technologies and improve energy efficiency in their buildings.

This grant provides $750,000 over three years to early career cancer researchers in the greater New York City area, enabling them to pursue innovative and high-risk projects while fostering collaborations and networking opportunities.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and local governments in New York State to help low-income families access fresh, locally grown farm products through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs using SNAP benefits.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties that are working on projects addressing basic human needs, mental health and wellness, or workforce development and job training.

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.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots initiatives, nonprofits, and small businesses in Tompkins County that focus on promoting racial and social equity within historically underserved communities.

The Summer Meals Capacity-Building Mini-Grants program seeks to increase the number of children and youth in the City of Rochester receiving summer meals and the number of days meals are served. Donor Name: Rochester Area Community Foundation State: New York City: Rochester Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/17/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Summer Meals program is federally funded and designed to provide food to youth when the regular school year is not in session. The program serves youth 18 and under who are in programs that serve, or are located near, a school with at least 50% free and reduced meals eligibility rates. The City of Rochester is designated a high-need area, making all youth in the city eligible for summer meals. The Summer Meals program (officially the Summer Food Service Program) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. Proposals may include requests for one or more of the following: A Summer Meals Volunteer Coordinator or supplemental staff to increase the Summer Meals site’s capacity to serve additional children and/or to extend the number of days of meal service. One-time capital purchases to increase the capacity of the Summer Meals site to serve additional children and/or extend the number of days of meal service. Examples include purchase of tables, chairs, and coolers. Examples can be found here: Refrigeration and dining, Equipment One-time capital purchase of equipment or supplies that will encourage physical activity and fun, thus increasing the capacity of the provider to serve additional summer meals as more youth may be enticed to participate. Categories  Children  Equity  Youth  Funding Information Up to $15,000. Eligibility Criteria All applicants must be an approved partner of one of the three main Summer Meals sponsors in Rochester (the City of Rochester, Rochester City School District, or Foodlink) for meal delivery, or maintains its own LEA status with NYSED for Summer Meal sponsorship; AND An organization, church, or government entity that has previously provided reimbursable Summer Meals through the New York State Department of Education under the Summer Food Service Program in the City of Rochester; OR A 501(c)(3) organization or 509(a)(1) public organization Previous Summer Meals Mini-Grant recipients are eligible to reapply, but priority may be given to organizations that have not received Summer Meals Mini-Grants in the past. For more information, visit RACF.

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) 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.

Food for Thought Grant Program supports educational and artistic projects that raise awareness, build knowledge, and creating conscious advocates for local and regional food system. Donor Name: Western New York Foundation State: New York County: Allegany County (NY), Cattaraugus County (NY), Chautauqua County (NY), Erie County (NY), Genesee County (NY), Niagara County (NY), Wyoming County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: This program seeks to bring together artists, educators, community members, and food system stakeholders to raise awareness about the importance of just and sustainable food systems. The program encourages creative expression and collaboration to spark social change. Organizations are invited to submit proposals for projects that use the arts and/or education to uplift opportunities or inform on issues related to the food system.  Projects should be designed to widen community participation, promote collaboration and dialogue, and to engage and empower the community at large.  The program also supports the facilitation and exchange of learnings, insights, and expertise related to the food system that serves to inform the public-at-large. Learning agendas should be focused on sharing practical knowledge, raising awareness, and inspiring action to create a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system. Eligibility Criteria This grant program is open to all organizations interested in submitting a project. If an organization is not a 501(c)(3), they must have a fiscal sponsor or use a 501(c)(3) as a pass-through. For more information, visit Western New York Foundation.

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.

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant program provides funding for municipalities to address greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate change adaptation at the local level. Donor Name: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Projects are divided into two categories: Implementation – There are two subcategories of implementation projects:  GHG Mitigation (non-power sector, e.g., from transportation and food waste).  Climate Adaptation (reducing risks to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from changing climate hazards).  Certification – Projects in this category include inventories, assessments, and planning projects that build local capacity to respond to climate change and move municipalities toward designation as certified Climate Smart Communities. Eligible Project Types and Funding Levels Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Section 54-1507 provides that adaption and mitigation projects must demonstrate an ability to identify, mitigate and/or adapt to climate change vulnerability and risk or demonstrate potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Projects that do not meet this requirement are not eligible for grant funding under this program. The CSC grant program includes two different project categories: implementation and certification. The implementation category is divided into two subcategories: GHG mitigation and adaptation. Each category and the related project types are detailed below. Implementation Category Eligible implementation projects must be GHG mitigation or climate change adaptation projects, as described below, and be located within the State of New York. The expected useful life of an implementation project is a minimum of 10 years, pursuant 6 NYCRR § 492-3.3(e).  Funding available – $21.5 million  Minimum grant award – $50,000  Maximum grant award – $2,000,000 Design and engineering expenses are limited to a maximum of fifteen percent (15%) of the grant request. For projects with outreach or educational components, curriculum or program development expenses are limited to fifteen percent (15%) of the grant request. No more than fifty percent (50%) of the total available funds for implementation projects will be awarded to municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 or to any single municipality. If funding in the implementation category remains after all awards in the implementation category are made based on eligibility, program requirements and goals, and passing score, DEC reserves the right to apply the remaining funding to eligible proposals in the certification category. GHG Mitigation Projects Eligible projects in the mitigation category must reduce GHG emissions. Projects shall be one of the following types to be eligible: Reduction of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). Reduction of Organic Waste Refrigerant Management Renewable Energy in Low-income Housing Climate Adaptation Projects Eligible adaptation project types include projects designed to provide a meaningful reduction of risk to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from hazards projected to become more severe or frequent as a result of climate change. Certification Category  Certification projects focus on assessments, inventories, and planning activities that are part of becoming a certified Climate Smart Community. These actions also provide a basis for future grant applications in the implementation category. Only the 20 certification actions listed below are eligible for grant funding.  Total available – up to $1,000,000  Minimum grant award – $10,000  Maximum grant award – $200,000 No more than fifty percent (50%) of the total available funds for certification will be awarded to municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 or to any single municipality If funding in the certification category remains after all awards in the certification category are made based on eligibility, program requirements and goals, and passing scores, DEC reserves the right to apply the remaining funding to eligible proposals in the implementation category. Eligible Expenses for Reimbursement The following expenses are eligible for reimbursement: Personnel Services: Salaries of staff, including fringe, directly devoted to project implementation. Grantees will be required to document dates and hours worked and tasks completed via time records Contractual Services Tasks completed by professional and technical consultants or contractors, e.g., engineering, planning, construction, and legal services, directly related to the project Equipment Purchase or rental of Equipment, e.g., backhoe, directly required to implement the project Travel Project related travel costs. Mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate and lodging at current state per diem rates for the location. Note that consultants should include travel in the overall cost proposal and not bill the grantee separately Supplies and Materials Supplies and Materials are defined as consumable products needed to directly implement the project, e.g., printing, copying, paving material, crushed stone Real Property The cost of fee simple land acquisition and associated legal fees, filing fees, closing costs, and transactional costs, provided they result in the final acquisition of land. Transactional costs can be submitted for reimbursement as incurred throughout the contract term, but grantees may be required to return payments to the State should the land transaction not successfully close. Transactional costs are limited to property surveys, appraisals, certified appraisal review, map and GIS/remote sensing data, phase I environmental assessment, title reports and title insurance, prorated property taxes, and state or local real estate transfer taxes, that are directly related to the project and necessary to facilitate a climate adaptation or mitigation implementation project. Eligibility Criteria All municipalities in the State of New York are eligible to apply for funding in response to this request for applications (RFA). For the purposes of this RFA and pursuant to 6 NYCRR § 492-1.1(j), a municipality is defined as a county, city, town, village, or borough (referring only to Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) residing within New York State Political subdivisions such as municipal corporations, school districts, district corporations, boards of cooperative educational services, fire districts, public benefit corporations, industrial development authorities, and similar organizations are not eligible to apply in response to this RFA Applicants do not need to be a certified or registered CSC or be working toward CSC certification to apply in response to this RFA Applicants must submit a resolution, adopted by the municipal legislative body, authorizing the application and specifying the match amount and the source of the local match. Applications submitted without such a resolution will be deemed ineligible Two or more municipalities, or one municipality and a quasi-governmental entity or non-profit organization, may collaborate on a project; however, the applicant must be a municipality. Applicants may submit several applications, but no more than one application may be submitted for the same project or project location. For more information, visit DEC.