Local Food and Infrastructure Grants Now Available
Spark Awards- For Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana schools to improve school food systems with capacity building, planning, and product testing projects. Award range: $10,000- $75,000. Apply by April 30.
Innovation Collaborative Awards- For Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana schools to promote system-level change of school food system through scaling up programs, regional partnerships, or new program/product development. Award: $250,000. Apply by April 30.
RFSI- For expanding the capacity of the Illinois food system to aggregate, process, store, and distribute local foods. Infrastructure award range: $100,000- $3 million; Equipment Only award range: $10,000- $100,000. Application opens Jan. 22.
CRFSF- For building food system resilience up to 200 miles from Chicago. Round three funding goals: move from charity to community solidarity, boost BIPOC leadership, and help the emergency food system response to climate change. Maximum award: $150,000. Application opens Feb.
Farm to Food Bank- For Illinois food banks to buy excess products from local farmers. Strong interest in proteins and emphasis on sourcing from socially disadvantaged growers/producers. Ongoing enrollment.