WE FUND THE CONNECTORS, NURTURERS, & CHAMPIONS COMMITTED TO HELPING CHILDREN THRIVE
IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS GRANT, YOUR ORGANIZATION MUST:
• Serve low-income families with children
• Be associated with a nonprofit, government entity, or business
• Be located in and/or serve a rural community in one of our priority states (AR, CA, KY, LA, MS, NC, NM, OK, SC, TN, TX, WA, and WV)
• Have an innovative idea, program, or clear challenge you want to solve
CRITERIA
Whether you’re representing a food bank, advocacy group, school, small nonprofit, or a more established organization, we will prioritize candidates that:
BRIDGE FOOD ACCESS IN A NEW OR IMAGINATIVE WAY
You have an idea that approaches a complex challenge in a completely novel way, offers a new spin on an existing program, or adapts a service to reach a new community.
ELEVATE THE VOICES OF FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
Your idea or program centers the needs and aspirations of communities, families, and children who have been most impacted by the system.
HAVE A CLEAR CHALLENGE YOU WANT TO TACKLE
You’ve found a clear need or barrier and see a way to leverage the strengths of your organization and community to solve for it in a new and compelling way.
SERVE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES
Your organization prioritizes the wellbeing of communities who are disproportionately affected by food insecurity—such as Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), and immigrant populations.
AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for potential grantees who are committed to working alongside their communities to build programs and services that expand healthy food options, improve access, and meet families where they are. The examples below are just to prompt your thinking. We’re excited to see what opportunities feel unique to your community.
Accessibility
CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE CONNECTED AND RESOURCED LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.
• Help local grocery stores or dollar stores offer affordable, nutritious food.
• Support the local food production, storage, and or processing systems through partnerships with local agriculture.
• Build partnerships and coalitions to improve nutritious food access.
• Improve access to fresh produce through things like community agriculture programs.
• Improve awareness and streamline enrollment into federal child nutrition programs, such as WIC.
• Advocate for new policies or laws that would increase food access.
Dignity
REDESIGNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT HONOR THE CHOICES AND AGENCY OF FAMILIES.
• Reimagine small moments of the journey towards food access (think: waiting in line, ordering food, etc.) so that they’re more dignified.
• Create subsidized options to make sure families can access nutritious food free from stigma or shame.
• Partner with a local restaurant to provide subsidized meals.
• Offer grocery bill rebates and reimbursements for low shelf life groceries and/or culturally relevant ingredients.
• Advance new policies or laws that support increased food choice.
Flexibility
MEETING FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF TIME, ELIGIBILITY, AND MOBILITY.
• Shift local laws or regulations that put unnecessary burden on families to prove eligibility.
• Address transportation challenges among families and/or program providers.
• Provide child nutrition program enrollment outreach directly to families.
• Improve last-mile delivery solutions.
• Expand access to food during non-traditional work hours or summers.
