Food Funding Streams

Learn more about the three food funding streams and what types of projects are eligible.

1. Food access programs

This funding stream supports organizations providing direct food services or products to the community, to businesses and to individuals facing food insecurity. Its purpose is to increase access to nutritious food for individuals and families, meeting immediate needs while fostering long-term community well-being. Projects must have clear metrics for evaluating their impact on food access.

Funding tier:

  • Ongoing food operations and support (up to $10,000): For established programs that provide food access on a regular basis. These funds will support food pantries, food markets, food boxes and meal programs.

  • Pilot funding (up to $30,000-$50,000): For new initiatives with innovative approaches to meal provision and food access. This funding encourages collaboration in areas such as volunteer coordination, resource sharing (e.g., drivers for food delivery) and collective bulk purchasing to reduce food costs. Joint applications between two or more organizations are encouraged.

2. Small capital and infrastructure enhancement projects

This funding stream supports small-scale capital projects for buildings or spaces that provide food access. These projects ensure that food programs can operate effectively and efficiently, enabling them to reach more people and improve service delivery.

Funding tier:

  • Capital (up to $20,000 - $50,000): For small renovations or items such as refrigeration units, food delivery vans or kitchen equipment.

3. Innovative projects and pilot initiatives

This funding stream supports projects that explore new models for food access, food literacy/education, rural and urban agriculture, food-sharing initiatives and technology-driven solutions (e.g., an app to help redistribute surplus food).

This funding stream supports initiatives that transform the way food is accessed, distributed and shared, empowering communities to become more resilient. These initiatives offer scalable, long-term solutions to food access in the community. Priority will be given to projects that support a sustainable food system and have a positive community impact.

Funding tier:

  • Pilot (up to $30,000 - $50,000): For new initiatives that introduce innovative solutions to food access and insecurity. These projects should have clear evaluation metrics to assess their success and scalability.