Community Food Grant

Community Food Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Buen Provecho Collective Inc
Amount: US $5,000 - US $30,000
Last Updated: December 16, 2025

Summary

The Community Food Grant program provides $1.7 million in funding for food pantries in Colorado to procure and distribute healthy, culturally relevant foods. This initiative aims to enhance access to nutritious options while supporting local agriculture. Eligible food pantries can use these funds to purchase produce, meat, and dairy from local sources, ensuring that community needs and diverse cultural identities are met. The program emphasizes equity in the charitable food system, fostering collaboration with the communities served.

Overview

Community Food Grant The Community Food Grants program provides funding to qualifying food pantries and food banks, specifically for the procurement and distribution of healthy, culturally relevant foods, while also championing local agriculture. Grants are intended to purchase meat, dairy, and fresh produce from local farmers, ranchers, and producers. They also aim to expand access to foods that meet the diverse tastes and needs of community members based on their cultural identity and/or spirituality. The State of Colorado has allocated $2 million for the 2025 - 2026 grant cycle. After accounting for required costs like administration, translation, and interpretation, a total of $1.7 million is available to directly support emergency food providers across the state. With these funds, food pantries can acquire and distribute food directly to individuals and families as aligned with community needs and priorities. Similarly, food banks can buy food in bulk and distribute the entirety of their grant purchases to food pantries across the state. The Community Food Grants aim to: Aid Colorado food pantries and food banks in the purchase and distribution of foods that better meet the needs of their communitiesExpand access to culturally relevant and nutritionally appropriate foods within the charitable food system; and encourage the purchase of Colorado agricultural products and/or culturally or spiritually relevant foodEnsure that the charitable food system is grounded in equity and is responsive to community needs.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Only 'food pantries' are eligible to apply for this funding; 'food banks' have already been awarded.Interested food pantries must meet the following general requirements as defined by House Bill 24-1407. In order to be eligible and compliant with the grant:You must be a food pantry. "Food pantry" means an individual site that buys food or receives donations of foods that are then directly distributed to those in its community. This includes faith-based organizations.Previous Blueprint grant recipients must be in good standing to be eligible for this grant (i.e., having met all required deadlines for fund expenditure and reporting).To the extent practicable, food purchased by grant recipients using these funds should be designated to one of the following: A Colorado agricultural product; or   An agricultural product that holds cultural significance for Indigenous First Nations people, or for other cultures of subcultural groups, including the ways in which those agricultural products are produced.90% of funding must be spent on food purchases (locally in Colorado, when possible), and 10% can be spent on direct and indirect expenses associated with the distribution of food.Awardees must spend the total awarded amount by the specified date.

Ineligibility

This funding cannot be used to purchase gift cards of any kind.