Hudson Valley Farm Fresh Food Grant Program

The Hudson Valley Farm Fresh Food Grant Program, offered by the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, aims to enhance access to local, farm-fresh food for food-insecure individuals in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster counties. With funding up to $20,000 annually for three years, the program prioritizes innovative solutions and collaborative efforts to address food insecurity while integrating equity and social justice. Grants will be available for eligible nonprofit organizations from 2023 to 2025.

The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, through a grant from the NoVo Foundation, first offered the Hudson Valley Farm Fresh Food grant program in 2026-2028. This grant program is designed to distribute multi-year grant funds in amounts up to $20,000 a year for 3 years to nonprofit organizations in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties. The focus of the program is to fund programs and organizations that work to increase access to local, farm fresh food for individuals who are considered food insecure.
Funding Focus:
The Foundations will focus its grant making on applications that effectively increase access to local, farm fresh food to the food insecure, including but not limited to:
Support of programs and services that provide effective, creative solutions to increase access to local, farm fresh food, address the issue of food insecurity, leverage existing resources, and expand existing services- whether delivered independently or collaboratively
Support of programs and services that provide educational services and resources related to nutrition and health
Equipment to increase capacity to grow, collect, distribute, and serve local, farm fresh food and meals to those in need
Support for evaluation of health and related indicators to assess outcome data related to the effectiveness of the farm fresh food program
Support of programs that thoughtfully integrate equity and social justice components to the farm fresh food program
Awards
Multi-year grants made through this program will not exceed $20,000 per year per organization. There may be opportunities for collaborating organizations with broad impact to exceed $20,000 in funding.

Eligibility

Eligibility:Tax exempt organizations (including faith-based organizations) located in or providing services to Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster CountiesHave been operating as a nonprofit organization for at least one year with 501(c)(3) status or an established fiscal sponsorship arrangement with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Ineligibility

Please note that grants are not given to support:Political or partisan purposesAnnual fund or campaign appealsLoan reimbursements for capital projects already underway or completedEndowmentsReligious organizations for sacramental or theological purposesPrivate operating foundationsFor-profit organizationsOrganizations that are not located in the service areas defined must clearly document the program impact in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and/or Ulster counties.