State Food Purchase Program - Gleaning Support Grant

The State Food Purchase Program - Gleaning Support grant aims to assist nonprofit organizations in New Jersey that engage in gleaning activities. Funded by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the program encourages the collection of surplus produce from farms for distribution to food-insecure residents. Eligible applicants must have at least two years of operational experience in gleaning and must provide a detailed implementation plan. This initiative supports local efforts to combat hunger and promote food security.

Grant InformationGrants for agriculture, conservation, or rural development are designed to accomplish specific objectives. Grant requirements for agriculture generally are for existing farm operations. For purchasing a farm or for operational expenses, loans are available.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has received funds under the State Food Purchase Program, which may be allocated to support gleaning activities (the Gleaning Support Program). Gleaning Support Program funds to support gleaning activities may be requested from the NJDA by interested eligible nonprofit entities who are gleaning from New Jersey farms and distributing such gleaned food to New Jersey organizations to help feed New Jersey’s hungry.

Eligibility

The applicant must be a non-profit entity owned and operating in New Jersey.
Letter of Determination from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documenting non-profit status is required. The applicant must provide an implementation plan stating how this grant will support its gleaning program activities. Please note that the application must identify existing gleaning activities that obtain produce grown by New Jersey farmers free of charge and distributed to New Jersey organizations that help feed New Jersey’s food-insecure residents.
The applicant must have operated a gleaning program for a minimum of 2 years within the past three calendar years. The gleaning program must have consisted of gleaning produce from New Jersey farms by collecting surplus products and distributing them to pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and/or EFOs within New Jersey. The two years are not required to include calendar year 2024. The gleaning program may operate for less than 12 calendar months of each of the years because gleaning in New Jersey is not known to be a 12-month operation. If there is information to support a 12-month gleaning operation, please provide that.

Ineligibility

Organizations currently receiving State Food Purchase Program funding are not eligible to apply for Gleaning Support Grant funds.