Best Hunger Grants

The Rochelle Area Community Foundation Grants focus on supporting initiatives in arts, education, health, and community development, particularly in response to COVID-19's impact. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for funding to address local needs, enhance collaboration, and strengthen community involvement. Preference is given to innovative projects that have not received funding in the past three years, aiming to uplift individuals and families affected by financial hardships.

The Pokagon Fund offers Municipal Grants to support projects initiated by local government entities within specific jurisdictions. Eligible applicants can submit a letter of inquiry to outline their project and funding needs. Once approved, they may proceed with a full application. The Fund's Board of Directors reviews applications and decides on funding based on alignment with the Fund’s objectives. It’s important for municipalities to confirm available funding amounts as they can change frequently.

The Mecosta County Community Foundation Grants support local organizations to enhance the community's quality of life. By awarding grants twice a year, they focus on vital areas such as arts, education, health, and social services. Their mission is to address community needs through permanent endowments, improving resources like playgrounds and food pantries. This collaborative effort fosters a thriving environment for residents of Mecosta County.

The OCCF Food Pantry Assistance Grant supports local nonprofit food pantries in Owen County, providing essential food resources to residents. Since its inception in 2006, it has allocated over $223,899 to these organizations. In 2025, the Owen County Community Foundation will distribute $18,841 in grants, prioritizing based on served population and other factors. This initiative aims to enhance community welfare and address food insecurity effectively.

The North East Community Foundation Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in North East, Pennsylvania, by supporting charitable organizations through funding. Focused on youth activities, the foundation encourages applications for tangible projects with a significant impact. Eligible organizations must typically be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), but fiscal agents can assist those without this designation. Past funding has supported education, health, and community enrichment initiatives.

The Branford Community Foundation (BCF) offers sponsorships to support organizations serving the Branford community. Applications are accepted year-round, with specific review dates: January 15, April 15, and July 15. BCF seeks events that provide meaningful community impact, positive exposure, and opportunities to build relationships with a targeted audience. Sponsorships are awarded for single events or a series of events, but not for ongoing programming or political events.

The Oklahoma Healthy Food Financing Program, managed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, aims to improve access to healthy foods in low and moderate-income communities. By providing financial support through loans and grants, the program encourages the establishment and renovation of food retailers, ensuring they accept SNAP and WIC benefits. This initiative not only boosts local economies but also promotes healthier food choices, fostering community well-being and sustainability.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is launching its Multi-Year Grants program, with applications opening in January 2026 for funding starting in July 2026. This initiative aims to support nonprofit organizations addressing critical community needs across five counties. Key investment priorities include meeting basic needs, promoting financial stability, and enhancing educational success for youth. Interested applicants can attend information sessions from October to November 2025 to learn more about the grant process.

The Backyard Giving Grants, offered by CHS Foundation, support local organizations in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties with funding up to $5,000. These grants aim to host community events, provide agricultural education, and ensure access to healthy food and housing. Eligible applicants include 501c3 organizations that prioritize community building and education. Notably, the program does not fund sports teams or religious groups, ensuring a focus on essential community needs and equitable support.

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.

The Allianz Life Insurance Company's Financial Stability Grant aims to reduce barriers to economic inclusion by supporting nonprofit organizations that enhance financial stability for low- to moderate-income families. With grants ranging from $50,000 to $75,000, this program prioritizes groups that serve diverse communities, promote equity, and collaborate with local organizations. By focusing on basic needs such as food, shelter, and affordable housing, Allianz is committed to fostering sustainable economic independence within the Twin Cities metro area.

The Growing Justice Fund provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 to support community-led initiatives that enhance equitable food procurement. This initiative aims to empower Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities by facilitating access to institutional contracts and promoting local economic viability. With a focus on health, environmental justice, and collective action, these grants are designed to foster sustainable food systems and build wealth in historically marginalized communities.

The Charis Fund Grant supports non-profit organizations in California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, focusing on social welfare, health, and education. Grants range from $2,500 to $7,500, aimed at addressing issues such as housing, food insecurity, and support for at-risk youth. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) certified and can apply every three years, with specific restrictions on funding for arts and political activities.

About Moline Regional Community Foundation

Founded in 1953, MRCF partners with generous individuals who genuinely care about our community by establishing any number of grantmaking funds, including donor-advised, nonprofit endowments, scholarships, field-of-interest, and donor-designated funds. Serving a six-county region, including Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Henderson, and McDonough Counties in Illinois, and Scott County in Iowa, MRCF helps donors put their Giving Into Action!

“MRCF is honored to partner with Junior Board of Rock Island as they continue their organizational legacy of generously supporting our community.” Paul Plagenz – President/CEO

About The Junior Board of Rock Island

Junior Board began in 1935. For more than 90 years, members of the organization have donated their time, efforts and personal funds to make the nonprofit organization succeed. We are women joined in friendship, working together to support children in our community, JBRI allocates funds to over 40 non-profit organizations in our community, helping to ensure children have what they need to live a healthy and successful life.

Grants: Request For Funding 

Donation Request Guidelines

The Junior Board of Rock Island has set forth guidelines for community donations in an attempt to concentrate on areas of need of Children within our community (the greater Quad City Area). Donation requests should fall within the following areas of interest:

• Children at Risk
• Children and Literacy
• Poverty and Hunger - Children
• Environment - Children
• Education/School Events
• Anti-Violence/Community Safety - Children

The Equitable Food Access Initiative: Healthy Corner Stores aims to enhance food access for District residents by supporting corner stores through evidence-based strategies. Managed by the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, this initiative seeks proposals from community-based organizations and local businesses to improve food environments. By fostering partnerships, the program intends to create healthier, more sustainable food access points within the community, ensuring that all residents can benefit from nutritious food options.

Home

The Middle Run Foundation is a family-governed foundation based in Newark, Delaware. The Board of the foundation is chaired by Sarah Ives Gore, its founder, and includes her children, grandchildren, and non-family members who bring experience and expertise to our work.

About

Purpose:

The purpose of the foundation is to fund and support non-profit programs which focus on building healthy, self-sufficient families.

Apply

The Middle Run Foundation makes grants up to $500,000 annually with individual grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

The Equitable Food Access Initiative: Home Delivered Meals, led by the DC Department of Health, aims to enhance food access for District residents. This program invites proposals from qualified community and non-profit organizations to implement effective strategies for delivering meals to those in need. By focusing on evidence-based approaches, the initiative seeks to improve food environments and ensure equitable access to nutritious food options for all residents.

About Northeast SARE

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program offers grants and education to farmers, educators, service providers, researchers and others to address key issues affecting the sustainability of agriculture throughout our region.

The program serves Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The program is administered by Northeast SARE's host institution, the University of Vermont.

Farming Community Grant Program

The Northeast SARE Farming Community Grant applies social science research and education projects that strengthen farming and food systems at the community level.

These projects explore innovative approaches to improving the health and sustainability of agricultural communities in the Northeast. This program supports projects that are grounded in community partnerships and informed by the lived experiences of farmers. It encourages collaboration among farmers, service providers, researchers, and nonprofit organizations to co-create solutions that are responsive to local needs and scalable across the region.

This program encourages innovative solutions to challenges in farming and food systems in the Northeast USA, including but not limited to the areas of: Marketing and business; Crop production; Raising livestock; Aquaculture; Economic and social sustainability; Ecological knowledge; Projects related to climate and/or bioenergy work that provide direct or indirect benefits to farmers,ranchers, and private foresters; and more.

Technical Assistance Program

Applicants and grantees of the Farming Community Grant Program are eligible for Technical Assistance (TA) provided by Northeast SARE’s Technical Assistance Providers.

Funding: This grant is reimbursement based; you must spend money to receive the grant funds.

The Mayo Clinic Community Contributions Program in Florida focuses on improving access to nutritious food. This grant supports registered 501(c)(3) organizations in northeast Florida, encouraging initiatives that align with community health needs. Eligible projects include health services, education, and youth enrichment, aiming to foster vibrant and sustainable communities. Organizations can apply for funding once per calendar year, with grants designed to enhance community engagement and address food insecurity.

The Lumpkin Family Foundation

The Lumpkin Family Foundation is a private, family foundation created in 1953 from the estate of Besse A. Lumpkin of Mattoon, Illinois.

We are a multi-generational organization whose programs reflect the collective aspirations of a diverse family living in communities across the country. We make grants and conduct programs that support people working together to build healthy, sustainable communities in East Central Illinois and beyond. After 70 years, members of the Lumpkin family continue to support the Foundation’s work, serving alongside members of the larger community on committees and the Board of Trustees.

Our Geographic Focus

Our grantmaking is deeply rooted in East Central Illinois, the original service area of Illinois Consolidated Telephone (ICTC), the company founded by the Lumpkin family in 1894. We also support organizations in Chicago and national organizations whose efforts align with our core focus on promoting health and wellness through sustainable food systems, mental health initiatives, and regenerative agriculture.

Land, Health, Community - Chicago Program

Grant Overview

The Land, Health, Community-Chicago (LHC-C) program has recently expanded its focus areas to reflect our commitment, as a Foundation, to supporting holistically healthy communities in the Chicagoland area. We believe that a community’s health is rooted in its ability to access and obtain life sustaining resources for all its residents without undue burden, systemic barriers, and inequitable opportunity. The Land, Health, Community-Chicago Program has one grant cycle in the fall.

Program Focus

We look to fund projects and organizations that support the following:

• Our communities are physically active, values healthy eating, and prioritizes overall wellbeing.
• All communities can thrive. Communities that have faced and continue to face inequitable and unjust policies, laws and practices will be equipped with the resources needed to realize their full potential.

Funding Priorities

• Opportunities for children in/out of school to engage physically with and to learn about the natural world, to eat well, and to care for the planet.
•  A community and/or multigenerational approach to addressing the mental health and wellness of youth.
• Efforts to increase access to healthy and sustainably produced food.
• Grassroots and community led initiatives centered on the pursuit of food justice.

The Lumpkin Family Foundation

The Lumpkin Family Foundation is a private, family foundation created in 1953 from the estate of Besse A. Lumpkin of Mattoon, Illinois.

We are a multi-generational organization whose programs reflect the collective aspirations of a diverse family living in communities across the country. We make grants and conduct programs that support people working together to build healthy, sustainable communities in East Central Illinois and beyond. After 70 years, members of the Lumpkin family continue to support the Foundation’s work, serving alongside members of the larger community on committees and the Board of Trustees.

Our Geographic Focus

Our grantmaking is deeply rooted in East Central Illinois, the original service area of Illinois Consolidated Telephone (ICTC), the company founded by the Lumpkin family in 1894. We also support organizations in Chicago and national organizations whose efforts align with our core focus on promoting health and wellness through sustainable food systems, mental health initiatives, and regenerative agriculture.

Land, Health, Community - Chicago Program

Grant Overview

The Land, Health, Community-Chicago (LHC-C) program has recently expanded its focus areas to reflect our commitment, as a Foundation, to supporting holistically healthy communities in the Chicagoland area. We believe that a community’s health is rooted in its ability to access and obtain life sustaining resources for all its residents without undue burden, systemic barriers, and inequitable opportunity. The Land, Health, Community-Chicago Program has one grant cycle in the fall.

Program Focus

We look to fund projects and organizations that support the following:

• Our communities are physically active, values healthy eating, and prioritizes overall wellbeing.
• All communities can thrive. Communities that have faced and continue to face inequitable and unjust policies, laws and practices will be equipped with the resources needed to realize their full potential.

Funding Priorities

• Opportunities for children in/out of school to engage physically with and to learn about the natural world, to eat well, and to care for the planet.
•  A community and/or multigenerational approach to addressing the mental health and wellness of youth.
• Efforts to increase access to healthy and sustainably produced food.
• Grassroots and community led initiatives centered on the pursuit of food justice.

Special Funding Opportunities: Community Garden Grants

Community Gardens which are defined are small patches of land that are used to connect community members to nature. These gardens are engaged in minimal food production (as opposed to larger urban farms).

This project-based funding is for those organizations looking to establish community gardens on previously underutilized green spaces or to improve upon and/or expand existing gardens. This could be patches of land connected with schools, houses of worship, community centers, etc. Organizations can apply for up to $5,000 per garden. An organization is eligible to apply for support of multiple gardens in one application.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides leadership, oversight, funding, support, and accountability for the Commonwealth's approximately 400 school districts that educate close to 1 million public school children each year. We also oversees programs that serve 20,000 adult learners each year.

MA Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (FRESH)

Purpose

The purpose of this state funded competitive grant program is to encourage National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and Child Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) sponsors to start or expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system. Furthermore, this grant seeks to connect food system education to the availability of local foods served in school or early education meal programs through strategic planning and investment in internal staff positions and/or external partnerships.

Funding

Applicant proposals must be submitted in one of the following categories. Only one application will be accepted per Child Nutrition Program sponsor. Sponsors of both the NSLP and CACFP may only submit one application for consideration.

Applicants may apply for funding in one of the five following categories:

• New K–12 Farm to School Initiative Grants
• New Farm to Early Education Initiative Grants

["New" farm to school/early education initiatives engage in none or only one of the farm to school three "C's": Classroom (such as curriculum and school garden engagement), Cafeteria (such as local menu offerings) and Community (such as farm field trips or non-profit food system partnerships). Applicants that have been dormant in all farm to school activities for the last three years also qualify as "new."]

• Expanding K–12 Farm to School Initiative Grants
• Expanding Farm to Early Education Initiative Grants
• MA FRESH CORP Planning Grant

Fund Use

The program is designed to support K–12 and early education programs in food literacy initiatives that connect local food system education to the availability of local foods served in school or early education meal programs. Applicants will be asked to indicate all activities their MA FRESH application seeks to fund. Project activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Building a new garden for children
• Building a new indoor growing operation for children
• Developing classroom curriculums or lesson plans that support food literacy efforts
• Expanding in-school or child care programming to promote food literacy for children through gardening, cooking, taste tests and more
• Field trip(s) to local farm/food producers
• Expanding before/after school/child care programming that supports food literacy, and exposure to local foods for children and families
• Completing farm to school strategic planning, including the development of an action plan, job description(s) for food literacy coordination, or a scope of work for a contractor to cultivating program structures that elevate internal staff capacity in food literacy
• Professional development and training for educators to bring food literacy activities or curriculum to their classrooms
• Professional development and training for school nutrition professionals to integrate local, unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients into program meals
• Funds can only be used to fund new staff time or salaries because of new or expanded initiatives.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides leadership, oversight, funding, support, and accountability for the Commonwealth's approximately 400 school districts that educate close to 1 million public school children each year. We also oversees programs that serve 20,000 adult learners each year.

MA Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health with Coordination and Optimization of Resources and Partnerships (MA FRESH CORP)

Purpose

The purpose of this state-funded targeted grant program is to support MA FRESH CORP affiliates to ensure local food system activities - including local food system education and local procurement in Child Nutrition Programs - are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community through investment in internal personnel or contracted partnerships that support institutionalized programs that promote food literacy. Grant funds will support further off-boarding technical assistance and guidance to support the retention of internal personnel and food system education workplans past the grant period.

Fund Use

MA FRESH CORP is designed to ensure local food system activities — including local food system education and local procurement in Child Nutrition Programs — are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community through investment in internal personnel or contracted partnerships that support institutionalized programs. This funding seeks to support the retention of internal personnel and food system education workplans as awardees work to transition their programming model to other sustainable funding models.

Funding will be prioritized for the budget areas described below. Applicants may apply for up to 50% of the total funding expended for FY26 Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health Coordination and Optimization of Resources and PartnershipsMA FRESH CORP in the following budget categories. Total funding requests may not exceed $50,000.

• Professional Salaries: For the coordination and implementation of local food system education and/or local procurement by full-time, salaried and benefited positions, part-time positions, or for the expansion of hours/stipending of internal personnel - such as nutrition professionals, educators, or community/family stakeholders.
• Contracted Services: To provide technical assistance, coaching, professional development, the development of resources such as program protocols or curriculum and/or strategic planning consultation. The hiring of a contracted partner should be in service of cultivating program structures that elevate internal staff capacity and should not be used primarily to support the direct execution of direct farm to school programming by the contracted partner.
• Professional Development Expenses (Other Expenses): To attend farm to school, food literacy, agricultural or culinary oriented workshops, trainings, or conferences. Associated costs may include registration fees, travel fees, mileage, compensation/stipends for out-of-work time, or the cost of substitutes required to provide coverage for personnel attending professional development opportunities.

Equipment, supply, and infrastructure costs capped at 10% of the total budget request are allowable but will be contingent on budget availability once priority budget areas described above are funded for eligible applicants.

MA FRESH CORP awardees will be required to:

• participate in periodic grant meetings, professional development opportunities and technical assistance
• track local spending (dollar value) within Child Nutrition Programs during the grant period
• complete a funding succession plan

Priority will be given to MA FRESH CORP affiliates that:

• Have created a job description and/or consultant scope of work that ensures local food system activities are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community
• Have current programming in all three core areas of farm to school: Classroom (such as food system curriculum and school garden activities), Cafeteria (such as local menu offerings) and Community (such as farm field trips, family engagement or food system partnerships).
• Have successfully onboarded farm to school personnel or contracted partners through MA FRESH CORP funding and are seeking to retain these personnel and contracted partnerships through the duration of the 2026-2027 school year
• Have effectively stewarded use of MA FRESH CORP funding awarded to date
• Are committed to identifying strategies for retaining farm to school personnel or contracted partners through alternative funding strategies outside of the MA FRESH CORP grant program
• Are willing to participate in program evaluation and off-boarding technical assistance activities, including the completion of a funding succession plan.

About DC Health Community Health Administration

The Community Health Administration works to prevent the leading causes of death, protect and promote the health of mothers and children and eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in health. CHA focuses on nutrition and physical activity promotion; cancer and chronic disease prevention and control; access to quality primary health care services; and the health of families across the lifespan. CHA’s approach targets the multiple factors that influence health through evidence-based programs, policies and systems change.

Equitable Food Access Initiative: Produce Incentives

Purpose

The DC Health Community Health Administration (CHA) is requesting applications from qualified applicants to improve food access and food environments in communities experiencing inequities resulting in food insecurity.

Applicants shall implement evidence-based, multi-level interventions designed to improve food environments, food access, food security, and reduce the burden of chronic disease for vulnerable residents across the life span. 

Target Population

Grantees shall provide services to at least 6,000 District residents across the lifespan (16 years or older) who are disproportionately impacted by chronic disease and experience higher barriers to accessing healthy foods. Programming shall prioritize residents that participate in or are eligible for one of the following programs:

• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP, locally Grocery Plus)
• SNAP (formerly food stamps)
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Summer EBT (SUN Bucks)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• WIC

Emphasis should be placed on residents of Wards 5, 7, and 8.

The DC Health Community Health Administration is seeking qualified applicants for the Equitable Food Access Initiatives: School Based Nutrition Market. This initiative aims to enhance food access in communities facing food insecurity by implementing evidence-based interventions. Targeting over 10,000 vulnerable residents throughout the year, the program will support families with children by promoting healthier food environments and reducing chronic disease burdens. Applications are encouraged from those ready to improve nutrition and food security for all.

About

With deep roots in California’s Central Valley, The Save Mart Companies and its family of stores prides itself in being a part of neighborhoods and putting people first. Our dedication to customers is reflected in the connections we’ve made in the communities we’ve served for more than 70 years.

The Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation

In 2000, we established The Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation, our philanthropic, non-profit organization, supporting programs and organizations that provide vital resources for children and families in the communities we serve. The CARES Foundation focuses on building stronger communities through fresh foods, accessibility, and programs that support youth and helping them to thrive. Annually, The CARES Foundation contributes approximately $500,000 in small grants to support community-based, non-profit organizations.

The Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation Grant

The CARES Foundation’s focus is building stronger communities through fresh foods, access to food, and programs that support youth and helping them thrive.

The CARES Foundation will review, on a quarterly basis, among other things, the breadth of the audience served; the likely impact in the community; the importance of the need to be addressed in the community; and the community reputation, service history, and financial stability of the group or program seeking funds. No one of these or other factors will necessarily be weighted more heavily than another. Instead, each group or program will be measured against all groups and 2 programs seeking funding at the time. For example, a program serving a small segment of the community but that addresses an especially important community need, and thus has the potential for a strong and meaningful impact, would be favored over a group serving a wider clientele but that fills a less important community need. Requests for Grants should be a minimum of $500.00 up to $10,000.00. Programs and organizations requesting smaller grants should contact the Store Manager of the nearest Save Mart Companies’ store location for request consideration.

Recipients that receive grants for more than one year must demonstrate meaningful outcomes for the previous investment made by The CARES Foundation.

Farm to Food Security Grant Program

The Farm to Food Security (F2FS) Grant Program is a competitive funding opportunity to help individuals and organizations buy foods grown and raised in Minnesota and distribute them at no cost to Minnesotans experiencing food insecurity, particularly individuals whose needs are not met through the traditional emergency food system.

Eligible projects and expenses

All food distributions that are part of F2FS projects must take place in Minnesota, but how the food is shared can be based on the needs of the community.

Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to:

• A local food shelf buying food produced by farmers in their county and then distributing the food as part of their weekly distribution events.
• A regional hospital establishing a “produce prescription” program to buy local foods and deliver them to families in need and individuals suffering from chronic illnesses.
• A Tribal government buying traditional foods grown by Tribal members and distributing the foods to elders.
• A farmers’ market implementing a food recovery program to pay farmers for products left at the end of the market and partnering with a local food shelf to distribute them.
• Eligible expenses include:
• Foods grown and raised in Minnesota, including whole (unprocessed), minimally processed, and processed items.
• Up to 15% of the total project costs for administrative costs related to food storage, food transportation, and other supporting expenses.

See the request for proposals (RFP) for more details and examples of the types of projects and expenses that are eligible.