State Food Purchase Program - Farm Gleaning and Seafood Recovery Support Grant

The State Food Purchase Program Farm Gleaning and Seafood Recovery Support Grant is administered by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture as part of a broader statewide effort to address food insecurity through the distribution of fresh, nutritious food. Originally established in Fiscal Year 2007 under the Governor Hunger Initiative, the State Food Purchase Program focuses on supplying Emergency Feeding Organizations and Local Distribution Agencies with healthy food options, particularly fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood. These items are often lacking in the diets of low income households, and the program prioritizes improving access to these foods through strategic purchasing and distribution systems. The Gleaning and Seafood Recovery Support Grant builds upon this framework by supporting organizations that collect surplus agricultural and seafood products and redirect them to food insecure populations. Gleaning involves harvesting excess produce from farms, orchards, and gardens, while seafood recovery involves collecting surplus seafood from fisheries, docks, and markets. These activities reduce food waste and supplement existing food assistance efforts by providing fresh items at no cost to either the donating or receiving organizations. However, the operational costs of these activities, such as labor and transportation, are typically borne by the organizations themselves, which this grant seeks to offset. Funding under this program is intended to strengthen the capacity of eligible nonprofit organizations to carry out gleaning and seafood recovery operations within New Jersey. Allowable uses of funds include transportation and freight costs such as mileage reimbursement and tolls, salaries for staff directly involved in gleaning and distribution activities, and miscellaneous expenses tied to the immediate handling and delivery of recovered food. Additional eligible expenses may include purchasing equipment such as containers, coolers, scales, and communication tools, as well as developing volunteer networks and improving logistical systems. Certain costs, including infrastructure improvements and long term storage facilities, are explicitly unallowable. Eligibility for the grant is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501c3 status that are formed and operated within New Jersey. Applicants must be actively engaged in gleaning or seafood recovery activities within the state and must distribute recovered food exclusively to organizations serving New Jersey residents experiencing food insecurity. Applicants are required to provide documentation of their nonprofit status through an IRS determination letter and must submit a detailed implementation plan outlining how grant funds will support their operations. Organizations already receiving funding through the State Food Purchase Program are not eligible for this specific grant. The application process requires interested organizations to obtain an application packet from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, either through direct distribution or by request. The application includes required templates and supporting documentation instructions. Completed applications must be submitted via email to the designated NJDA grants inbox. Submissions must be complete and received by the stated deadline in order to be considered eligible. Late or incomplete applications are disqualified without review. The deadline for submission of applications for this funding cycle is July 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. Following submission, the Department of Agriculture will review applications and issue award decisions no later than August 31, 2026. The program appears to operate on an annual funding cycle aligned with the state fiscal year, indicating that similar opportunities may be available in subsequent years. The grant does not specify a formal pre application phase or letter of intent requirement, but applicants are encouraged to participate in informational sessions to better understand program expectations and requirements.

Ensure implementation plan clearly ties funding to operational impact and aligns with eligible cost categories