New York Food and Nutrition Grants

This funding initiative provides financial support to counties, municipalities, and conservation organizations for acquiring agricultural conservation easements to protect viable farmland in New York from being converted to non-farm uses.

This grant provides financial support to New York farmers, food processors, and distributors enrolled in a certification program, helping them develop and market new or improved local food products.

This grant provides funding to small grassroots nonprofit organizations in Vermont, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York City that focus on environmental and social justice initiatives, particularly in areas like food justice and community engagement.

This funding initiative provides financial support to state and local governments in the Appalachian Region for projects that enhance critical infrastructure and promote business and workforce development to stimulate economic growth and resilience.

This program provides funding to eligible meat processing businesses and nonprofits in New York State to expand their facilities and improve processing capacity, thereby enhancing local meat supply and market opportunities.

This program provides funding to New York dairy farmers and cooperatives for upgrading milk storage and transfer systems to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofits, schools, and municipalities in the Adirondack region to address critical community needs and promote long-term improvements in basic needs, education, and economic vitality.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Herkimer and Oneida Counties that operate food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters to help address food insecurity during the holiday season.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and public-serving institutions in the Hudson Valley to implement projects that enhance community resilience in areas such as culture, ecology, food and farming, and shelter.

This funding initiative provides financial support to New York State municipalities and nonprofit organizations for projects that reduce food waste from businesses by improving recycling infrastructure.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations focused on various priorities such as democracy, environmental sustainability, and community needs, encouraging innovative projects that align with its mission.

This program provides funding to New York State agricultural producers who meet food safety and environmental standards, helping them promote their products and increase sales.

This grant provides funding for qualified organizations to create and manage an online nutrition education platform for the New York State Women, Infants, and Children program, benefiting low-income families with access to essential nutrition resources and education.

This funding opportunity provides support to nonprofit organizations in New York State to develop outreach programs that help eligible individuals in underserved areas access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and reduce food insecurity.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to K-12 schools and nonprofit organizations in New York to increase the use of locally sourced agricultural products in school meal programs, promoting better nutrition and agricultural education for students.

This funding opportunity supports not-for-profit organizations in Broome County that are working to address critical community issues and promote systemic change through collaborative efforts.

The Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) administers a portion of New York State’s Department of Agriculture and Markets USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program. This program, funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021, aims to enhance, grow, and improve the mid-channel of the food supply chain within New York State. The overarching mission alignment is to expand each state’s middle-chain capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural food products, excluding meat, poultry, cannabis, animal food and forage, fiber, and wild-caught seafood. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are New York State agricultural producers, processors, groups of producers and processors, nonprofit organizations, local government entities, tribal governments, and institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals that bring producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment for middle-of-the-supply-chain activities. The impact goals are to increase the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York and regional markets, benefit multiple producers and markets, and support the development of new value-added products. The program prioritizes infrastructure development to expand business capacity for processing, aggregation, storage, and distribution. Specific focuses include targeting infrastructure projects to the dairy, fruit and vegetable, and organic industries. Another key priority is to create greater market access to intermediaries like food hubs, aggregators, wholesalers, and distributors, with the goal of increasing local food sales to institutions such as schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities. Expected outcomes include expanded processing capacities, modernized equipment and facilities, increased packaging and labeling capabilities, enhanced worker safety, and greater storage space, including cold storage. The program also seeks to develop and install climate-smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases water use efficiency, and improves air/water quality. Measurable results would involve an increase in New York-sourced food products in local markets, a greater number of businesses with expanded processing and distribution capacities, and an increase in local food sales to institutions, ultimately strengthening the resilience and efficiency of the state's food supply chain.

The Food for Thought Grant Program, sponsored by the Western New York Foundation, aims to support educational and artistic projects that foster awareness, build knowledge, and cultivate conscious advocates for local and regional food systems. This aligns with the foundation's broader mission to engage artists, educators, community members, and food system stakeholders in creative expression and collaboration to spark social change. The program's core objective is to bring these diverse groups together to highlight the importance of just and sustainable food systems. The program primarily targets organizations interested in submitting projects that use arts and/or education to uplift opportunities or inform on issues related to the food system. The ultimate beneficiaries are the communities within Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming counties in New York, as the program seeks to widen community participation, promote collaboration and dialogue, and engage and empower these communities at large. The impact goals include raising awareness, inspiring action, and creating a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system. The program prioritizes projects designed to foster community participation and dialogue, encouraging creative approaches to food system education. It also focuses on the facilitation and exchange of learnings, insights, and expertise related to the food system to inform the public. Learning agendas are specifically encouraged to share practical knowledge, raise awareness, and inspire action towards building better food systems. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) entities or those with a fiscal sponsor or acting as a pass-through. Expected outcomes include an increase in community engagement with food system issues, enhanced collaboration among various stakeholders, and a more informed public regarding sustainable and equitable food practices. Measurable results could involve the number of projects implemented, the reach of educational and artistic initiatives, and documented shifts in community knowledge and advocacy. The Western New York Foundation’s strategic priorities, as evidenced by this program, lean towards fostering community-led initiatives that utilize innovative methods like arts and education to address critical social and environmental issues, particularly within the context of local food systems. Their theory of change appears to be rooted in the belief that by empowering local communities and fostering creative dialogue, significant social and systemic changes can be achieved.

The FreshConnect CSA for SNAP Program 2025, managed by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, is designed to increase access to fresh, locally grown foods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants. The program achieves this by subsidizing the cost of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, connecting SNAP recipients directly with New York State farmers and supporting local food systems. Through this grant opportunity, eligible organizations can apply for funds to partially subsidize the purchase of CSA shares by SNAP recipients. The program promotes both traditional and modern CSA models, including food box programs, and requires that supported CSA shares be comprised of SNAP-eligible food products from New York State producers. The overarching objectives include expanding access to fresh food, supporting New York’s agricultural producers, and fostering relationships between SNAP participants and local food providers. A total of $250,000 is available under this funding round, with awards ranging between $25,000 and $50,000. Funds will be awarded on a rolling basis until they are fully allocated or the final submission deadline is reached. Contracts will be issued following full application review and execution, with awards reimbursed post-expenditure. An advance of up to 25% may be requested, and 10% of the total grant amount will be withheld until submission and acceptance of the final report. Applicants must be not-for-profit organizations, Indian tribal organizations, public educational institutions, or local or municipal governments. Community-led groups may apply with an eligible fiscal sponsor. All applicants must be registered and prequalified through the Statewide Financial System (SFS) before applying. For-profit entities and individuals are not eligible to apply. Eligible expenses include direct subsidies to CSA producers (up to 50% of share costs for SNAP buyers), along with administrative costs not exceeding 30% of the total award. Allowable uses include transportation of food, lease or rent of vehicles, relevant equipment and supplies under $5,000, and staff salaries directly tied to project activities. Costs such as construction, indirect costs, general-purpose equipment over $5,000, and items already supported by other federal or state funds are not eligible. Applications must be submitted online via the SFS Grants Management System by 3:00 p.m. on July 22, 2025. Questions about the program must be submitted by July 8, 2025, and answers will be posted weekly on the Department's website starting March 27, 2025. The grant term will run from February 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. For more information or to submit questions, applicants may contact Alison Nickford at the Department of Agriculture and Markets via email at farmersmarkets@agriculture.ny.gov or by fax at (518) 457-8398.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations serving Wyoming County, New York, to address critical health needs through initiatives focused on access to care, chronic disease management, food security, mental health, and more.