Community Food Grants FAQ
What happened to the Food Pantry Assistance Grants program? Where do the dollars for the Community Food Grants program come from?
The original Food Pantry Assistance Grants (FPAG) and Food Bank Assistance Grants (FBAG) programs were created to support Colorado organizations working directly in their communities to ensure everyone has access to healthy food options near where they live.
In Spring 2024, the state legislature’s Joint Budget Committee allocated $3 million in funding for food assistance over the next five years through House Bill 2024-1407, creating the Community Food Assistance Provider Grant Program. This means that the above programs have recombined, similar to their structure prior to 2023, officially becoming the Community Food Grants program.
The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger administers the program, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS).
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Only 'food pantries' are eligible to apply for this funding; 'food banks' have already been awarded a proportion of the grant funding by the Blueprint and are distributing the funding to partner food banks based on their own methodology. (View definitions.)
What are the requirements of this grant?
Interested food pantries must meet the following general requirements as defined by House Bill 24-1407:
Be a food pantry. "Food pantry" means an individual site that buys food or receives donations of foods that are then directly distributed to those in its community. This includes faith-based organizations.
Previous Blueprint grant recipients must be in good standing to be eligible for this grant (i.e., having met all required deadlines for fund expenditure and reporting).
To the extent practicable, food purchased using these funds should be designated to one of the following:
A Colorado agricultural product; or
An agricultural product that holds cultural significance for Indigenous First Nations people, or for other cultures of subcultural groups, including the ways in which those agricultural products are produced.
Ensure funding allocation as follows: 90% must be spent on food purchases (locally in Colorado or spiritually/culturally appropriate, when possible), with only up to 10% spent on direct and indirect expenses associated with the distribution of food.
Spend the total awarded amount by June 30, 2025. Blueprint intends to distribute funds to grantees by November 1, 2024.
Do not use funding to purchase gift cards of any kind.
Applicants also must commit to the following:
Attend the grantee welcome webinar on Monday, October 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. MST. (Please hold this time on your calendar now.)
Submit all expenses.
Complete a mid-term report due January 31, 2025.
Complete a final report due July 15, 2025.
Not use this funding to resell or apply fees for the purchased food.
Though not required, it’s preferred that applicants have equitable strategies in place of co-creating solutions with communities served.
Does an organization need to have ‘food pantry’ in their name to be eligible? If ‘food bank’ is in an organization’s name, are they ineligible?
The name of an organization does not determine eligibility. Only food pantries are eligible to apply. The five food banks, affiliated with Feeding America under Feeding Colorado, are ineligible entities since they have already been awarded funding. (View definitions.)
How much money is available through the grant program for each organization?
Individual food pantries can request a minimum of $5,000 and up to a maximum of $50,000. There is a total of $1 million available for funding food pantries.
Are there certain types of work this grant will specifically fund?
While all eligible organizations are encouraged to apply, the community grant reviewers will prioritize activities that meet the goals of this funding opportunity, which include:
Purchasing Colorado-grown produce and/or products
Expanding access to culturally relevant and nutritionally appropriate foods within the charitable food system
Implementing strategies that ensure the charitable food system is grounded in equity and responsive to community needs
Costs associated with the distribution of food, including staff time, transportation, food delivery, refrigeration, and/or storage
How will the grant awards be decided?
Community grant reviewers self-select to review applications in their region. Reviewers will range from community members to nonprofit leaders and have a wide range of experience, knowledge, and expertise in the areas of hunger relief and food justice, especially in their local communities.
To increase transparency, scoring notes are clearly laid out in the application alongside each question.
When should we expect to receive notification about grant awards?
Blueprint intends to notify applicants of funding decisions on October 15, 2024.
What is the timeframe for this grant?
If you are awarded funding, all funding MUST be spent by June 30, 2025. The grant period begins on the date you sign your contract and ends on June 30, 2025; no exceptions.
How will organizations be required to report on their grant funding?
Grantees will be required to submit mid-term reports by January 31, 2025, and then final reports, expense forms, and receipts/invoices by July 15, 2025. The entirety of the award must be spent by June 30, 2025; otherwise, your organization may be ineligible for future grants.
Will there be more than one round of the grants awarded?
This is the only round of funding for 2024 - 2025. We do share other funding opportunities as they arise in the Blueprint’s bi-weekly newsletter. Sign up to receive those updates and other news.
Can a pantry sell food that has been purchased with Community Food Grant funds?
No, food that is purchased with these funds can not be sold.
Can I use this grant funding to purchase gift cards to give to our clients (such as grocery store, gas, or VISA gift cards)?
No, these grant funds may not be used for gift cards. This grant requires receipts/invoices as documentation of the amount spent on food/non-food-related costs. Expense reports and reporting also include the types of food, whether it’s Colorado-grown, and the number of households serviced. Gift cards do not meet these reporting requirements.
How should we keep a record of receipts and documents for this grant?
Please retain receipts or invoices documenting food or non-food items purchased with grant funds. Electronic copies of receipts must be submitted with your grant expenditures (instructions will be provided to grantees). It is required that you use an internal system for tracking expenses that you will then report to the Blueprint for state record keeping. If you don’t have a system in place, the Blueprint can provide technical assistance to help your organization develop tracking and data collection tools.
Can I use the 10% of the “non-food” money on socks, clothes, or other items my agency provides to clients?
No, the legislation states that a grant recipient may use up to 10% of its grant award to cover the expenses associated with the distribution of food, including staff time, transportation, food delivery, refrigeration, and/or storage.
Ongoing expenses, such as rent and repair costs, are not permitted as well.
Is there a comprehensive list of suggested places to make food purchases?
Organizations may purchase food from any source, though Colorado producers are preferable where possible. Consider how to stretch your food dollars for the biggest impact by purchasing directly from Colorado/local producers, regional food banks who purchase directly from suppliers, or wholesale sources. Here are resources to connect with Colorado producers:
Can funds be used on food bank fees or food purchases?
Some Colorado food banks have food purchasing programs where food banks purchase food outright from suppliers, which are available for purchase at cost by hunger relief partners. If your local food bank has such a program, these funds may be used for this purpose.
Can we partner with another nonprofit to distribute food? If so, how should we document that information?
The Blueprint is not accepting group applications for this grant period. However, applications that clearly demonstrate purposeful collaboration between multiple organizations may be more strongly considered by reviewers for grant funding.
Can I purchase seeds with this funding?
No, seeds are not an allowable cost with this funding. Forward purchasing and contracting with local producers for Colorado-grown foods is encouraged.
Have other questions?
Contact us with any additional questions not addressed in the FAQ.