Input opportunity for forthcoming community food grants
July 19, 2024
The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger invests in local communities to increase access to healthy and culturally affirming foods, advance food justice, and support community-led food systems across Colorado that are equitable, resilient, and sustainable.
Earlier this year, 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 Food Pantry Assistance Grants and Food Bank Assistance Grants are merging.
The newly combined program supports all qualifying emergency food assistance providers with funding, specifically for the procurement and distribution of healthy foods in Colorado communities, while also championing local agriculture.
With such funds, Colorado food banks can make bulk purchases, passing on the savings with no costs and more food items to food pantries. Similarly, food pantries play an important role in their communities by acquiring and distributing food directly to individuals and families.
As the previous administrator for the Food Pantry Assistance Grants, we want to convene and solicit feedback from food pantries, food banks, and others directly impacted by this funding. Our goal is to better understand how the future grant program should be structured and administered before applications open in late summer.
Please join us on Tuesday, July 30, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Zoom to talk about the future of these grants. Attendance is optional.