Accessible Adaptive & Flexible Funding: 

• Alleviating common constraints experienced by systemically marginalized1 farmers and food entrepreneurs by offering awardees flexible funding3 and support during the application process (1:1 Counseling, Office Hours & Language Translation and Interpretation Services)

Increased Community Engagement and Awareness: 

• Raising public awareness about the importance of supporting local farmers and food businesses while promoting the GFPP values. 

Enhanced Availability of Healthy and Nutritious, Fair, Local, Sustainable, & Humane foods in Institutions 

• Increasing the amount of locally sourced GFPP-aligned produce and food products in the following entities: public meal programs, institutions, and community food access sites.

• Public meal programs: Schools, early childcare centers, hospitals, community centers, senior centers, living and care communities, and other organizations serving meals to the public.

• Community meal sites/ food access sites: Food banks, food pantries, mutual aid programs, health centers, community gardens, and other initiatives focused on improving food access and security. 

• Public or Private Institutions: City of Chicago, its Sister Agencies, and Cook County Government, libraries, hospitals, universities, government offices, correctional facilities, community centers text goes here

Flexible grants ranging between $40,000 - $80,000 for local food businesses / organizations supporting GFPP values and progress towards selling to community meal sites and institutions in Metro Chicago. There is no match or reimbursement necessary for this grant. Once selected as an awardee, funds will be disbursed at the start of the grant period (in November 2025) in one or two direct disbursements (preference indicated during the onboarding process).

This grant funding intentionally does not have extensive restrictions on how you spend the requested funding. With flexible grant funding, organizations can allocate resources where they are most needed. We trust the leaders of an organization know what funds are most needed for, and we recognize that those needs can change over the course of a grant cycle. Instead of locking an organization into a static budget, the GFPI Community Fund Manager and the awardee will co-create a budget and milestones across the year that make sense given the allocated funding amount and the scope of the project. This way, instead of just paying for certain projects, we can support your organization’s entire mission.

• Farmers: Systemically marginalized, local farmers who adhere and/or strive towards GFPP values (racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable). This includes both rural and urban growers as well as indoor and outdoor growers. This fund is intended for small to midsize (less than 150 employees and/or less than $750,000 in annual revenue) growing operations. (If you have any questions about your eligibility please reach out)

• Food Organizations/Businesses: Local food processors, value-add manufacturers, food service providers, caterers, prepared food providers, distributors, and aggregators that align with GFPP values (racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable) and are in need of financial support and technical assistance for capacity building to increase their access to community-food access sites and/or institutional buyers. There are no limitations at this time regarding the category of food products the Food Organizations/Businesses serve  as long as they are produced locally.

• Desire to supply/sell to Community Meal Sites and/or Public Institutions in the Metro Chicago region: The organization aims to begin, expand, and/or improve their current service to community meal sites, public meal programs and/or institutions. Eligible organization/business either already supplies/sells to community meal sites and/or institutions in the Metro Chicago region or has expressed interest in expanding into institutional selling or serving Community Meal Sites. 

• Although not a requirement, higher points will be awarded to applications that share specific plans and/or aspirations that are aligned with or can be carried out simultaneously with the proposed project & explain how these plans will be initiated, continued, and/or expanded upon during the grant period to any degree. Organizations/businesses do not need to plan to begin sales to public institutions during the grant period.

• Public meal programs: Schools, early childcare centers, hospitals, community centers, senior centers, living and care communities, and other organizations serving meals to the public.

• Community meal sites/ food access sites: Food banks, food pantries, mutual aid programs, health centers, community gardens, and other initiatives focused on improving food access and security. 

• Public or Private Institutions: City of Chicago, its Sister Agencies, and Cook County Government, libraries, hospitals, universities, government offices, correctional facilities, community centers

• Desire to Collaborate: The farm/organization has plans and aspirations for developing collaborative relationships/have demonstrated dedication to collaborative relationships (through sharing resources and/or knowledge) with other mission-aligned farms/food businesses in the Metro Chicago food system to advance the GFPP values.

• Serve Suburban Cook County / Metro Chicago: Your farm/organization serves Suburban Cook County and/or Metro Chicago.

• Locally based: Your farm/organization’s primary operations are based in the state of Illinois and/or within a 250 mile radius of Chicago (500 miles for meat, poultry, and seafood). 

• Legal entity: Qualifying organizations are privately, cooperatively, or non-profit owned and operated.

• Systemically Marginalized: The organization/business is owned/controlled by leaders who experience social, economic, and/or political exclusion and/or discrimination based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, and/or religion. Including but not limited to organizations/business that are community-driven and/or decisions are directly influenced by and for systemically marginalized populations.

• Organizations may apply to the 2025 GFPI Community Fund with multiple projects (more than one application per business). Previous GFPI Community Fund awardees may apply for additional funding for an ongoing project or a new project. However, there is a maximum of one grant awarded per organization/business per year.

• Application opens: August 4, 2025

• Application closes: Monday, September 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM CDT

• Final Award Decisions: End of October 2025 / Early November 2025

• Funding Disseminated: November 2025

The grant period is one year, from December 2025 until December 2026. Any projects submitted along with their accompanying budget template should fit within this one-calendar-year time frame as well. All of the grant funds must be spent by the completion of the project period, November 2026.

At the beginning of the grant period, the GFPI Community Fund Program Manager will assist Fund awardees in developing measurable goals relevant to their project and will provide quarterly tracking on progress. Additional qualitative data (i.e: on-site interview co-led by GFPI’s Evaluation Team) will be collected at the end of the grant period to support a deeper understanding of the following topics: 

• Increased knowledge of GFPI values

• Impact of grant funding on your organization/business’s progress on GFPP Goals (how has this grant enabled you to increase availability of racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable food products)

• Progress in refining plans towards participation in community food access & institutional selling 

• Feedback on program support and technical assistance provided 

• Additional interviews may be conducted in future years of the grant to measure long-term impact of the funding.

Technical Assistance (TA) – Along with flexible grant funding, awardees will have the option of receiving TA tailored to their organizational or business needs. Applicants can share more about their experience with TA, indicate their preferred TA categories, and/or recommend specific providers in their application. 

The Tailored Technical Assistance offerings can include one or more options from the categories listed below. An applicant could also request another option of their choice that is not listed below. The applicant will have the opportunity to indicate their preference for the technical assistance that would be most helpful for them to receive in the application process.

• Farm Operations

• Equipment / Purchasing

• HR / Staff / Training / Project Management 

• Finance, Planning & Accounting Support

• Marketing, Pricing & Sales

• Certifications

• Fundraising

• Nutritional Guidance

• Legal Support (Business Development)

Exposure and Networking Opportunities – Awardees will be invited to onboard and network with the other grant awardees who are similarly passionate about increasing the availability of racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable food products in the Metro Chicago region. There will also be opportunities to highlight your organization/business and celebrate your milestones across the extensive GFPI and CFPAC networks. 

Quarterly Check-ins – Instead of intensive reporting, grant awardees will have required Quarterly Check-ins with the GFPI Community Fund Program Manager after initial onboarding. These quarterly check-ins are important for us to understand how the funds are being used; ensuring they relate back to the goals of your project and align with the GFPI Community Fund. During these check-ins awardees will have access to additional coaching, project support, and opportunities for industry connections on a quarterly basis.

Click HERE to learn about the inaugural 2023 GFPI Community Fund Awardees and their respective projects.

Click HERE to learn about the 2024 GFPI Community Fund Awardees and their projects

The Scoring Rubric that will be used by the GFPI Community Fund Review Committee to evaluate applications is included here. Click here to view the Scoring Rubric. 

When it comes to selecting awardees, we’ve assembled an Evaluation Team with diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives. Located across the metro Chicago area and within a 250-mile radius, this team has helped shape our application materials and will play a central role in the final decision-making process.

This year’s Review Committee includes:

• Farmers & Growers (urban and rural, indoor and outdoor)

• Food Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

• Past GFPI Community Fund Awardees (from both the 2023 and 2024 cohorts)

• Grant Writers & Recipients

Every member brings deep expertise across all five GFPP value categories, as well as varied experience in institutional sales—from both supplier and buyer perspectives. The team also reflects a broad spectrum of gender, ethnic, and cultural identities, ensuring that the selection process remains inclusive and representative of the applicants we serve.

Ultimately, the Review Committee’s lived experiences and professional knowledge form the backbone of our selection process because we believe those closest to the work best understand its impact and should be the ones leading the decision making.

Our GFPI Community Fund Review Committee will evaluate eligible applications based on the organization's alignment with the priorities listed on the scoring rubric, the proposed spending detailed in the required Budget Template, the explanation provided on how your project(s) will impact your organization/business’s growth, and expand on one or more of the GFPP values (local economies, sustainable practices, fair labor, animal welfare, and nutrition and advances the work of building equity in the Metro Chicago food system.)

Accessible Adaptive & Flexible Funding: 

• Alleviating common constraints experienced by systemically marginalized1 farmers and food entrepreneurs by offering awardees flexible funding3 and support during the application process (1:1 Counseling, Office Hours & Language Translation and Interpretation Services)

Increased Community Engagement and Awareness: 

• Raising public awareness about the importance of supporting local farmers and food businesses while promoting the GFPP values. 

Enhanced Availability of Healthy and Nutritious, Fair, Local, Sustainable, & Humane foods in Institutions 

• Increasing the amount of locally sourced GFPP-aligned produce and food products in public meal programs, Institutions, and community food access sites including,

• Public meal programs:Schools (NSLP), community centers, senior centers, and other organizations serving meals to the public

• Community meal sites/ food access sites: Food banks, food pantries, mutual aid programs, community gardens, and other initiatives focused on improving food access and security. 

• Public or Private Institutions: Libraries, hospitals, Universities, government offices

Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Builder’s Initiative, the second annual grant round will provide flexible $40,000 to $80,000 grants. Grant awardees will also receive tailored technical assistance throughout the duration of the grant period.

• Farmers: Systemically marginalized, local farmers who adhere and/or strive towards GFPP values (racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable). This includes both rural and urban growers as well as indoor and outdoor growers. This fund is intended for small to midsize growing operations.

• Food Organizations/Businesses: Local food processors, value-add manufacturers, food service providers, prepared food providers, distributors, and aggregators that align with GFPP values (racially equitable, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable)and are in need of financial support and technical assistance for capacity building to increase their access to community-food access sites and/or institutional buyers.

• Desire to supply/sell: The organization aims to begin, expand, and/or improve their service to community meal sites, public meal programs and/or institutions.

  • Public meal programs:Schools (NSLP), hospitals, community centers, senior centers, and other organizations serving meals to the public

  • Community meal sites/ food access sites: Food banks, food pantries, mutual aid programs, community gardens, and other initiatives focused on improving food access and security. 

  • Public or Private Institutions: City of Chicago, its Sister Agencies, and Cook County Government 

• Desire to Collaborate: The farm/organization has plans and aspirations for developing collaborative relationships/have demonstrated dedication to collaborative relationships (through sharing resources and/or knowledge) with other mission-aligned farms/food businesses in the Metro Chicago food system to advance the GFPP values.

• Serve Suburban Cook County / Metro Chicago: Your farm/organization serves Suburban Cook County and/or Metro Chicago.

• Locally based: Your farm/organization’s primary operations are based in the state of Illinois and/or within a 250 mile radius of Chicago (500 miles for meat, poultry, and seafood).

• Legal entity: Qualifying organizations are privately, cooperatively, or non-profit owned and operated.

• Systemically Marginalized: Refers to groups of people who experience social, economic, and/or political exclusion and/or discrimination based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, and/or religion.

  Organizations may apply to the 2024 GFPI Community Fund with multiple projects (more than one application per business). Previous GFPI Community Fund awardees may apply for additional funding for an ongoing project or a new project. However, there is a maximum of one grant awarded per organization/business per year.

The application period is open from Friday October 4th, until Monday, November 11, 2024 at 11:59 PM CDT. Funding decisions will be made by the GFPI Community Fund Review Committee in December 2024.

Please click HERE to learn about the inaugural 2023 GFPI Community Fund Awardees and their respective projects.