This grant program is developed as a part of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s initiative to ensure all people in Columbia County, especially households with limited resources, have access to fresh and healthy food.
Donor Name: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF)
State: New York
County: Columbia County (NY)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This includes providing immediate access to healthy food for the food insecure while simultaneously transforming the food system to increase long-term access for everyone in Columbia County.
This initiative aims to address three areas of impact:
- People in Columbia County have the knowledge, tools and capital necessary to want and demand healthy food
- An adequate supply of healthy food is available for people in Columbia County, particularly especially households with limited resources, at a reasonable price point
- Community members, organizations and businesses within targeted communities are communicating and developing co-created food solutions.
For the purpose of this initiative, key terms are defined as follows:
- Fresh and healthy food: Fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, milk, cheese, poultry, eggs, meat and fish that travel as few food miles as possible from producer or retailer to consumer; along with healthy essential staples and shelf-stable food items.
- Food insecure: Lacking reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
- Limited resources: Those households who live below 200% of the poverty income level, which for a family of four in the U.S. in 2023 is $60,000 per year.
This grant program encourages applicants from a wide range of organizations with ideas and passion for how to increase access to fresh and healthy food in Columbia County. A portion of available funds are specifically set aside for the development or expansion of community refrigerator projects in Columbia County.
Additionally, examples of eligible projects could include market match/double up programs at farmers markets; healthy “corner store” type initiatives; needs at food pantries; gleaning programs; subsidized CSA shares; and other innovative ideas focused on increasing access to fresh and healthy food among Columbia County residents with limited resources.
Funding Information
Grants will range up to $5,000. A total of $24,000 is available for this grant program.
Eligibility Criteria
Your organization must:
- Be incorporated as a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, be a public agency (e.g. church or school district eligible to receive tax-exempt funds), or operate under fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3) organization
- Be based in and serve residents of Columbia County (fiscal sponsors may be located outside of the county).
The foundation does not support organizations which in their constitution, by-laws, or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief. A pantry or food distribution site that is located at a church is eligible for consideration as long as services are open to any and all individuals regardless of religious beliefs.
For more information, visit BTCF.
