The SLC Food Microgrant Program is a funding opportunity to support resident- and community-led projects that address food systems disparities and increase access to fresh, healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food in Salt Lake City.
Donor Name: Salt Lake City
State: Utah
City: Salt Lake City
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/03/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The purpose of the SLC Food Microgrant Program is to build an inclusive community around healthy food choices where Salt Lake City residents have many opportunities to shape, participate in, and enjoy a sustainable, equitable, and resilient local food environment.
The SLC Food Microgrant Program is available to Salt Lake City residents and community-based organizations that primarily serve in Salt Lake City. There are two categories of funding:
- Home Food Production Grant provides $250 for residents to grow or raise their own food. Funds can be used to buy supplies or access education opportunities for starting, continuing, or expanding a food garden or other home food production project such as hoop houses, backyard chickens, composting, fruit tree maintenance, or beekeeping.
- Community Grants provide up to $5,000 for community groups, organizations, or small businesses to advance projects that improve food access in Salt Lake City. Funds can be used to purchase equipment and supplies, access educational opportunities, or support personnel compensation directly related to the proposed project.
Community Food Microgrant Goals
By providing funds to start or continue projects that improve food access in Salt Lake City, the SLC Food Microgrant aims to achieve the following broad goals:
- Foster resilient, diverse, and inclusive healthy neighborhood food environments.
- Support multiple pathways for traditionally marginalized individuals and neighborhoods to consistently access and grow fresh, affordable, healthy, and culturally relevant food.
- Enhance community and individual agency and self-reliance by reducing barriers and creating opportunities for people to access what they need to grow and prepare their own food.
- Increase the availability and accessibility of food information and resources.
- Create opportunities for residents to affordably and easily acquire food that is relevant to cultural and personal identity, individual health and wellbeing, religious and spiritual life, and personal taste
Funding Priorities
The four main categories of prioritized projects include:
- Growing Food – projects that support opportunities and access to grow food locally
- Inclusive Outreach & Communications – projects that support accessibility of information about food resources to groups that experience challenges with or exclusion from traditional outlets
- Dignified Food Access – projects that support improving access to healthy and relevant food opportunities that center and respect the agency and choice of individuals
- Healthy Food Environments – projects that support the availability and accessibility of healthy, fresh foods and enhance the quality and character of food environments near where people live
This program aims to support projects led by and benefiting people and communities that have been negatively impacted by the food system or that experience barriers to accessing the foods they need. Identifying with one or more of these groups is not required to receive funding. These groups include but are not limited to:
- Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- People living in historically marginalized or under-resourced neighborhoods
- People and households living in poverty or with low- or moderate-incomes
- Unsheltered or informally housed people
- LGBTQIA2S+ individuals
- People with disabilities
- Veterans
- Adults 65+ years
- Families with children under 18 years
- Single parent households with children
- Nontraditional students
- New Americans
- Formerly incarcerated people
- Groups for whom funding opportunities are or historically have been limited.
Uses of Funds
Approved uses of funds include:
- Project equipment and supplies
- Educational opportunities
- Professional services or personnel compensation directly related to the project.
Eligibility Criteria
SLC Food Microgrants are available to the individuals and groups listed below. Only one application will be accepted per household or organization.
- Salt Lake City residents
- Community-based organizations, including both registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations or unregistered community groups based in or serving Salt Lake City
- Community Councils and other neighborhood-based groups and organizations
- Locally owned businesses, social enterprises, and/or cooperative enterprises
- Local farmers and others who grow and sell food locally.
For more information, visit SLC.
