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The GFPI Community Fund
COMMUNITY FUND OVERVIEW
The objective of the Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GFPI) Community Fund is to increase access to Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP)-aligned produce and food products in the Metro Chicago region through financially supporting systematically marginalized, local farms and food businesses striving to meet GFPP standards (including local sourcing, sustainable practices, fair labor, animal welfare, and nutrition).
Intended Impact
Enhanced availability of local, sustainable, and nutritious food: Increasing the presence of GFPP-aligned produce and food products in public meal programs and community food access sites, thereby improving the quality and sustainability of the food served.
Strengthened local food economy: Supporting local farms and food businesses by creating new market opportunities, fostering economic growth, & encouraging sustainable practices.
Increased community engagement and awareness: Raising public awareness about the importance of supporting local farmers and food businesses while promoting the GFPP values and principles.
Accessible Adaptive Funding: This fund aims to increase opportunities for local farms and food businesses to participate in institutional procurement by strategically adapting our financing vehicles and requirements to alleviate common constraints experienced by systematically marginalized farmers and food entrepreneurs.
Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Builder’s Initiative, our inaugural grant round will award 5-10 applicants with unrestricted grants ranging from $40,000 to $80,000. Grant recipients will also receive tailored, technical assistance during the grant period duration.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Application Timeline
The application period is open from Friday, September 29, 2023 until Monday, October 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM CDT. Funding decisions will be made by the GFPI Community Fund Review Committee by the end of November 2023.
Application Review
For transparency, the Scoring Rubric that will be used by the GFPI Community Fund Review Committee to evaluate applications is included here.
Kick-off Information Session
There was a kick-off Informational Session on Thursday, September 28, 2023 from 3:00-4:00 PM CT. This session (presented in both English and Spanish) was recorded and available to watch below.
Workshops
For additional group and individual application support, the GFPI Community Fund is offering the following workshops and opportunities for 1:1 sessions. The workshops are space for applicants to ask questions or request help with the application process in a group setting. You are welcome to join for a portion or all of these hour-long workshops.
Thursday October 5th 10:00-11:00 AM CT - Register via Zoom
Tuesday, October 10th 7:00-8:00 PM CT - Register via Zoom
Sunday, October 15th 4:00-5:00 PM CT - Register via Zoom
Final Workshop on the Week of October 23rd - TBD: Complete this Poll
1:1 Sessions –
Thirty minute 1:1 sessions for applicants to ask questions or request specific support with their application. Language translation services are available upon request
Project Period
The grant period is one year, from November 2023 until November 2024, with the option of one or two disbursements (preference indicated during onboarding process).
Funding
Unrestricted grant funding (ranging between $40,000 - $80,000 for 5-10 recipients) supporting GFPP values and progress towards selling to community meal sites and institutional purchasing in Metro Chicago.
Eligibility
Eligible to Apply (Direct Beneficiaries):
Farmers: Systematically marginalized, local farmers who adhere and/or strive towards GFPP values, providing them with financial support for technical assistance or capacity building which will in turn increase access to community-food access sites and/or institutional buyers
Food Organizations/Businesses: Local food processors, value-add manufacturers, food service providers, prepared food providers, distributors, and aggregators that align with GFPP values, helping them expand their customer base and increase their capacity to serve public meal programs and community food access sites
Local: state of Illinois or within a 250 mile radius of the City of Chicago
Legal entity: any entity type; for-profit or non-profit organizations
Maximum one grant awarded per organization/business per year. There is potential for follow-on funding for recipients.
Indirect beneficiaries include public meal programs (i.e. schools, hospitals, community centers, and other organizations serving meals to the public), community food access sites (i.e. food banks, food pantries, mutual aid, community gardens, and other initiatives focused on improving food access and security), and community meal recipients.
Additional Benefits
Technical Assistance (TA) – Along with unrestricted grant awards, recipients will have the option of receiving TA tailored to their organizational or business needs (up to 8 touch points). Applicants can share more about their experience with TA, indicate their preferred TA categories, and recommend specific providers in their application.
Exposure and Networking Opportunities – Recipients will be invited to onboard and network with the other grant recipients similarly passionate about increasing the availability of local, fair, 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 – In lieu of intensive reporting, recipients will have access to additional coaching, project support, and opportunities for industry connections on a quarterly basis through the GFPI Community Fund Program Manager.
Measurement and Evaluation
At the beginning of the grant period, the GFPI Community Fund Program Manager will assist Fund Recipients in developing measurable goals relevant to their project and will provide quarterly tracking on progress. Additional qualitative data will be collected at the end of the grant period to support a deeper understanding of the following topics:
Increased knowledge and/or participation in institutional selling
Impact of grant funding on your organization/business’s progress on GFPP goals
Feedback on program support and technical assistance provided