Deadline: 30-Jun-25
The Northern Capacity Fund is made possible through Food Banks Canada to support sustainable capacity investments in Northern communities.
This fund supports food banks and other food security organizations in implementing the infrastructure needed to improve and expand their existing food banking services into underserved northern communities with the ultimate goal of building sustainable food security initiatives that will provide ongoing support, food industry partnerships, and systems for those in need.
Objectives
- Through a competitive review process, funds will be allocated to organizations that can best demonstrate how their project will allow them to meet one or more of the following grant objectives in clear and measurable ways:
- Increased amount of food made available to food-insecure households.
- Increased capacity to accept and distribute more food for those experiencing hunger.
- Improved operational efficiency to increase the amount of food your organization can safely acquire and distribute.
- Improved safe food handling practices.
- Build sustainable initiatives that will provide Northern communities with ongoing support for those in need.
Eligible Expenses
- Food & meals – e.g., purchase of food, gift cards, vouchers. Please note Food includes Country foods such as Caribou, Moose, Musk Oxe, Reindeer, Seals, Whales, Polar Bears, Walrus, Artic Char, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, and Ducks.
- Transportation costs associated with food & meal delivery.
- Refrigeration equipment – e.g., fridges, freezers, cooler room, etc.
- Refrigerated transportation equipment – e.g., refrigerated trucks, vans, retrofitting vehicles, short-term vehicle leases, etc.
- Minor capacity-related construction projects – e.g., loading docks, walk-in freezer storage, etc.
- Product handling and warehouse equipment – e.g., forklifts, pallet jacks, etc.
- Safe food handling equipment – e.g., food-grade bins, stainless steel tables, etc.
- Food processing equipment – e.g., meat grinder, meat saw, freeze dryer, vacuum sealer, etc.
- Transportation and installation costs associated with equipment purchases.
- Emergency Generators for power outages – purchase and installation costs
- Temporary staffing costs to support the above objectives.
- Other projects that enhance the capacity of the organization to support the above objectives. (For example: Hunting and Harvesting equipment – Rifles, Harpoons, Knives, Fishing Nets, Ammunition, Side by side ATVs, snowmobiles, outboard motors, and parts related to the repair and maintenance of the vehicles.)
Ineligible Expenses
- Expenses not eligible for funding:
- Purchases unrelated to meeting the needs of Northern communities.
- Rent/hydro/utilities.
- Full-time staffing costs.
- Previously incurred expenses or losses resulting from previous projects.
- Infrastructure improvements that are deemed to be cosmetic in nature.
- Major construction projects.
- The purchase of land or buildings.
- The purchase or lease of private/personal vehicles.
- Financial commitments that last longer than the term of the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants consist of:
- Food banks and food security organizations
- Community or charitable organizations
- Indigenous groups (such as Indigenous government organizations, band councils, etc.)
- Not-for-profit co-operatives
- Organizations applying for a grant may only submit one application for funds:
- Groups of food banks may submit a joint application where each participating partner organization will receive a shared and measurable benefit from the grant.
- To be eligible, organizations applying for a grant must have at least one person on staff or a volunteer who has completed safe food handling training by a recognized source (e.g. public health, Food Banks Canada, etc.)
For more information, visit Food Banks Canada.