Deadline: 30-Nov-22
Applications are now open for its ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund, an initiative targeted to provide nonprofit and for-profit organizations with up to a total of $20 million in recoverable and non-recoverable grants to de-risk and scale high-impact solutions to food waste.
ReFED’s analysis of current financial and industry data shows that $14 billion in annual funding is needed to accelerate and scale solutions to food waste to reach national and international goals to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. Of that total, $3 billion is needed in risk-tolerant and flexible catalytic funding to help unlock impact.
The ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund is designed to target a raise of $20 million in philanthropic funding to scale high-impact solutions to food waste – and over its life, the Grant Fund and its grantees will aim to have a significant impact on the diversion of food waste; the reduction of GHG emissions; the rescue of healthy, culturally-appropriate meals for those in need; and the saving of natural resources.
Thematic Focus Areas
- As a group, consumers are the largest generators of food waste – and while there are solutions and innovations that can enable consumers to actively reduce their food waste at home, as well as in restaurant and foodservice settings, by making it obvious, affordable, and convenient, they need funding. To bolster these solutions, the Grant Fund seeks to support initiatives at a local, regional, and/or national level that include, but aren’t limited to:
- Targeted research or projects that identify actionable interventions for reducing consumer waste
- Testing ways to reduce post-consumer plate waste – including managing portion sizes, the number one food waste opportunity as measured by GHG emissions avoidance and net financial benefit – in a way that makes the solution financially viable for businesses while successfully reducing wasted food
- Developing technologies, prototyping concepts, or enhancing existing solutions that simplify food waste prevention and food donation for consumers, while being broadly available and affordable
- Offering recycling solutions that make food waste diversion from landfills simple, convenient, and accessible for individuals in a way that supports proper management of the end product
Aims
- 260K Tons of Food Waste Diverted
- 433M Meals Equivalent Recovered
- 450K MTCOZE in GHG Emissions Avoided
- 26B Gallons of Water Saved
Eligibility Criteria
- They welcome organizations of all sizes – ranging from early-stage to established – that meet the eligibility criteria outlined to apply!
- Are applying on behalf of a benefit corporation, for-profit company, public-private partnership, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, or fiscally-sponsored project headquartered and/or operating in the U.S.
- As a result of receiving a grant from ReFED, will very likely receive additional capital from other funders and/or advance its impact, often in a way that would not otherwise have been possible without a ReFED grant
- Can put to eligible use at least $100,000 or more within an approximately two-year grant period
- Will use the requested funding for an initiative related to the Grant Fund’s current thematic focus
For more information, visit https://refed.org/our-work/initiatives/catalytic-grant-fund/#current-open-call