Grants

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Eligible entities include:
  • Businesses (food donors)
    • Food producers
    • Distributors
    • Grocers
    • Cafeterias
  • Nonprofits
    • Food shelves and banks
    • Gleaning organizations
  • Colleges (donation and food shelves)
  • Farmers’ markets
• Be in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State and the Minnesota Department of Revenue at time of application
•  All food recovery, gleaning and other activities associated with this grant must take place in Ramsey or Washington counties of Minnesota

Food Recovery, Gleaning & Donation

• Supplies for food recovery activities, including collection materials (buckets, boxes, etc.)
• Equipment for food recovery activities, including Energy Star rated refrigerators and freezers, shelving, carts, reusable pallets, pallet jacks, etc.
• Storage costs, including facility rental and/or purchase
• Transportation costs, including vehicle rental/purchase and mileage reimbursement
• Staffing costs related to food recovery/gleaning work
• Equipment and materials for processing recovered food for preservation, value-add or upcycling

Education, Capacity Building & Innovation

• Materials for workshops and demonstrations
• Capacity building and innovation costs such as volunteer outreach/coordination, development of organization-specific best practices for food recovery/gleaning, food waste tracking software implementation, etc.
• Staffing costs related to food waste prevention education and capacity building
• Participation incentives related to food waste prevention

Applications are currently being accepted.

Applicants must work with a BizRecycling Recycling Expert to submit a grant application. The Recycling Expert will conduct an initial site visit of your location. At the site visit, the Recycling Expert will provide recommendations for food recovery and waste management improvements and discuss your project plan. They will help assemble needed documentation and price quotes for the grant application. Applications who have not had a site assessment will not be reviewed.

To set up your site assessment email info@bizrecycling.com or call 651-768-6670.

Other grant opportunities to reduce food waste are sometimes available through Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy. Please contact programs@recyclingandenergy.org for more information.

Additional information on eligibility, application process and evaluation criteria were shared at an online info session. Access the session materials below:

• Session Recording
• Slide Deck