The Core Grants Program supports community-based nonprofit organizations or grassroots networks/coalitions with 501(c)(3) status (or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status). What exactly do we mean by community-based? We mean an authentic connection to the community and constituents served by your mission, and a demonstrated commitment to constituent leadership and engagement in your organization’s governance and practice. For further details regarding criteria and restrictions, please visit the Core Grants page.

Yes, international organizations that meet eligibility criteria are welcome to apply. However, due to the competitive nature of the Core Grants Program and our limited capacity to assess international requests, we recommend that international applicants have an established connection to the Fund via a participating funder or grantee.

For the current grant cycle, Letters of Interest are due by 5:00 p.m. central time on December 28, 2018. We will notify those invited to submit a full proposal by mid-February 2019. We expect to announce Core Grant recipients in April 2019.

We evaluate each request for the potential impact of the project, including the soundness of the work plan (in other words, does the plan make sense) and the project’s responsiveness to a demonstrated need. We look for alignment with the criteria and priorities of the Core Grants Program, as well as the capacity of the applicant organization to carry out the proposed project.

An organization may submit only one Letter of Interest (LOI) per grant cycle. If an organization submits more than one LOI, we will review the first one received. An exception is when an organization is serving as lead for a collaborative project engaging more than one eligible organization. In that case, the organization is allowed to submit an LOI on their own behalf and an LOI on behalf of the collaborative project.

You must submit your Letter of Interest through our online iGAM grant portal. We will not review emailed or mailed LOIs. If you have any technical difficulties with the online portal please contact the Fund Administrator and someone will be happy to assist you.

In the past, Food and Farm Communications Fund grants averaged $45,000 over a 12-month term. Moving forward, we expect our grant range to be lower, between $15,000 and 40,000, with $25,000 as the average grant amount for a 12-month term.

Indirect costs are allowed, but they should not exceed 15 percent of the total project budget.

The Core Grants program supports a range of projects and activities, including (in no particular order of priority): integrated communications planning; communications-based professional development; establishing or upgrading communications tools; development of content or creative media initiatives; short-term communications staffing support or outside consulting; narrative development, message framing, and integration; campaigns, events, or experiences that use communications to foster engagement around food and farm issues; multicultural, racial equity, and justice-based approaches to communications; communications projects that build connections and collective power. Please refer to our Core Grants page for full details, as well as our Grantees page for examples of previously funded work.

Yes: academic research projects; capital or endowment campaigns; conferences; discretionary or emergency requests; litigation or legal expenses; or marketing or branding for products or services.

Your fiscal sponsor is required to complete and submit an Agreement Letter as part of the online LOI application process. A template letter is available via the iGAM portal.

Core Grant recipients are required to submit an Interim (6-month) Report as well as a Final Report upon completion of the 12-month grant term. Grant reports are submitted via the online iGAM portal.

Renewals are rare, by invitation only, and should not be counted upon for the success of the project. Upon successful completion of a Core Grant, however, grantees may be invited to apply for a mini-grant in the second year to further boost the organization’s communications work. Beginning with the 2019 cohort, Core Grant recipients will need to wait three years until they are eligible to apply for another Core Grant.

Absolutely. However, keep in mind that the Core Grants Program is highly competitive. Be sure to carefully review the updated priorities and criteria of the Core Grants Program to ensure you are a strong fit before you apply.

Given the large number of LOI submissions, we are unable to provide each applicant with specific feedback. Each year we receive far more requests for support for worthwhile projects than we can possibly fund. In turn, we decline many LOIs even though they may meet all criteria and are aligned with program priorities.

Yes, and we recommend doing so. To access a PDF version of the application, click here. Plan to gather electronic versions of the required attachments before getting started online.

Capacity Mini-Grants are prioritized for limited-resource organizations (operating budgets under $500,000) with 501(c)(3) status (or with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor) serving communities that have been historically — and are currently — marginalized by powerful and privileged actors in the food system, including communities of color, indigenous communities, farmers, farmworkers, fishermen, and food workers. Organizations with budgets between $500,000 and 2,000,000 remain eligible to apply if strongly aligned with the purpose and values of the Food and Farm Communications Fund, but will be lower priority.

An organization may apply for only one Capacity Mini-Grant per funding cycle, and is eligible to receive one Capacity Mini-Grant per year. If an organization submits more than one application, only the first received will be reviewed.

Applications must be submitted through the online iGAM grant portal. More details about this application process will be posted in early 2019.

Capacity Mini-Grant recipients will be required to submit a brief report upon completion of their grant.