Food Recovery Initiatives Grant Program
Food Recovery Initiatives Grant Program supports municipalities and nonprofits with equipment and food recovery staff to increase food availability and redistribute food to people in need across New York State.
Funder: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Due Dates: November 2, 2028, at 3:00 p.m. EST (Application deadline) | October 27, 2028, at 5:00 p.m. (Questions) | December 2, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. EST (Webinar)
Funding Amounts: $1,000–$100,000 per award for a three-year contract; approximately $2 million available
Summary: Supports equipment and staffing that increase food availability and food recovery for people in need across New York State.
Key Information: Awards are first-in, first-out, and applicants must provide 25% of total eligible project costs as match.
Description
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Food Recovery Initiatives Grant Program supports municipalities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits working to increase food available to people in need across New York State. Funded through the Environmental Protection Fund, it supports equipment for transporting, storing, and preserving food, staff directly devoted to food recovery, or a combination of both.
Food recovery means collecting wholesome, edible food through donation, rescue, or gleaning programs that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to people in need. Equipment may support increased availability of purchased, donated, rescued, or gleaned food, but the grant cannot fund food purchases. Eligible staffing examples include drivers, retail recovery coordinators, and donation program staff.
